Earthquake resistant structures

About: Earthquake resistant structures is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1126 publications have been published within this topic receiving 27467 citations.

Fundamentals of earthquake-resistant construction

Abstract: A concise summary of practical methods that provides insight for earthquake safety in construction is conspicuously missing from the copious literature on earthquakes. This book was conceived to fill that void. It examines and recommends procedures for earthquake resistant construction and provides rationales for their use. The contents are presented in three parts. Part One, Causes and Characteristics of Earthquakes, contains the following chapters: (1) Basics; (2) Concepts and Definitions; (3) Seismological Evaluation; (4) Geological Evaluation; (5) Forms of Ground Motions; and (6) Selecting Design Motions. Part Two, Selection of the Design Motions for Earthquakes, includes the following chapters: (7) Maps of Seismic Zones and Seismic Ground Motions; (8) Procedures for Selecting Earthquake Ground Motions; and (9) Role of Codes and Empirical Procedures. Part 3, Designs for Earthquakes, consists of the final nine chapters which are: (10) Acquisition and Evaluation of Geotechnical Data; (11) Landslides and Slope Stability; (12) Liquefaction; (13) Foundation Design; (14) Structural Design; (15) Retaining Structures; (16) Dams; (17) Construction over Active Faults; and (18) Strengthening Existing Structures. There are two appendices: (1) Definitions and (2) Intensity- and Magnitude-Related Earthquake Ground Motions. An Index is provided.

Seismic-Resistant Weld-Free Steel Frame Buildings with Mechanical Joints and Hysteretic Dampers

Abstract: This paper presents an innovative structural system, named weld-free system, developed to overcome the difficulty in the quality assurance encountered in construction of steel moment resisting frames with conventional welded connections. The proposed structural system adopts a mechanical joint equipped with metallic-yielding damper as beam-to-column connection, wherein slip-critical joints are made by recently developed super high-strength bolts. The structural configuration and load-carrying mechanism of weld-free steel structures are described herein. Key features of the super high-strength bolts are also introduced. Furthermore, an experimental verification is presented. Cyclic tests were conducted on full-scale models of weld-free beam-column subassemblies and one base-line specimen with conventional welded connection. The test results clearly reveal the efficiency of the weld-free system in enhancing large and stable hysteresis loops while maintaining the beams and columns virtually in the elastic range until the ultimate state of the structure. It is also verified that the load-carrying mechanism of weld-free systems can be predicted very well by the presented theoretical solutions.

Demonstration of Compatible Yielding between Soil-Foundation and Superstructure Components

Abstract: Although the nonlinear behavior of rocking shallow foundations has been experimentally and numerically demonstrated as an effective tool to dissipate vibrational energy during seismic loading, the engineering community has yet to uniformly accept it as a targeted design mechanism for diffusing seismic energy in a structure. This paper presents results of a centrifuge test program that incorporated inelastic behavior into model building systems via yielding of both structural and foundation components. Three 2-story-1-bay building models were designed with similar layouts but different combinations of foundation and structural component yield strengths and were shaken with a similar suite of earthquake motions. Measurements of behavior of each of the model buildings are presented and cross-compared in terms of time history responses, hysteretic responses of the structural and foundation fuses, and maximum response parameters. A balanced design configuration, wherein the rocking foundation and struc...

Braced Ductile Shear Panel: New Seismic-Resistant Framing System

Abstract: The conceptual design of an innovative seismic-resistant steel framing system capable of providing stiffness and ductility to new or existing structures is presented. The bracing system consists of concentric X-braces connected in series with rectangular sacrificial shear panels. The braces are designed to remain elastic during seismic events while the shear panels are sized and configured to dissipate ample energy through plastic deformation-induced stable hysteretic behavior. Detailed three-dimensional nonlinear finite-element analyses using ABAQUS are performed to characterize and quantify the effects of the design parameters on the local response of the bracing system and to adjust the design so that potential buckling of the elements is mitigated. The finite element predicted force-displacement curves of bracing systems that achieve the desired local behavior when subjected to a specified interstory drift are in turn translated into a SAP2000 nonlinear link element. Embedment of the link elem...