Seismic response and correlation analysis of a pile-supported wharf to near-fault pulse-like ground motions

Earthquake investigations have shown that near-fault pulse-like(NF-P)ground motions have unique characteristics compared to near-fault non-pulse-like(NF-NP)and far-field(FF)ground motions.It is necessary to study the seismic response of pile-supported wharf(PSW)structures under NF-P ground motions.In this study,a three-dimensional finite element numerical model is created to simulate a PSW.By imparting three types of ground motion,the engineering demand parameters(EDPs)of PSW under NF-P ground motions were analyzed and compared,in which EDPs are the maximum displacement and bending moment of the piles.Twenty intensity measures(IMs)were selected to characterize the properties of ground motions.The correlation between IMs and EDPs was explored.The results show that the piles present larger displacement and bending moment under NF-P ground motions compared to NF-NP and FF ground motions.None of the IMs have a high correlation with EDPs under NF-P ground motions,and these IMs are more applicable to FF ground motions.The correlation coefficients between EDPs and IMs under three types of ground motion were obtained,which will provide a valuable reference for the seismic design of PSWs.

Seismic response comparison and sensitivity analysis of pile foundation in liquefiable and non-liquefiable soils

Case history investigations have shown that pile foundations are more critically damaged in liquefiable soils than non-liquefiable soils.This study examines the differences in seismic response of pile foundations in liquefiable and non-liquefiable soils and their sensitivity to numerical model parameters.A two-dimensional finite element(FE)model is developed to simulate the experiment of a single pile foundation centrifuge in liquefiable soil subjected to earthquake motions and is validated against real-world test results.The differences in soil-pile seismic response of liquefiable and non-liquefiable soils are explored.Specifically,the first-order second-moment method(FOSM)is used for sensitivity analysis of the seismic response.The results show significant differences in seismic response for a soil-pile system between liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil.The seismic responses are found to be significantly larger in liquefiable soil than in non-liquefiable soil.Moreover,the pile bending moment was mainly affected by the kinematic effect in liquefiable soil,while the inertial effect was more significant in non-liquefiable soil.The controlling parameters of seismic response were PGA,soil density,and friction angle in liquefiable soil,while the pile bending moment was mainly controlled by PGA,the friction angle of soil,and shear modulus of loose sand in non-liquefiable soil.

Generalized response displacement methods for seismic analysis of underground structures with complex cross section

The response displacement method(RDM)is recommended for the seismic analysis of underground structures in the transverse direction for many codes,including bases for design of structures-seismic actions for designing geotechnical works(ISO 23469)and code for seismic design of urban rail transit structures(GB 50909-2014).However,there are some obvious limitations in the application of RDM.Springs and the shear stress of the soil could be approximately evaluated for the structures having a simple cross section,such as rectangular and circular structures.It is necessary to propose simplified seismic analysis methods for structures with complex cross sections.This paper refers to the idea of RDM and proposes three generalized response displacement methods(GRDM).In GRDM1,a part of the soil surrounding a structure is selected to generate a generalized underground structure with a rectangular cross section,and the same analysis model as RDM is applied to analyze the responses of the structure.In GRDM2,a hollow soil model without a generalized structure is used to compute the equivalent load caused by the relative displacement of the soil,and the soil-structure interaction model is applied to calculate the responses of the structure.In GRDM3,a continuous soil model is applied to compute the equivalent load caused by the relative displacement and shear stress of the soil,and the soil-structure interaction model is applied to analyze the responses of the structure,which is the same as the model used in GRDM2.The time-history analysis method(THAM)is used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed simplified methods.Results show that the error of GRDM1 is about 20%,while the error is only 5%for GRDM2 and GRDM3.Among the three proposed methods,GRDM3 has obvious advantages regarding calculation efficiency and accuracy.Therefore,it is recommended to use GRDM3 for the seismic response analysis of underground structures that have conventional simple or complex cross sections.

Influence of Confined Concrete Models on the Seismic Response of RC Frames

In this study, the influence of confined concrete models on the response of reinforced concrete structures is investigatedat member and global system levels. The commonly encountered concrete models such as Modified Kent-Park, Saatçioğlu-Razvi, and Mander are considered. Two moment-resisting frames designed according to thepre-modern code are taken into consideration to reflect the example of an RC moment-resisting frame in thecurrent building stock. The building is in an earthquake-prone zone located on Z3 Soil Type. The inelasticresponse of the building frame is modelled by considering the plastic hinges formed on each beam and columnelement for different concrete classes and stirrups spacings. The models are subjected to non-linear static analyses.The differences between confined concrete models are comparatively investigated at both reinforced concretemember and system levels. Based on the results of the comparative analysis, it is revealed that the column behaviouris mostly influenced by the choice of model, due to axial loads and confinement effects, while the beams areless affected, and also it is observed that the differences exhibited in the moment-curvature response of columncross-sections do not significantly affect the overall behaviour of the global system. This highlights the critical roleof model selection relative to the concrete strength and stirrup spacing of the member.

Seismic response of continuous span bridges through fiber-based finite element analysis

It is widely recognized that nonlinear time-history analysis constitutes the most accurate way to simulate the response of structures subjected to strong levels of seismic excitation. This analytical method is based on sound underlying principles and has the capability to reproduce the intrinsic inelastic dynamic behavior of structures. Nonetheless, comparisons with experimental results from large-scale testing of structures are still needed, in order to ensure adequate levels of confidence in this numerical methodology. The fiber modelling approach employed in the current endeavor inherently accounts for geometric nonlinearities and material inelasticity, without a need for calibration of plastic hinges mechanisms, typical in concentrated plasticity models. The resulting combination of analysis accuracy and modelling simplicity, allows thus to overcome the perhaps not fully justifiable sense of complexity associated to nonlinear dynamic analysis. The fiber-based modelling approach is employed in the framework of a finite element program downloaded from the Intemet for seismic response analysis of framed structures. The reliability and accuracy of the program are demonstrated by numerically reproducing pseudo-dynamic tests on a four span continuous deck concrete bridge. Modelling assumptions are discussed, together with their implications on numerical results of the nonlinear time-history analyses, which were found to be in good agreement with experimental results.

Accuracy of three-dimensional seismic ground response analysis in time domain using nonlinear numerical simulations

To provide appropriate uses of nonlinear ground response analysis for engineering practice, a three-dimensional soil column with a distributed mass system and a time domain numerical analysis were implemented on the Open Sees simulation platform. The standard mesh of a three-dimensional soil column was suggested to be satisfied with the specified maximum frequency. The layered soil column was divided into multiple sub-soils with a different viscous damping matrix according to the shear velocities as the soil properties were significantly different. It was necessary to use a combination of other one-dimensional or three-dimensional nonlinear seismic ground analysis programs to confirm the applicability of nonlinear seismic ground motion response analysis procedures in soft soil or for strong earthquakes. The accuracy of the three-dimensional soil column finite element method was verified by dynamic centrifuge model testing under different peak accelerations of the earthquake. As a result, nonlinear seismic ground motion response analysis procedures were improved in this study. The accuracy and efficiency of the three-dimensional seismic ground response analysis can be adapted to the requirements of engineering practice.

Orthogonal expansion of ground motion and PDEM-based seismic response analysis of nonlinear structures

This paper introduces an orthogonal expansion method for general stochastic processes. In the method, a normalized orthogonal function of time variable t is first introduced to carry out the decomposition of a stochastic process and then a correlated matrix decomposition technique, which transforms a correlated random vector into a vector of standard uncorrelated random variables, is used to complete a double orthogonal decomposition of the stochastic processes. Considering the relationship between the Hartley transform and Fourier transform of a real-valued function, it is suggested that the first orthogonal expansion in the above process is carried out using the Hartley basis function instead of the trigonometric basis function in practical applications. The seismic ground motion is investigated using the above method. In order to capture the main probabilistic characteristics of the seismic ground motion, it is proposed to directly carry out the orthogonal expansion of the seismic displacements. The case study shows that the proposed method is feasible to represent the seismic ground motion with only a few random variables. In the second part of the paper, the probability density evolution method （PDEM） is employed to study the stochastic response of nonlinear structures subjected to earthquake excitations. In the PDEM, a completely uncoupled one-dimensional partial differential equation, the generalized density evolution equation, plays a central role in governing the stochastic seismic responses of the nonlinear structure. The solution to this equation will yield the instantaneous probability density function of the responses. Computational algorithms to solve the probability density evolution equation are described. An example, which deals with a nonlinear frame structure subjected to stochastic ground motions, is illustrated to validate the above approach.

Effective stress analysis method of seismic response for high tailings dam

Based on the analysis method for tailings dam in upstream raising method presently used in metallurgy and nonferrous metals tailings depository in the world, an effective stress analysis method of seismic response for high tailings dam was developed according to the results of engineering geological exploration, static and dynamic test and stability analysis on Baizhishan tailing dam 113.5 m high. The law of generation, diffusion and dissipation of seismic pore water pressure during and after earthquake was investigated, and the results of tailings dam’s acceleration, seismic dynamic stress and pore water pressure were obtained. The results show that the seismic stability and liquefaction resistance of high tailings dam are strengthened remarkably, and the scope and depth of liquefaction area at the top of dam are reduced greatly. The interior stress is compressive stress, the stress level of every element is less than 1.0 and the safety coefficient of every element is greater than 1.0. The safety coefficient against liquefaction of every element of tailing dam is greater than 1.5 according to the effective stress analysis of seismic response by finite element method. The calculated results prove that liquefaction is the main reason of seismic failure of high tailing dams, and the effect of seismic inertia forces on high tailing dams’ stability during earthquake is secondary reason.

Seismic response analysis for equatorial diagnostic port plug of international thermonuclear experimental reactor

Modal analysis and seismic response analysis were carried out for the equatorial diagnostic port plug of international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). The aim of the theoretical analysis is to verify structural strength and reliability of the device. The working condition includes one-dimensional seismic wave and two-dimensional seismic wave. Modal analysis of the device shows that primary vibration is inclined to occur in low-order modes. The horizontal (X-direction, Y-direction) maximum vibration appears at the first and the fourth eigen modes, with the natural frequency of 70.59 and 215.88 Hz respectively, and the vertical (Z-direction) primary vibration appears at the second eigen mode with the natural frequency of 82.85 Hz. According to the results of the finite element analysis (FEA) program, the weak portions of the device are distributed in the joint of port body with blanket shielding module (BSM) and inner side wall of ribbed plate for lifting flange, the maximum von Mises stress is 14.8 MPa with the Y-direction seismic wave. In accordance with the design criteria, the destructive effect is far below the failure boundary, and the structural reliability of the equatorial diagnostic port plug can meet the requirements of the design specifications.

Analysis on the Seismic Response of Soil Slopes Based on the Multi-point Input Method

In general, the seismic response analysis in earthquake engineering assumes that the vibration parameters of the target and the contact surface of the external media are identical,i. e., single point input. However, earthquake energy has an attenuation phenomenon in wave propagation,so a wide range of soil slopes and the external medium contact surface of different input points on motion are not identical. If we consider single point input only, it may not correspond with reality, so it is necessary to carry out research on multi-point input methods. Based on the 2-D slope model,single-point input and multi-point input are performed respectively to analyze and compare their similarities and differences in the perspectives of the characteristics of seismic response of soil layer and plastic zone distribution to provide a reference for the seismic design of slopes. The results show that in the perspective of soil seismic response analysis,the peak acceleration output and peak velocity output under multi-point input are greater than the peak values under single point input at the same monitoring point,the peak appearing time is also earlier than that of the single point input; in terms of the plastic zone distribution,the multi-point effect is manifested as the presence of more obvious tensile shear failures; in the perspective of safety coefficient,the safety coefficient under each multi-point input is smaller than that of single point input,a difference of about 7 % or so. In summary,multi-point input is more reasonable and practical than single point input,so multi-point input should be considered in seismic design.

Nonlinear seismic response analysis of reinforced concrete tube in tube structure

Super-highly reinforced concrete tube in tube structure is a developing structure system of high-rise building. The more reasonable derivation process of the multi-vertical-line-element model stiffness matrix is given.On the premise of pointing out the problems of present multi-spring element model, combined with present multivertical-line-element model for analyzing on shear wall, the model is expanded to spatial one, and the stiffness matrix of which is derived. Combined with hysteretic axial model and hysteretic shear model, it is suitable for columns,wall limbs and beams with all kinds of section form. Some examples are calculated and compared with test results,which shows that the models have relatively good accuracy. On the base of the experimental phenomenon and failure mechanism for tube in tube structure specimen, nonlinear seismic responses analysis program on the basis of the advantaged element model for tube in tube structure is developed. Calculation results are in good agreement with those of the pseudo-dynamic tests and the failure mechanism can be well reflected.

Seismic Response Analysis of Portal Water Injection Sheet Pile

To further the study on the newly developed portal water injection sheet pile under static loads, in this paper, by adopting the nonlinear calculation module of FEM software ANSYS, a model for the interaction between the soil and the sheet piles is set up, and the seismic response analysis for this type of space-retaining structure is performed. The effects of the embedded depth and the distance between the front pile and the back pile on the dynamic characteristics of the portal water injection sheet pile are studied.

Comparative Analysis of Seismic Response Characteristics of Pile-Soil-Stnicture Interaction System

The study on the earthquake-resistant performance of a pile-soil-structure interaction system is a relatively complicated and primarily important issue in civil engineering practice. In this paper, a computational model and computation procedures for pile-supported structures, which can duly consider the pile-soil interaction effect, arc established by the finite clement method. Numerical implementation is made in the time domain. A simplified approximation for the seismic response analysis of pile-soil-structure systems is briefly presented. Then a comparative study is performed for an engineering example with numerical results computed respectively by the finite clement method and the simplified method. Through comparative analysis, it is shown that the results obtained by the simplified method well agree with those achieved by the finite element method. The numerical results and findings will offer instructive guidelines for earthquake-resistant analysis and design of pile-supported structures.

Seismic response analysis of a reinforced concrete continuous bridge considering coupling pounding-friction effect

To evaluate the coupling pounding-friction effect between bridge girders and retainers and its influence on bridge seismic response, a reinforced concrete （RC） continuous bridge is selected as the research object. Three bridge finite element （FE） models were built using OpenSees, in which the longitudinal and transverse pounding elements, as well as the transverse failure element of bearings were introduced. Based on this, tire seismic response analysis considering the coupling pounding-friction effect was conducted for the continuous bridge subjected to bi-directional ground motions. Furthermore, the influential parameters were analyzed. The analysis results indicate that the coupling pounding-friction effect can alter the internal force distribution of the bridge structure and generate additional torsional force to bridge columns. The friction coefficient and longitudinal pounding gap size are two important factors. The appropriate friction coefficient and longitudinal pounding gap size can significantly reduce seismic response of girders, and effectively transfer part of the girder inertia force from the fixed columns to the sliding columns, which can reduce the seismic demands of the fixed columns and improve the seismic performance of continuous bridge structures.

Analysis of Seismic Risk by Using Site Earthquake Response Intensity

Based on the site historical earthquake data,a method of seismic risk analysis is presented.Once the frequency of earthquake response intensity and the relative value showed a logarithmic linear,the maximum similarity method would be used to obtain β,λ,and Imax,and also achieve the results of risk analysis on each site.At the same time,the "logic tree" method can be used to calibrate the uncertainty of the risk on each site.Then the final results of risk analysis indicate that this method is feasible,particularly for the sites showing intensity anomaly.

Nonlinear Analysis of the Seismic Response of a Reinforced Concrete Structure Built in High Seismic Region in Algeria

The objective of this paper is to analyze the seismic response of a reinforced concrete structure dimensioned according to the Algerian seismic rules. First, we expose the approach of nonlinear time history method. Next, we describe a ten-storey reinforced concrete building braced by shear walls, implanted in the high seismicity region in Algeria. This structure is submitted to different seismic records. Finally, we analyze and interpret the seismic response in function of the deformability, shear strength, flexural strength and the bearing capacity under the compressive stress together with the local ductility. The results obtained showed that the identified structure represents a satisfied nonlinear behavior under the seismic recording of medium intensity contrary that obtained under higher earthquake of El Centro which remains unacceptable and requests a constructive improvement in the Algerian seismic rules.

Seismic response reduction analysis of large chassis base-isolated structure under long-period ground motions

Long-period structures(e.g.Isolated structures)tend to produce pseudo-resonance with low frequency compo-nents of long-period ground motions,resulting in the increase in damage.Stiffness mutation occurs due to the set-back in the upper body of the large chassis structure.In the parts with stiffness mutation,the torsion effect caused by the tower is far greater than that of the chassis itself.In this study,a total of 273 ground motions are collected and then filtered into four types,including the near-field ordinary,near-field pulse,far-field ordinary,and far-field harmonic.An 8-degree(0.2 g)fortified large chassis base-isolated structure is established.Furthermore,ETABS program software is used to conduct nonlinear time history analysis on the isolation and seismic model under bi-directional earthquake ground motions.The comparison results show that the seismic isolation effect of the base-isolated structure under long-period ground motions is worse than that associated with ordinary ground motions when the seismic response reduction rate of the large base floor significantly decreases compared with that of the tower.When the inter-story displacement angle and the displacement of isolation layer of the chassis exceeds the limit of Code for Seismic Design of Buildings(GB 50011-2010),it is recommended to adopt composite seismic isolation technology or add limit devices.Under the condition of long-period ground motions,the base-isolated structure reduces the lateral-torsional coupling effect of the large chassis structure,while the torsion response of large chassis’top layer increases.Under long-period ground motions with the same acceleration peak,the response of the base-isolated structure increases much more than that of the seismic structure and the consideration of this impact is suggested to be added to the Code.

Seismic Response Analysis of Silo-Stock-Foundation Interaction System

To analyze the response law of silo-stock-foundation interaction system under seismic load, a dynamic equation of this interaction system was established. Furthermore, the dynamic characteristics of the silo-stock-foundation interaction system under different storage conditions were studied through numerical analysis. The displacement at the silo top was much greater than that at the silo bottom, while the vibration trend of the upper and lower silos on the same bus bar was similar. The acceleration response, dis-placement and stress response of the structure increased with the increase of the input seismic wave. Furthermore, the direction time responses of several typical silo parts were consistent. With increase in storage material, the acceleration peak of the silo and bulk material increased and then decreased. This indicates that the relative motion of the storage material and silo had a damping effect on the silo system. The maximum circumferential strain and equivalent stress of silos with different storage capacities were recorded at the variable section of silos (the top of funnel). The effective stress beneath foundations near silos was obviously higher than that far away from silos. These results can provide a reliable theoretical basis and reference values for mitigating silo structural failures under seismic load.

Influence of Various Earth-Retaining Walls on the Dynamic Response Comparison Based on 3D Modeling

The present work aims to assess earthquake-induced earth-retaining(ER)wall displacement.This study is on the dynamics analysis of various earth-retaining wall designs in hollow precast concrete panels,reinforcement concrete facing panels,and gravity-type earth-retaining walls.The finite element(FE)simulations utilized a 3D plane strain condition to model full-scale ER walls and numerous nonlinear dynamics analyses.The seismic performance of differentmodels,which includes reinforcement concrete panels and gravity-type and hollowprecast concrete ER walls,was simulated and examined using the FE approach.It also displays comparative studies such as stress distribution,deflection of the wall,acceleration across the wall height,lateral wall displacement,lateral wall pressure,and backfill plastic strain.Three components of the created ER walls were found throughout this research procedure.One is a granular reinforcement backfill,while the other is a wall-facing panel and base foundation.The dynamic response effects of varied earth-retaining walls have also been studied.It was discovered that the facing panel of the model significantly impacts the earthquake-induced displacement of ER walls.The proposed analytical model’s validity has been evaluated and compared with the reinforcement concrete facing panels,gravity-type ER wall,scientifically available data,and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials(AASHTO)guidelines results based on FE simulation.The results of the observations indicate that the hollow prefabricated concrete ER wall is the most feasible option due to its lower displacement and high-stress distribution compared to the two types.The methodology and results of this study establish standards for future analogous investigations and professionals,particularly in light of the increasing computational capabilities of desktop computers.

Hybrid Analysis Approach for Stochastic Response of Offshore Jacket Platforms

The dynamic response of offshore platforms is more serious in hostile sea environment than in shallow sea. In this paper, a hybrid solution combined with analytical and numerical method is proposed to compute the stochastic response of fixed offshore platforms to random waves, considering wave-structure interaction and non-linear drag force. The simulation program includes two steps: the first step is the eigenanalysis aspects associated the structure and the second step is response estimation based on spectral equations. The eigenanalysis could be done through conventional finite element method conveniently and its natural frequency and mode shapes obtained. In the second part of the process, the solution of the offshore structural response is obtained by iteration of a series of coupled spectral equations. Considering the third-order term in the drag force, the evaluation of the three-fold convolution should be demanded for nonlinear stochastic response analysis. To demonstrate this method, a numerical analysis is carried out for both linear and non-linear platform motions. The final response spectra have the typical two peaks in agreement with reality, indicating that the hybrid method is effective and can be applied to offshore engineering.