National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering

About: National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering is a nonprofit organization based out in Taipei, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Earthquake engineering & Earthquake shaking table. The organization has 435 authors who have published 621 publications receiving 11256 citations. The organization is also known as: NCREE.

A novel lifetime cost-benefit analysis method for seismic retrofitting of low-rise reinforced concrete buildings

Abstract: This article presents a novel simplified method for assessing seismic damage to low-rise reinforced concrete (RC) buildings by using the hazard curve of response spectral acceleration. Moreover, the occurrence of an earthquake is assumed to follow a Poisson process when analysing the occurrence probability of a specified damage state in the remaining service life and expected losses induced by seismic damage. Then, a novel procedure for estimating lifetime costs and benefits of seismic retrofitting is proposed. In the case study, 16 practical design projects for seismic retrofitting of RC school buildings in Taipei are subjected to lifetime cost-benefit analysis using the proposed method. It can be found that not only lifetime cost-benefit ratios but also the financial return period for each dollar invested seismic retrofitting can be identified conveniently. Additionally, they are useful information for making decisions about whether to retrofit a building or not.

A Ground Motion Scaling Method Considering Higher-Mode Effects and Structural Characteristics

Abstract: As nonlinear response history analysis (NLRHA) becomes a frequently used procedure for the seismic demand evaluation of multistory buildings, it becomes increasingly important to develop a ground motion scaling method which properly includes the dominating modes in the seismic demand estimates. This paper proposes a multimode ground motion scaling (MMS) method, which applies the square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS) or complete quadratic combination (CQC) rule in computing peak seismic demands. The aim is to minimize the weighted sum of the square differences between the spectral responses of a given ground motion and the design response spectrum for the first few modes. Using four case studies, this paper compares the effectiveness of the MMS method with the other common scaling procedures. It is illustrated that the MMS method is effective in reducing the scatter in the peak seismic demands computed from both the response spectral analysis (RSA) and the NLRHA. Recommendations for selecti...

Self-centering steel plate shear walls for improving seismic resilience

Abstract: As part of a Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation research project led by researchers at the University of Washington with collaborators at University at Buffalo, and Taiwan National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, a self-centering steel plate shear wall (SC-SPSW) system has been developed to achieve enhanced seismic performance objectives, including recentering. The SC-SPSW consists of thin steel infill panels, referred to as web plates that serve as the primary lateral load-resisting and energy dissipating element of the system. Posttensioned (PT) beam-to-column connections provide system recentering capabilities. A performance-based design procedure has been developed for the SC-SPSW, and a series of nonlinear response history analyses have been conducted to verify intended seismic performance at multiple hazard levels. Quasi-static subassembly tests, quasi-static and shake table tests of scaled three-story specimens, and pseudo-dynamic tests of two full-scale two-story SC-SPSWs have been conducted. As a culmination of this multi-year, multi-institutional project, this paper will present an overview of the SCSPSW numerical and experimental research programs. This paper will also discuss innovative PT connection and web plate designs that were investigated to improve constructability, resilience, and seismic performance and that can be applied to other self-centering and steel plate shear wall systems.

Ground motion prediction equation for Taiwan subduction zone earthquakes

Abstract: A ground motion prediction equation (GMPE) is presented for computing the median and standard deviation of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and 5% damped pseudo-spectral acceleration (PSA) for period...