An Empirical Model to Account for Spectral Amplification of Pulse-Like Ground Motion Records

Near-source effects can amplify seismic ground motion, causing large demand to structures and thus their identification and characterization is fundamental for engineering applications. Among the most relevant features, forward-directivity effects may generate near-fault records characterized by a large velocity pulse and unusual response spectral shape amplified in a narrow frequency-band. In this paper, we explore the main statistical features of acceleration and displacement response spectra of a suite of 230 pulse-like signals (impulsive waveforms) contained in the NESS1 (NEar Source Strong-motion) flat-file. These collected pulse-like signals are analyzed in terms of pulse period and pulse azimuthal orientation. We highlight the most relevant differences of the pulse-like spectra compared to the ordinary (i.e., no-pulse) ones, and quantify the contribution of the pulse through a corrective factor of the spectral ordinates. Results show that the proposed empirical factors are able to capture the amplification effect induced by near-fault directivity, and thus they could be usefully included in the framework of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis to adjust ground-motion model (GMM) predictions.

A practice-oriented method for estimating elastic floor response spectra

A practice-oriented modal superposition method for setting elastic floor acceleration response spectra is proposed in this paper. The approach builds on previous contributions in the literature, making specific recommendations to explicitly consider floor displacement response spectra and accounts for uncertainty in modal characteristics. The method aims to provide reliable predictions which improve on existing code methods but maintain simplicity to enable adoption in practical design. This work is motivated by recent seismic events which have illustrated the significant costs that can be incurred following damage to secondary and nonstructural components within buildings, even where the structural system has performed well. This has prompted increased attention to the seismic performance of nonstructural components with questions being raised about the accuracy of design floor acceleration response spectra used in practice. By comparing floor acceleration response spectra predicted by the proposed method with those recorded from instrumented buildings in New Zealand, it is shown that the proposed approach performs well, particularly if a good estimate of the building’s fundamental period of vibration is available.

Static Application of Transient Hydrodynamic Loads on Vessel Internal Structures As a Result of Pulse Jet Mixer Overblow: Low-Frequency Loads

At the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), various vessels are designed to be agitated with internal pulse jet mixers (PJMs) in order to provide a means of mixing with no moving parts local to the vessel. PJMs are operated by use of an applied vacuum to draw liquid in followed by motive air to force liquid out (while not completely discharging all the liquid). This continual operation results in mixing of the vessel contents. In off-normal conditions, PJMs may completely discharge resulting in air rapidly injected into the vessel (PJM overblow). An evaluation is complete to determine the statically applied transient Rayleigh-Plesset bubble loads resulting from PJM overblow on the vessel’s internal submerged structures. The low-frequency bubble loads on internal structures is determined via analysis of overblow test data, application of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation based on bubble pressure, PJM nozzle critical flow ratios, conservation of momentum, the relative equation of motion of a submerged non-fixed structure subject to both relative drag and relative acceleration, non-flow boundary conditions, use of a displacement-response spectra, and Hooke’s Law. This theoretical Rayleigh-Plesset bubble loads model accounts for various vessel and internal submerged structure designs and different operational states: PJM cavity pressure, liquid density, depth of submerged bubble, and both choked or non-choked flow through the PJM nozzle.

Nonlinear Static and Dynamic Analysis of Rocking Masonry Corners Using Rigid Macro-Block Modeling

The corner failure is one of the most typical local mechanisms in masonry buildings vulnerable to earthquakes. The seismic assessment of this mechanism is poorly studied in the literature and in this paper it is addressed by means of both nonlinear static and dynamic analyses of rocking rigid blocks. The static approach is based on the displacement-based method and is aimed at predicting the onset of the 3D failure mechanism and its evolution through incremental kinematic analysis. This approach also considers the presence of a thrusting roof and the stabilizing contribution of frictional resistances exerted within interlocked walls. The capacity in terms of both forces and displacements is compared with the seismic demand through the construction of acceleration–displacement response spectra, with some originality. The nonlinear dynamic approach is based on the seminal Housner’s work on rocking rigid blocks and considers the influence of transverse walls, roof overloads and outward thrust, all included in an updated equation of one-sided motion. In particular, the process of defining an equivalent prismatic block, representative of the original corner geometry, is presented to convert the 3D dynamic problem into a 2D rocking motion. The wide suitability and advantage of such modeling approaches to assess the seismic response of rocking masonry structures with reference to specific limit states are demonstrated through a real case study, i.e. the collapse of a corner in a masonry school building during the 2016–2017 Central Italy seismic sequence. The compared results provide a good agreement of predictions in terms of both onset and overturning conditions, for which the static model appears to be more conservative than the dynamic one.

A Multi-Objective Ground Motion Selection Approach Matching the Acceleration and Displacement Response Spectra

For seismic resilience-based design (RBD), a selection of recorded time histories for dynamic structural analysis is usually required. In order to make individual structures and communities regain their target functions as promptly as possible, uncertainty of the structural response estimates is in great need of reduction. The ground motion (GM) selection based on a single target response spectrum, such as acceleration or displacement response spectrum, would bias structural response estimates leading significant uncertainty, even though response spectrum variance is taken into account. In addition, resilience of an individual structure is not governed by its own performance, but depends severely on the performance of other systems in the same community. Thus, evaluation of resilience of a community using records matching target spectrum at whole periods would be reasonable because the fundamental periods of systems in the community may be varied. This paper presents a GM selection approach based on a probabilistic framework to find an optimal set of records to match multiple target spectra, including acceleration and displacement response spectra. Two major steps are included in that framework. Generation of multiple sub-spectra from target displacement response spectrum for selecting sets of GMs was proposed as the first step. Likewise, the process as genetic algorithm (GA), evolvement of individuals previously generated, is the second step, rather than using crossover and mutation techniques. A novel technique improving the match between acceleration response spectra of samples and targets is proposed as the second evolvement step. It is proved computationally efficient for the proposed algorithm by comparing with two developed GM selection algorithms. Finally, the proposed algorithm is applied to select GM records according to seismic codes for analysis of four archetype reinforced concrete (RC) frames aiming to evaluate the influence of GM selection considering two design response spectra on structural responses. The implications of design response spectra especially the displacement response spectrum and GM selection algorithm are summarized.

Impact of Damping Scaling Factors on Direct Displacement-Based Design

Damping scaling factors (DSFs) play an important role in direct displacement-based design (DDBD) as they provide a means to establish displacement response spectra for damping values beyond 5%. Response spectra for multiple damping values are needed for DDBD as the approach relies on equivalent linearization, expressed in the form of effective stiffness and equivalent viscous damping, to establish design forces for prescribed performance limit states. In the past, DSFs based on the Eurocode have been employed for DDBD; however, recent research has resulted in more robust DSF models. This paper examines the accuracy of the current DSF equation used in DDBD across the parameters that are important for structural design. A nonlinear regression analysis is performed based on the data obtained by the Rezaeian et al. (2014) model, and a base shear adjustment factor (SAF) is proposed for application to the DDBD base shear equation.

Unique Method for Generating Design Earthquake Time Histories

A method has been developed which takes a seed earthquake time history and modifies it to produce given design response spectra. It is a multi-step process with an initial scaling step and then multiple refinement steps. It is unique in the fact that both the acceleration and displacement response spectra are considered when performing the fit (which primarily improves the low frequency acceleration response spectrum accuracy). Additionally, no matrix inversion is needed. The features include encouraging the code acceleration, velocity, and displacement ratios and attempting to fit the pseudo velocity response spectrum. Also, “smoothing” is done to transition the modified time history to the seed time history at its start and end. This is done in the time history regions below a cumulative energy of 5% and above a cumulative energy of 95%. Finally, the modified acceleration, velocity, and displacement time histories are adjusted to start and end with an amplitude of zero (using Fourier transform techniques for integration).