Statistics for Spatial Data.

A number of image processing techniques IPTs have been implemented for detecting civil infrastructure defects to partially replace human-conducted onsite inspections. These IPTs are primarily used to manipulate images to extract defect features, such as cracks in concrete and steel surfaces. However, the extensively varying real-world situations e.g., lighting and shadow changes can lead to challenges to the wide adoption of IPTs. To overcome these challenges, this article proposes a vision-based method using a deep architecture of convolutional neural networks CNNs for detecting concrete cracks without calculating the defect features. As CNNs are capable of learning image features automatically, the proposed method works without the conjugation of IPTs for extracting features. The designed CNN is trained on 40 K images of 256 × 256 pixel resolutions and, consequently, records with about 98% accuracy. The trained CNN is combined with a sliding window technique to scan any image size larger than 256 × 256 pixel resolutions. The robustness and adaptability of the proposed approach are tested on 55 images of 5,888 × 3,584 pixel resolutions taken from a different structure which is not used for training and validation processes under various conditions e.g., strong light spot, shadows, and very thin cracks. Comparative studies are conducted to examine the performance of the proposed CNN using traditional Canny and Sobel edge detection methods. The results show that the proposed method shows quite better performances and can indeed find concrete cracks in realistic situations.

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Deep Learning-Based Crack Damage Detection Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Multi-Criteria Decision Aid (MCDA) or Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods have received much attention from researchers and practitioners in evaluating, assessing and ranking alternatives across diverse industries. Among numerous MCDA/MCDM methods developed to solve real-world decision problems, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) continues to work satisfactorily across different application areas. In this paper, we conduct a state-of-the-art literature survey to taxonomize the research on TOPSIS applications and methodologies. The classification scheme for this review contains 266 scholarly papers from 103 journals since the year 2000, separated into nine application areas: (1) Supply Chain Management and Logistics, (2) Design, Engineering and Manufacturing Systems, (3) Business and Marketing Management, (4) Health, Safety and Environment Management, (5) Human Resources Management, (6) Energy Management, (7) Chemical Engineering, (8) Water Resources Management and (9) Other topics. Scholarly papers in the TOPSIS discipline are further interpreted based on (1) publication year, (2) publication journal, (3) authors' nationality and (4) other methods combined or compared with TOPSIS. We end our review paper with recommendations for future research in TOPSIS decision-making that is both forward-looking and practically oriented. This paper provides useful insights into the TOPSIS method and suggests a framework for future attempts in this area for academic researchers and practitioners.

Review: A state-of the-art survey of TOPSIS applications

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures provides requirements for general structural design and includes means for determining dead, live, soil, flood, wind, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, and earthquake loads, as well as their combinations, which are suitable for inclusion in building codes and other documents. This Standard, a revision of ASCE/SEI 7-05, offers a complete update and reorganization of the wind load provisions, expanding them from one chapter into six. The Standard contains new ultimate event wind maps with corresponding reductions in load factors, so that the loads are not affected, and updates the seismic loads with new risk-targeted seismic maps. The snow, live, and atmospheric icing provisions are updated as well. In addition, the Standard includes a detailed Commentary with explanatory and supplementary information designed to assist building code committees and regulatory authorities. Standard ASCE/SEI 7 is an integral part of building codes in the United States. Many of the load provisions are substantially adopted by reference in the International Building Code and the NFPA 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code. Structural engineers, architects, and those engaged in preparing and administering local building codes will find this Standard an essential reference in their practice. Note: New orders are fulfilled from the second printing, which incorporates the errata to the first printing.

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

Estimation of fragility functions using dynamic structural analysis is an important step in a number of seismic assessment procedures. This paper discusses the applicability of statistical inferenc...

Efficient analytical fragility function fitting using dynamic structural analysis

Computer Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

In code-based seismic design and assessment it is often allowed the use of real records as an input for nonlinear dynamic analysis. On the other hand, international seismic guidelines, concerning this issue, have been found hardly applicable by practitioners. This is related to both the difficulty in rationally relating the ground motions to the hazard at the site and the required selection criteria, which do not favor the use of real records, but rather various types of spectrum matching signals. To overcome some of these obstacles a software tool for code-based real records selection was developed. REXEL, freely available at the website of the Italian network of earthquake engineering university labs (http://www.reluis.it/index_eng.html), allows to search for suites of waveforms, currently from the European Strong-motion Database, compatible to reference spectra being either user-defined or automatically generated according to Eurocode 8 and the recently released new Italian seismic code. The selection reflects the provisions of the considered codes and others found to be important by recent research on the topic. In the paper, record selection criteria are briefly reviewed first, and then the algorithms implemented in the software are discussed. Finally, via some examples, it is shown how REXEL can effectively be a contribution to code-based real records selection for seismic structural analysis.

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REXEL: computer aided record selection for code-based seismic structural analysis

This study addresses the question of selection and amplitude scaling of accelerograms for predicting the nonlinear seismic response of structures. Despite the current practices of record selection according to a specific magnitude-distance scenario and scaling to a common level, neither aspect of this process has received significant research attention to ascertain the benefits or effects of these practices on the conclusions. This paper hypothesizes that neither these usual principal seismological characteristics nor scaling of records matters to the nonlinear response of structures. It then investigates under what conditions this hypothesis may not be sustainable. Two classes of records sets are compared in several case studies: one class is carefully chosen to represent a specific magnitude and distance scenario, the other is chosen randomly from a large catalog. Results of time-history analyses are formally compared by a simple statistical hypothesis test to assess the difference, if any, between nonlinear demands of the two classes of records. The effect of the degree of scaling by first-mode spectral acceleration level is investigated in the same way. Results here show 1 little evidence to support the need for a careful site-specific process of record selection by magnitude and distance, and 2 that concern over scenario-to-scenario record scaling, at least within the limits tested, may not be justified. DOI: 10.1193/1.1990199

http://wpage.unina.it/iuniervo/papers/Iervolino_and_Cornell_SPECTRA.pdf

Record selection for nonlinear seismic analysis of structures

The study presented in this paper addresses the question of which nonlinear demand measures are sensitive to ground motion duration by statistical analyses of several case studies. A number of single degree of freedom (SDOF) structures were selected considering: (1) four oscillation periods; (2) three evolutionary and non-evolutionary hysteretic behaviours; (3) two target ductility levels.

Effects of duration are investigated, by nonlinear dynamic analysis, with respect to six different demand indices ranging from displacement ductility ratio to equivalent number of cycles. Input is made of six real accelerogram sets representing three specific duration scenarios (small, moderate and large duration). For all considered demand quantities time-history results are formally compared by statistical hypothesis test to asses the difference, if any, in the demand concerning different scenarios. Incremental dynamic analysis curves are used to evaluate duration effect as function of ground motion intensity (e.g. spectral acceleration corresponding to the SDOF's oscillation period). Duration impact on structural failure probability is evaluated by fragility curves.

The results lead to the conclusion that duration content of ground motion is statistically insignificant to displacement ductility and cyclic ductility demand. The conclusions hold regardless of SDOF's period and hysteretic relationship investigated. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ground motion duration effects on nonlinear seismic response

http://wpage.unina.it/iuniervo/papers/Bojorquez-Iervolino_SDEE.pdf

Iunio Iervolino

Papers

Computer Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

REXEL: computer aided record selection for code-based seismic structural analysis

Record selection for nonlinear seismic analysis of structures

Ground motion duration effects on nonlinear seismic response

Spectral shape proxies and nonlinear structural response