Research on the seismic fortification level of offshore platform in Bohai Sea and adjacent areas

API code is introduced at first, and then a comparison of seismic character and seismic hazard between Bohai and Southern California is carried out. The analysis indicates both the seismic frequency and intensity and the seismic hazard of Bohai are much weaker than that of Southern California. API code states the strength level and deformation level of permanent structures in Southern California takes 200 a and several hundred to a few thousand years respectively. But in the reference codes in China, the seismic levels take 500 a and 10000 a for strength design and deformation design, and it seems too conservative. In China, the deformation level of class A structure takes 2%-3% probabilities of exceedance in reference period 100 a, and that of class B and C often takes 2%-3% in 50 a. Now that offshore platforms may cause server subsequent risk, it is safe to take 1% in 30 a as its deformation design level. On the basis of the above analyses and social economic level and the consistency with present codes, the strength design level and deformation design level of Chinese offshore platforms is suggested to take 200 a and 3000 a respectively.

Large, moderate, small earthquakes and seismic fortification criterion

This paper discusses the relation between two-step seismic design and the standard of probability of exceedance, and the relation of three-levels seismic ground motion parameters given by probability method and comprehensive probability method. The relative size relations of the ground motions with 2%, 10%, 63% probability of exceedance in 50 years, namely large earthquake, moderate earthquake, and small earthquake, are discussed through a practical example of seismic hazard analysis. The methods to determine seismic fortification criterion are discussed.

Evaluation of collapse resistance of RC frame structures for Chinese schools in seismic design categories B and C

According to the Code for Seismic Design of Buildings （GB50011-2001）, ten typical reinforced concrete （RC） frame structures, used as school classroom buildings, are designed with different seismic fortification intensities （SFIs） （SFI=6 to 8.5） and different seismic design categories （SDCs） （SDC=B and C）. The collapse resistance of the frames with SDC=B and C in terms of collapse fragility curves are quantitatively evaluated and compared via incremental dynamic analysis （IDA）. The results show that the collapse resistance of structures should be evaluated based on both the absolute seismic resistance and the corresponding design seismic intensity. For the frames with SFI from 6 to 7.5, because they have relatively low absolute seismic resistance, their collapse resistance is insufficient even when their corresponding SDCs are upgraded from B to C. Thus, further measures are needed to enhance these structures, and some suggestions are proposed.

Probability-consistent spectrum and code spectrum

In the seismic safety evaluation (SSE) for key projects, the probability-consistent spectrum (PCS), usually obtained from probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), is not consistent with the design response spectrum given by Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB50011-2001). Sometimes, there may be a remarkable difference be-tween them. If the PCS is lower than the corresponding code design response spectrum (CDS), the seismic fortifi-cation criterion for the key projects would be lower than that for the general industry and civil buildings. In the paper, the relation between PCS and CDS is discussed by using the ideal simple potential seismic source. The re-sults show that in the most areas influenced mainly by the potential sources of the epicentral earthquakes and the regional earthquakes, PCS is generally lower than CDS in the long periods. We point out that the long-period re-sponse spectra of the code should be further studied and combined with the probability method of seismic zoning as much as possible. Because of the uncertainties in SSE, it should be prudent to use the long-period response spectra given by SSE for key projects when they are lower than CDS.