Slope stability assessments are classical problems for geotechnical engineers. The predictions of slope stability in soil or rock masses play an important role when designing for dams, roads, tunnels, excavations, open pit mines and other engineering structures. Stability charts continue to be used by engineers as preliminary design tools and by educators for training purposes. However, the majority of the existing chart solutions assume the slope problem is semi-infinite (plane-strain) in length. It is commonly believed that this assumption is conservative for design, but non-conservative when a back-analysis is performed. In order to obtain a more economical design or more precise parameters from a back-analysis, it is therefore important to quantify three dimensional boundary effects on slope stability. A significant aim of this research is to look more closely at the effect of three dimensions when predicting slope stability. In engineering practice, the limit equilibrium method (LEM) is the most popular approach for estimating the slope stability. It is well known that the solution obtained from the limit equilibrium method is not rigorous, because neither static nor kinematic admissibility conditions are satisfied. In addition, assumptions are made regarding inter slice forces for a two dimensional case and inter-column forces for a three dimensional case in order to find a solution. Therefore, a number of more theoretically rigorous numerical methods have been used in this research when studying 2D and 3D slope problems. In this thesis, the results of a comprehensive numerical study into the failure mechanisms of soil and rock slopes are presented. Consideration is given to the wide range of parameters that influence slope stability. The aim of this research is to better understand slope failure mechanisms and to develop rigorous stability solutions that can be used by design engineers. The study is unique in that two distinctly different numerical methods have been used in tandem to determine the ultimate stability of slopes, namely the upper and lower bound theorems of limit analysis and the displacement finite element method. The limit equilibrium method is also employed for comparison purposes. A comparison of the results from each technique provides an opportunity to validate the findings and gives a rigorous evaluation of slope stability.

Cette thèse présente des observations GNSS dans l'Ouest et le Nord-Est Vénézuélien, et Trinidad utilisées pour contraindre la géodynamique de la zone d'étude et la cinématique des principales failles dans cette frontière des plaques. Je présente un travail intégral de conception, installations d'un réseau géodésique dans l'ouest du Venezuela et deux campagnes d'acquisition des données GNSS. Dans le Nord-Est Vénézuélien, une campagne d'acquisition des données a été réalisée avec la réoccupation des repères installés et mesurés depuis 2003. Lors du traitement des données, j'ai inclus l'ensemble des campagnes antérieures disponibles et les données des stations GNSS permanentes de la région. Les vitesses observées dans l'Ouest Vénézuélien correspondent bien avec le mouvement des plaques Caraïbes et Sud Amérique. Cependant, le lent taux de déplacement des failles principales et le court intervalle de temps entre les observations n'a pas permis d'obtenir un champ des vitesses avec suffisamment de précision. Au contraire, les observations épisodiques réalisées sur dix ans dans le Nord-Est du Venezuela ont permis contraindre la cinématique de la faille d'El Pilar (EPF). Dans cette région, nous avons étudié les effets de la variation des propriétés élastiques sur la faille et de part et d'autre de celle-ci. Le champ de vitesses asymétrique obtenu sur les deux côtés de la faille a été simulé avec cinq approches. Un premier modèle simple dans un demi-espace homogène montre une profondeur de blocage de 1,8 km. À l'aide d'un modèle hétérogène en considérant des contrastes entre les propriétés du matériel de part et d'autre de l'EPF, nous avons montré une profondeur de blocage de 3 km et un coefficient de rigidité de 0,37. Cette dernière valeur indique que le côté nord à l'EPF composé de roches ignées et métamorphiques présente une rigidité ~1,7 fois supérieure au côté sud composé de formations sédimentaires. À partir d'un modèle tridimensionnel élastostatique, la présence d'une zone de compliance a été suggérée. Cette zone proche de la faille caractérisée par une faible rigidité serait présente de la surface à 3 km de profondeur et présenterait une largeur de 1 à 5 km et une réduction de rigidité de 30%. La simulation des vélocités avec un modèle de distribution du glissement le long du plan de faille montre la présence de glissements asismiques dans toute la partie supérieure du segment Ouest tandis que la partie supérieure du segment Est se montre partialement bloquée, ce secteur partiellement bloqué correspondrait à la rupture en surface des séismes de 1797 et 1929. En se basant sur la combinaison des vélocités obtenues par comparaison GPS/GPS et triangulation/GPS nous avons étudié la cinématique des failles principales de Trinidad. Le champ de vitesses de part et d'autre de la faille de la cordillère centrale de Trinidad (CRF) indique une asymétrie du gradient de vitesse de part et d'autre de la faille. Le modèle simple de déformation interseismique montre une profondeur de blocage de 10 km et le modèle hétérogène asymétrique suggère une profondeur de blocage de 2,5 km avec un coefficient de rigidité de 0,20 %, qui suggère une rigidité trois fois supérieure du côté nord par rapport au côté sud. La simulation du glissement le long des failles de Trinidad montre un glissement asismique atteignant 12 mm/an le long de la partie supérieure de la CRF et de sa prolongation en mer la Warm Spring Fault. Ce comportement change vers le nord-est avec une diminution importante du creep le long de la partie supérieure de la faille. La prolongation de l'EPF se montre inactive à Trinidad. L'existence d'un creep important le long des failles d'El Pilar et de la faille de la cordillère centrale de Trinidad pourrait expliquer le bas niveau de sismicité instrumentale, historique et préhistorique de ces accidents qui localisent pourtant un coulissement de 20mm/an. L'existence de ce creep induirait une réduction de l'aléa sismique de moitié. / The Caribbean-South American plate boundary is described as a wide active transpresional zone. This dissertation presents GNSS observations in Western and Northeastern Venezuela, and Trinidad used to constrain the geodynamic of the region and the kinematic of the principal faults along this plate boundary. Here, a whole work of conception, installation of network and measurements with two campaigns of GNSS observations in Western Venezuela is presented. In the case of Northeastern Venezuela, a GNSS data acquisition campaign was carried out measuring pre-existing sites installed and occupied since 2003 by FUNVISIS and University of Savoie team. The data processing for these sites includes data from previous acquisition campaigns and permanent GNSS stations. In Western Venezuela, observed velocities correspond roughly with the motion of Caribbean and South American plates. Nonetheless, the slow rate of fault-slip of main faults and the short span between the data acquisition campaigns in Western Venezuela do not allow assess the velocity field with sufficient accuracy. In northeastern Venezuela, I focused on the effects of variable elastic properties of the El Pilar Fault (EPF) and surrounding medium on inferred slip rates and locking depths. The asymmetric velocity field on both sides of EPF have been evaluated with five approaches. In a first step, a simple elastic half-space model was applied showing a 1.8 km locking depth. Next, a model considering contrast of material properties across the EPF depicts out 3 km locking depth and a 0.37 asymmetric coefficient indicating that the igneous-metamorphic northern side has a rigidity ~1.7 times higher than the sedimentary southern side. From a three-dimensional elastostatic model, the presence of a near-fault low-rigidity compliant zone has been evaluated suggesting a zone in the upper 3 km in depth and going from 1 to 5 km width with a 30 per cent of rigidity reduction. The creep associated to the shallow locking depth was clearly shown with the slip distribution model and the displacement simulation method. The results show a widespread partially-creep pattern in the eastern upper segment, while the upper western segment exhibits a partially locked area which coincides with the rupture surface of 1797 and 1929 earthquakes. From the compilation of GNSS observations and triangulation-to-GPS comparison of previous studies, the kinematic of main faults in Trinidad has been studied. The velocity field across the Central Range Fault (CRF) points out an asymmetry of velocity gradient on both sides. The heterogeneous asymmetric model point out a 2.5 km locking depth with a 0.20 asymmetric coefficient indicating that the northern side has a rigidity ~3.3 times higher to the southern side. Similar approaches have been applied to the EPF extension in Trinidad. The creep in the upper part of CRF as response to the shallow locking depth was quantified using a slip distribution model. A creep of 12 mm/yr was calculated in the southwestern onshore portion of the CRF and the Warm Springs Fault, nevertheless, this behavior changes northeastward where the CRF show a significant decrease of slip in the upper part. The slip along the EPF prolongation appears locked along its upper and lower part in the onshore portion demonstrating that this segment section is not needed to simulate observed velocities and is inactive. Furthermore, the Los Bajos Fault is shown with a slip of 7 mm/yr in the segment upon which the EPF in Venezuela transfers its slip eastward and that act as a synthetic Riedel shears. The localized aseismic displacement pattern associated with creeping or partially creeping fault segments could explain the low level of historical seismicity in the Northeastern Venezuela and Trinidad. The EPF in Venezuela and the CRF accommodate between 50-60% of the plate boundary zone motion that point out a reduction of the seismic hazard almost by half

Concrete highway bridges are important elements of our country's transportation infrastructure; however, only few studies that address their seismic behavior using data collected from instrumented structures are available in the literature. This gap of knowledge impairs full exploitation of structural health monitoring techniques for seismic damage assessment, and improvement of design recommendations. This research is particularly concerned with curved concrete box-girder highway bridges, whose seismic behavior is still widely unexplored due to lack of field monitoring data. By taking advantage of vibration records collected during six earthquake events at the West Street on Ramp, a curved concrete box-girder highway bridge located in Anaheim, California, this research aims at advancing knowledge about the seismic behavior of these bridges. Modal identification of the bridge during the earthquakes is conducted, and sensitivity analysis is carried out to reconcile the observed dynamic characteristics of the bridge with the behavior of its structural elements. Data collected from an instrumented large-scale bridge specimen during shaking table tests are also analyzed to gain insight about the response of the bridge bents during the earthquakes, and propose a strategy to model their seismic behavior. Information from modal identification and the shaking table tests analyses are instrumental in developing a nonlinear finite element model of the bridge, calibrated employing a multistage finite element model updating strategy. In order to evaluate the significance of using the structural-health-monitoring-informed structural model obtained, seismic performance assessment through incremental dynamic analysis is conducted, and results are compared with the predicted performance estimated with a conventional finite element model of the bridge. By advancing knowledge about the seismic behavior of concrete highway bridges, this research may ultimately contribute to improve structural health monitoring practices and design guidelines for this type of structures.

Our paleotsunami surveys of the southern Java coast led to the discovery of five imbricate coastal boulder fields near Pacitan, Indonesia that may date to the mid-to-late 19th century or prior and two similar fields at Pantai Papuma and Pantai Pasir Putih that were tsunami-emplaced during the 1994 7.9 Mw event in East Java. Estimated ages for the fields near Pacitan are based on historical records and radiocarbon analyses of coral boulders. The largest imbricated boulders in fields near Pacitan and in East Java are similar in size (approximately 3 m^3) and are primarily composed of platy beachrock dislodged from the intertidal platform during one or several unusually powerful wave impactions. Hydrodynamic wave height reconstructions of the accumulations near Pacitan indicate the boulders were likely tsunami rather than storm-wave emplaced, as the size of the storm waves needed to do so is not viable. We evaluate the boulders as an inverse problem, using their reconstructed wave heights and ComMIT tsunami modeling to suggest a minimum 8.4 Mw earthquake necessary to dislodge and emplace the largest boulders near Pacitan assuming they were all deposited during the same tsunami event and that the rupture source was located along the Java Trench south of Pacitan. A combined analysis of historical records of Java earthquakes and plate motion measurements indicates a seismic gap with >25 m of slip deficit along the Java Trench. A 1000-1500 km rupture along the subduction interface of this segment is capable of producing a 9.0-9.3 Mw megathrust earthquake and a giant tsunami. However, evidence for past megathrust earthquake events along the this trench remains elusive. We use epicenter independent tsunami modelling to estimate wave heights and inundation along East Java in the event that the trench were to fully rupture. By translocating ComMIT slip parameters of Japan's 2011 9.1 Mw event along the trench offshore East Java, we demonstrate possible wave heights in excess of 20 m at various locations along its southern coasts. Approximately 300,000-500,000 people in low-lying coastal communities on the southern coasts of East Java could be directly affected. We recommend at-risk communities practice the "20/20/20 principle" of tsunami hazard awareness and evacuation.

Past earthquake events have shown that seismic damage to electrical power systems in commercial buildings, hospitals, and other systems such as public service facilities can cause serious economic losses as well as operational problems. A methodology for evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of electrical power systems is needed and all essential components of the system must be included. A key system component is the switchboard cabinet which houses many different elements which control and monitor electrical power usage and distribution within a building. Switchboard cabinets vary in size and complexity and are manufactured by a number of different suppliers; a typical cabinet design was chosen for detailed evaluation in this investigation. This study presents a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of the seismic performance of electrical switchboard cabinets. This framework begins with the introduction and description of the essential equipment in building electrical power systems and explains possible seismic damage to this equipment. The shortcomings of previous studies are highlighted and advanced finite element models are developed to aid in their vulnerability estimation. Unlike previous research in this area, this study proposes practical, computationally efficient, and versatile numerical models, which can capture the critical nonlinear behavior of switchboard cabinets subjected to seismic excitations. A major goal of the current study was the development of nonlinear numerical models that can accommodate various support boundary conditions ranging from fixed, elasto-plastic to free. Using both linear and nonlinear dynamic analyses, this study presents an enhanced evaluation of the seismic behavior of switchboard cabinets. First the dynamic characteristics of switchboard cabinets are determined and then their seismic performance is assessed through nonlinear time history analysis using an expanded suite of ground motions. The seismic responses and associated ground motions are described and analyzed using probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs). Based on the PSDMs, the effectiveness and practicality of common intensity measures are discussed for different components. Correlation of intensity measures and seismic responses are then estimated for each component, and their seismic performance and uncertainties are quantified in terms of engineering demand parameters. The results of this study are intended for use in the seismic vulnerability assessment of essential electrical equipment in order to achieve more reliable electrical power systems resulting in reduced overall risk of both physical and operational failures of this important class of nonstructural components.

The seismic behavior of port container cranes has been largely ignored-by owners, operators, engineers, and code officials alike. This is despite their importance to daily port operations, where historical evidence suggests that port operational downtime following a seismic event can have a crippling effect on the affected local, regional, and national economies. Because the replacement time in the event of crane collapse can be a year or more, crane collapse has the potential to be the "critical path" for post-disaster port recovery. Since the 1960's, crane designers allowed and encouraged an uplift response from container cranes, assuming that this uplift would provide a "safety valve" for seismic loading; i.e. the structural response at the onset of uplift was assumed to be the maximum structural response. However, cranes have grown much larger and more stable such that the port industry is now beginning to question the seismic performance of their modern jumbo container cranes. This research takes a step back, and reconsiders the effect that uplift response has on the seismic demand of portal-frame structures such as container cranes. A theoretical estimation is derived which accounts for the uplift behavior, and finds that the "safety valve" design assumption can be unconservative. The resulting portal uplift theory is verified with complex finite element models and experimental shake-table testing of a scaled example container crane. Using the verified models, fragility curves and downtime estimates are developed which characterize the risk of crane damage and operational downtime for three representative container cranes subjected to a range of earthquakes. This research demonstrates that container cranes designed using previous and current standards can significantly contribute to port seismic vulnerability. Lastly, performance-based design recommendations are provided which encourage the comparison of demand and capacity in terms of the critical portal deformation, using the derived portal uplift theory to estimate seismic deformation demand.

Serving as critical gateways for international trade, seaports are pivotal elements in transportation networks. Any disruption in the activities of port infrastructures may lead to significant losses from secondary economic effects, and can hamper the response and recovery efforts following a natural disaster. Particularly poignant examples which revealed the significance of port operations were the 1995 Kobe earthquake and 2010 Haiti earthquake in which liquefaction and lateral spreading of embankments imposed severe damage to both structural and non-structural components of ports. Since container wharf structures are responsible for loading and unloading of cargo, it is essential to understand the performance of these structures during earthquakes. Although previous studies have provided insight into some aspects of the seismic response of wharves, limitations in the modeling of wharf structures and the surrounding soil media have constrained the understanding of various features of the wharf response. This research provides new insights into the seismic behavior of wharves by using new and advanced structure and soil modeling procedures to carry out two and three-dimensional seismic analyses of a pile-supported marginal wharf structure in liquefiable soils. Furthermore, this research investigates the interaction between cranes and wharves and closely assesses the role of wharf-crane interaction on the response of each of these systems. For this purpose, the specific effect of wharf-crane interaction is studied by incorporating advanced models of the crane with sliding/uplift base conditions. To reduce the computational time required for three-dimensional nonlinear dynamic analysis of the wharf in order to be applicable for probabilistic seismic demand analysis, a simplified wharf model and an analysis technique are introduced and verified. In the next step probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs) are generated by imposing the wharf models to a suit of ground deformations of the soil embankment and pore water pressure generated for this study through free-field analysis. Convolving PSDMs and the limit states, a set of fragility curves are developed for critical wharf components whose damage induces a disruption in the normal operation of ports. The developed fragility curves provide decision makers with essential tools for maximizing investment in wharf retrofit and fill a major gap in seismic risk assessment of seaports which can be used to assess the regional impact of the damage to wharves during a natural hazard event.

Earthquakes are among the most devastating and unpredictable of natural hazards that affect civil infrastructure and have the potential for causing numerous casualties and significant economic losses over large areas. Every region that has the potential for great earthquakes should have an integrated plan for a seismic design and risk mitigation for civil infrastructure. This plan should include methods for estimating the vulnerability of building inventories and for forecasting economic losses resulting from future events. This study describes a methodology to assess risk to distributed civil infrastructure due to large-scale natural hazards with large geographical footprints, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and floods, and provides a detailed analysis and assessment of building losses due to earthquake. The distinguishing feature of this research, in contrast to previous loss estimation methods incorporated in systems such as HAZUS-MH, is that it considers the correlation in stochastic demand on building inventories due to the hazard, as well as correlation in building response and damage due to common materials, construction technologies, codes and code enforcement. These sources of correlation have been neglected, for the most part, in previous research. The present study has revealed that the neglect of these sources of correlation leads to an underestimation of the estimates of variance in loss and in the probable maximum loss (PML) used as a basis for underwriting risks. The methodology is illustrated with a seismic risk assessment of building inventories representing different occupancy classes in Shelby County, TN, considering both scenario earthquakes and earthquakes specified probabilistically. It is shown that losses to building inventories estimated under the common assumption that the individual losses can be treated as statistically independent may underestimate the PML by a factor of range from 1.7 to 3.0, depending on which structural and nonstructural elements are included in the assessment. A sensitivity analysis reveals the statistics and sources of correlation that are most significant for loss estimation, and points the way forward for supporting data acquisition and synthesis.

The process of modeling earthquake hazard risk and vulnerability is a prime component of mitigation planning, but is rife with epistemic, aleatory and factual uncertainty. Reducing uncertainty in such models yields significant benefits, both in terms of extending knowledge and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of mitigation planning. An accurate description of the built environment as an input into loss estimation would reduce factual uncertainty in the modeling process. Building attributes for earthquake loss estimation and risk assessment modeling were identified. Three modules for developing the building attributes were proposed, including structure classification, building footprint recognition and building valuation. Data from primary sources and field surveys were collected from Shelby County, Tennessee, for calibration and validation of the structure type models and for estimation of various components of building value. Building footprint libraries were generated for implementation of algorithms to programmatically recognize two-dimensional building configurations. The modules were implemented to produce a building inventory for Shelby County, Tennessee that may be used effectively in loss estimation modeling. Validation of the building inventory demonstrates effectively that advanced technologies and methods may be effectively and innovatively applied on combinations of primary and derived data and replicated in order to produce a bottom-up, reliable, accurate and cost-effective building inventory.

[Truncated abstract] A number of controlled and natural seismic sources are utilised to model the Pwave velocity structure of the southwest of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. The Yilgarn Craton is one of the largest pieces of Archaean crust in the world and is known for its gold and nickel deposits in the east and intraplate seismicity in the west. The aim of the project is to link 2D and 3D models of variations in seismic velocity with the local seismicity and geology. A new set of seismic refraction data, acquired in 25 overlapping deployments between 2002 and 2005, has been processed, picked and analysed using forward modelling. The data comprise two perpendicular traverses of three-component recordings of various delay-fired blasts from local commercial quarries. The data were processed using a variety of techniques. Tests were carried out on a number of data enhancement and picking procedures in order to determine the best method for enhancement of delay-fired data. A new method for automatic phase recognition is presented, where the maximum of the derivative of the rectilinearity of a trace is taken as the first break. Complete shot gathers with first break picks for each seismic source are compiled from the overlapping deployments. ... The starting 3D model was based on the models produced by 2D forward modelling. 14 iterations were carried out and the best-fit 3D model was achieved at the 10th iteration. It is 35% better then the current model used to locate earthquakes in this region. The resultant velocity block model was used to iii construct a density block model. A relative gravity map of the southwest of Yilgarn Craton was made. The results of 2D forward modelling, 3D tomography and forward gravity modelling have been compared and it was found that the HVZ is present in all models. Such a zone has been previously seen on a single seismic refraction profile, but it is the first time, this zone has been mapped in 3D. The gravity high produced by the zone coincides with the gravity high observed in reality. There is strong evidence that suggests that the HVZ forms part of the Archaean terrane boundary within the Yilgarn Craton. The distribution of the local seismicity was then discussed in the framework of the new 3D velocity model. A hypothesis, that the primary control on the seismicity in the study area is rotation of the major horizontal stress orientation, is presented. It is also argued that the secondary control on seismicity in the SWSZ is accommodation of movements along major faults.