Earthquake Proof Efficiency of Sliding Base Isolator With Dog-Bone Type Damping

In recent years, there have been more and more seismic retrofit applications of using base isolators in seismic prone regions. In the past, the focuses of researches on the efficiency of various base isolators have been aimed at their behavior under earthquakes without long predominant periods. The doubts of efficiency of the base isolator nearby active faults or located at a soft deposit soil have been raised by researchers. It is revealed from previous studies that the seismic responses of the base isolated structure are significant due to the influence of resonance. In order to minimize the inherent shortcomings of base isolators, various base isolators with dog bone type of friction behavior have been proposed in this study. In the meanwhile, the exact solutions used to describe the behavior of the proposed isolators have also been derived in this study. The numerical studies show that the displacement responses of proposed isolators under near fault earthquakes and ground motions with long predominant periods are much lower than those of the traditional FPS and VCFPS devices. Hence, the required dimensions of proposed isolators can be smaller than those for the FPS and VCFPS isolators.

Rotational Components of Seismic Motion Based on Surface Wave

In this paper, the appropriate methods are presented to obtain the seismic rotational components caused by the arrival of the surface waves applying the theory of elastic wave propagation. The rocking component around a horizontal axis and the torsional component around a vertical axis are generated respectively by the Rayleigh and Love waves. At the same time, the calculation formulations of phase velocities about these waves with frequent dispersion are derived and introduced to the rotational components, which may be more suitable for engineering practice. A procedure is developed to compute the time histories. Finally, numerical results have shown that the rotational motions have more energy than the translatonal motions in high frequent range by using the given methods.

Stability and Accuracy for Nonlinear Systems

Stability and accuracy of the Newmark method for solving nonlinear systems are analytically evaluated. It is proved that an unconditionally stable method for linear elastic systems is also unconditionally stable for nonlinear systems and a conditionally stable method for linear elastic systems remains conditionally stable for nonlinear systems except that the upper stability limit might vary with the step degree of nonlinearity and step degree of convergence. It is also found that numerical accuracy in the solution of nonlinear systems is highly related to the step degree of nonlinearity and the step degree of convergence although its general properties are similar to those of linear elastic systems. Analytical results are confirmed with numerical examples.

Cyclic Performance of Two-Story Ductile RC Frames With Infill Walls

This paper presents the results of the experimental and analytical investigations conducted on four 0.8 scale 2-story one bay ductile reinforced concrete frames with infill nonstructural walls subjected to cyclically increasing loads. The material properties and the member sizes of beams and columns in the four RC frame specimens are identical, but with different types of infill nonstructural wall. These four frames are the pure frame, frame with short column, frame with short beam and frame with wing walls. The four RC frame specimens were designed and constructed according to the general prototype building structures in Taiwan. Test results indicate that the ductility behavior of the frames with infill wall is similar to those of the pure frame. The ultimate base shear strength of the frames with infill walls is higher than those of the pure frame. Analytical results show that the proposed simplified multi-linear beam-column element implemented in a general purpose structural analysis program can accurately simulate the cyclic responses of the RC frame specimen incorporating the elastic flexural stiffness computations suggested by the model building codes.

Visual and Versatile Hybrid Seismic Testing System Incorporated With Non-Linear Finite Element Analysis

Hybrid simulation/testing systems have been developed incorporating a non-linear finite element method with a pseudo-dynamic test. In order to ensure stability and efficiency for time integration, the incremental formulation of the α-OS method has been implemented on this system. Visualization system has also been integrated to recognize both numerical simulation for whole systems and laboratory testing for local parts. Numerical hybrid examinations of the soil structure interaction problem have been conducted on this system. By these results, validity and effectiveness of this system has been demonstrated.

On Selection of Control Parameters for H∞ Output Feedback

In this paper, an H∞ direct output feedback control algorithm through minimizing the entropy, a performance index measuring the tradeoff between H∞ optimality and H2 optimality, is employed to design the control system in reducing structural responses due to dynamic loads such as earthquakes. The control forces are obtained from the multiplication of direct output measurements by a pre-calculated time-invariant feedback gain matrix. To achieve optimal control performance, the strategy to select both control parameters γ and α is extensively investigated. The decrease of γ or increase of α results in better control effectiveness, but larger control force requirement. For a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) damped structure, exact solutions of output feedback gains and control parameters are derived. It can be proved analytically that the LQR control is a special case of the proposed H∞ control. Direct velocity feedback control is effective in reducing structural responses with very small number of sensors and controllers compared with the DOFs of the structure. In active control of a real structure, control force execution time delay cannot be avoided. Relatively small delay time not only can render the control ineffective, but also may cause system instability. In this study, explicit formulas to calculate maximum allowable delay time and critical control parameters are derived for the design of a stable control system. Some solutions are also proposed to increase the maximum allowable delay time.

Three Dimensional Seismic Isolation System for Next-Generation Nuclear Power Plant With Rolling Seal Type Air Spring and Hydraulic Rocking Suppression System

Three dimensional (3D) seismic isolation devices have been developed to use for the base isolation system of the heavy building like a nuclear reactor building. The developed seismic isolation system is composed of rolling seal type air springs and the hydraulic type springs with rocking suppression system for vertical base isolation device. In horizontal direction, the same laminated rubber bearings are used as horizontal isolation device for these systems. The performances and the applicability have already been evaluated by the technical feasibility tests and performance tests for each system. In this study, it was evaluated that the performance of the 3D base isolation system with rolling seal type air springs combined with hydraulic rocking suppression devices. A 1/7 scaled model of the 3D base isolation devices were manufactured and some performance test were executed for each device. For the rolling seal type air springs, dynamic loading test was executed with a vibration table, and pressure resistant ability test was executed for reinforced air springs. In the dynamic loading test, it is confirmed that the natural period and damping performance were verified. In the pressure resistant ability test, it is confirmed that the air springs had sufficient strength. For the hydraulic rocking suppression system, forced dynamic loading test was carried out in order to measure the frictional and oil flow resistance force on each cylinder. And the vibration table tests were carried out with supported weight of 228 MN in order to evaluate and to confirm the horizontal and vertical isolation performance, rocking suppression performance, and the applicability of the this seismic isolation system as the combined system. 4 rolling seal type air springs and 4 hydraulic load-carrying cylinders with rocking suppression devices supported the weight. As a result, the proposed system was verified that it could be applied to the actual nuclear power plant building to be target.

Finite Element Analysis of Sloshing in Horizontal-Cylindrical Industrial Vessels Under Earthquake Loading

The present paper presents a finite-element formulation for earthquake-induced sloshing in horizontal-cylindrical industrial vessels. Assuming small-amplitude free-surface elevation, a linearized sloshing problem is obtained, which provides very good results in comparison with other analytical or numerical solutions, and available experimental data. The paper is aimed at calculating sloshing frequencies, as well as sloshing transient response under horizontal seismic excitation. Based on an “impulsive-convective” decomposition of the container-fluid motion, an efficient methodology is proposed for the calculation of the total seismic force, through the corresponding sloshing masses. The results from the present finite element analysis offers an efficient tool for predicting the total seismic force in horizontal cylinders and extends the current design practice for vertical cylindrical tanks stated in existing seismic design specifications.

Response of Soil and a Submerged Tunnel During a Thrust Fault Offset Based on Model Experiment and Numerical Analysis

Observed from the earthquake disasters occurred over the decades in Taiwan, the deformation of near surface soil was the major cause lead to damages of underground structures or pipe lines; for instance, the damage of diversion tunnel of Shih-Kang Dam in Chichi earthquake is a typical case. To study the process of fault propagation as well as the associated soil and structure deformation during a fault offset event, model experiments of simulating thrust fault offset were set up, in which non-cohesive sands was adopted simulating near surface soil. The results, obtained from experiment studies and numerical analyses based on finite element method were then compared to further explore the behavior of soil, structure during faulting process. The soil deformation obtained from numerical analysis complies with the outcome from model experiments. In the near future, when conducting a risk evaluation for earthquake-induced damage on underground structure, a numerical stimulation can provides helpful quantity analysis and can serve as a handy tool for the earthquake resistance design.

Vibration Characteristic Evaluation of Nonlinear Vibration Systems With Gaps Considering Energy Dissipation by Collision

This paper deals with nonlinear vibration of a continuum system with gaps under random waves considered collision phenomena. In order to investigate this nonlinear vibration characteristic, experiments are made with an experimental apparatus consisting of a nonlinear vibration system. A 2.3mm thick plate is used for the collision phenomena experiments. Moreover, an analytical model of the cubic equation is proposed based on the restoring force characteristics in the experiments. This analytical model is used for the simulation analysis, and the results are compared with the experimental results. However, the Root- Mean- Square (R.M.S.) values of the response acceleration of the analytical results are larger than R.M.S. values of the response acceleration of the experimental result. The difference of these results indicates that energy is dissipated in the collision phenomena. Then, the coefficient of restitution by the collision phenomenon between mass and plate is measured from the experiments. In the analysis, the dissipation energy is replaced with an equivalent damping ratio. The simulations are calculated by using this modified analysis. Consequently, the simulation results agree well with the experimental results.