A comprehensive study method for lifeline system interaction under seismic conditions

The mechanism of lifeline system interaction is analyzed and the method and its corresponding result for categorizing the lifeline system in terms of interaction are presented. Various methods for the different kind of interaction are reviewed in this paper. For the function interaction of the lifeline system, an all-round study method is recommended. A WebGIS based aided decision-making method for the post-earthquake restoration of multi-lifeline system is also presented. Meanwhile, some key-points for lifeline system interaction are discussed.

Lifeline system network reliability calculation based on GIS and FTA

Lifelines, such as pipeline, transportation, communication, electric transmission and medical rescue systems, are complicated networks that always distribute spatially over large geological and geographic units. The quantification of their reliability under an earthquake occurrence should be highly regarded, because the performance of these systems during a destructive earthquake is vital in order to estimate direct and indirect economic losses from lifeline failures, and is also related to laying out a rescue plan. The research in this paper aims to develop a new earthquake reliability calculation methodology for lifeline systems. The methodology of the network reliability for lifeline systems is based on fault tree analysis （FTA） and geological information system （GIS）. The interactions existing in a lifeline system ale considered herein. The lifeline systems are idealized as equivalent networks, consisting of nodes and links, and are described by network analysis in GIS. Firstly, the node is divided into two types： simple node and complicated node, where the reliability of the complicated node is calculated by FTA and interaction is regarded as one factor to affect performance of the nodes. The reliability of simple node and link is evaluated by code. Then, the reliability of the entilre network is assessed based on GIS and FTA. Lastly, an illustration is given to show the methodology.

Coupling Analysis of Disaster Bearing Capacity of Urban Lifeline System Based on Brittleness Entropy

Urban or regional disaster bearing capacity mainly depends on the disaster bearing capacity of lifeline systems. In the analysis of disaster bearing capacity evaluation of lifeline system, we should not only investigate the complexity, balance and reliability of network characteristics, but also consider the relation between each subsystem. A new brittleness entropy of city disaster vulnerability associated coupling analysis method is proposed based on the brittleness of complex system theory. Correlation characteristics are reflected and evaluated in the brittle link entropy and the whole lifeline system, and then the vulnerability of city lifeline system can be quantified in flood scenarios. As a result of the coupling analysis and calculation, power system has the greatest effect among other subsystems. Because the key factors and influence of water supply system are uncertainties, the water supply system work or supply should be restored first after the disaster. The results show that the method can provide the basis for the optimization of system management, and control the repair work after disaster and coordination between subsystems.

Minimal cut-based recursive decomposition algorithm for seismic reliability evaluation of lifeline networks

In this paper, a new probabilistic analytical approach, the minimal cut-based recursive decomposition algorithm （MCRDA）, is presented to evaluate the seismic reliability of large-scale lifeline systems. Based on the minimal cut searching algorithm, the approach calculates the disjoint minimal cuts one by one using the basic procedure of the recursive decomposition method. At the same time, the process obtains the disjoint minimal paths of the system. In order to improve the computation efficiency, probabilistic inequality is used to calculate a solution that satisfies the prescribed error bound. A series of case studies show that MCRDA converges rapidly when the edges of the systems have low reliabilities. Therefore, the approach can be used to evaluate large-scale lifeline systems subjected to strong seismic wave excitation.

An improved recursive decomposition algorithm for reliability evaluation of lifeline networks

The seismic reliability evaluation of lifeline networks has received considerable attention and been widely studied. In this paper, on the basis of an original recursive decomposition algorithm, an improved analytical approach to evaluate the seismic reliability of large lifeline systems is presented. The proposed algorithm takes the shortest path from the source to the sink of a network as decomposition policy. Using the Boolean laws of set operation and the probabilistic operation principal, a recursive decomposition process is constructed in which the disjoint minimal path set and the disjoint minimal cut set are simultaneously enumerated. As the result, a probabilistic inequality can be used to provide results that satisfy a prescribed error bound. During the decomposition process, different from the original recursive decomposition algorithm which only removes edges to simplify the network, the proposed algorithm simplifies the network by merging nodes into sources and removing edges. As a result, the proposed algorithm can obtain simpler networks. Moreover, for a network owning s-independent components in its component set, two network reduction techniques are introduced to speed up the proposed algorithm. A series of case studies, including an actual water distribution network and a large urban gas system, are calculated using the proposed algorithm. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm provides a useful probabilistic analysis method for the seismic reliability evaluation of lifeline networks.

A disjoint algorithm for seismic reliability analysis of lifeline networks

The algorithm is based on constructing a disjoin kg t set of the minimal paths in a network system.In this paper, cubic notation was used to describe the logic function of a network in a well-balanced state,and then the sharp-product operation was used to construct the disjoint minimal path set of the network.A computer program has been developed,and when combined with decomposition technology,the reliability of a general lifeline network can be effectively and automatically calculated.

Some Problems Concerning Geologic Structure with Double Layers in Urban Underground Lifeline Engineering

Underground lifeline engineering (ULE for short) in modern city demands the appreciation of an active fault in buried bedrock . Generally speaking , a large number of urban geological textures of a basement may all be simplified into a dual geological texture model , i. e., the upper part of the basement consists of loose covering layer and the lower part consists of bedrock . The study of an active fault should include three parts of contents , i . e ., to determine the lower time limit of activity of the fault , and the time limit must be recognized by both of designing engineers and geologists ; on the basis of the studies of repetition periods of earthquake occurrence to deter mine whether the fault moves or not during the allowed time of efficacy of buildings and constructions ; for the sake of engineering practice , the active rate of the fault must be given . The fault with different active mechanism has different effects on the ULE . The authors studied the effect of lateral non-uniform overburden site on the ULE by means of the supersonic earthquake modelling . Owing to the lateral non - uniformity of the covering sediments , there occurs an obvious jump of amplitude of the seismic wave propagation near the contact surface between two different sedi ments . In addition , from the modelling experiment curves it may be seen that the different focus mechanisms and different medium characters may also exert an effect in different degrees .

Hospital System Vulnerability to a Moderate Earthquake

This research aims at proposing to the technical manager of a hospital, a method for assessing the vulnerability of the hospital system in the case of a moderate earthquake. A primary case study on a hospital centre has allowed us to define the methodological basis. Also, it concludes to the need for a systematic method due to the complexity of hospital system and the specific knowledge. This ＂screening method＂ exits but it is applicable to the context of a major earthquake, where the main objective is to save life, while ours is to guarantee the continuity of hospital services. Other aims are to adapt this method in order to introduce the concept of a moderate earthquake, to take into account the environmental interactions of the hospital system and to improve the knowledge base. Subsequently, a software tool has to be developed to facilitate the implementation for the technical manager.

The Lifeline for Suicide Prevention of Children and Teenagers in Bucharest, Romania

Suicide is one of the leading causes of teenagers＇ deaths. Even whether it is preventable, most of the time, there are still very few projects or actions of the local authorities and/or organisations in Romania, due to the lack of information and resources. The suicide prevention line for children and teenagers in Bucharest is presented and evaluated after five years of activity. It may be considered as one example of good practice, since it managed to put together local knowledge, human resources, and social actors. The suicide prevention line for children and teenagers in Bucharest has been established in 2009 by the General Directorate of Social Welfare of Bucharest Municipality, in partnership with the Psychiatric Hospital ＂Prof. dr. Alexandru Obregia＂. The finances are provided by the Welfare Department, the location belongs to the Psychiatric Hospital, and the mental health services are coordinated by a neuro-psychiatrist. There are about 30 volunteers taking the phone calls 24/7. Since 2011, they established the Association of Suicidology.

From Poverty Line to Lifeline

reached a pivotal moment as the international community enters the final year of the UN Millennium Development Goals （MDGs）. The MDGs, agreed on by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, set eight goals： poverty alleviation.

Seismic response of underground utility tunnels: shaking table testing and FEM analysis

Underground utility tunnels are widely used in urban areas throughout the world for lifeline networks due to their easy maintenance and environmental protection capabilities. However, knowledge about their seismic performance is still quite limited and seismic design procedures are not included in current design codes. This paper describes a series of shaking table tests the authors performed on a scaled utility tunnel model to explore its performance under earthquake excitation. Details of the experimental setup are first presented focusing on aspects such as the design of the soil container, scaled structural model, sensor array arrangement and test procedure. The main observations from the test program, including structural response, soil response, soil-structure interaction and earth pressure, are summarized and discussed. Further, a finite element model （FEM） of the test utility tunnel is established where the nonlinear soil properties are modeled by the Drucker- Prager constitutive model; the master-slave surface mechanism is employed to simulate the soil-structure dynamic interaction; and the confining effect of the laminar shear box to soil is considered by proper boundary modeling. The results from the numerical model are compared with experiment measurements in terms of displacement, acceleration and amplification factor of the structural model and the soil. The comparison shows that the numerical results match the experimental measurements quite well. The validated numerical model can be adopted for further analysis.

A benchmark city for seismic resilience assessment

The concept of seismic resilience has received significant attention from academia and industry during the last two decades. Different frameworks have been proposed for seismic resilience assessment of engineering systems at different scales(e.g., buildings, bridges, communities, and cities). Testbeds including Centerville virtual community(CVC), Memphis testbed(MTB), and the virtual city of Turin, Italy(VC-TI) have been developed during the last decade. However, the resilience assessment results of Chinese cities still require calibration based on a unified evaluation model. Therefore, a geographic information system(GIS)-based benchmark model of a medium-sized city located in the southeastern coastal region of China was developed. The benchmark city can be used to compare existing assessment frameworks and calibrate the assessment results. The demographics, site conditions, and potential hazard exposure of the benchmark city, as well as land use and building inventory are described in this paper. Data of lifeline systems are provided, including power, transportation, water, drainage, and natural gas distribution networks, as well as the locations of hospitals, emergency shelters, and schools. Data from past earthquakes and the literature were obtained to develop seismic fragility models, consequence models, and recovery models, which can be used as basic data or calibration data in the resilience assessment process. To demonstrate the completeness of the data included in the benchmark city, a case study on the accessibility of emergency rescue after earthquakes was conducted, and the preliminary results were discussed. The ultimate goal of this benchmark city is to provide a platform for calibrating resilience assessment results and to facilitate the development of resilient cities in China.

Assessing building’s post-earthquake functional recovery accounting for utility system disruption

Experience from past earthquakes has demonstrated the need to account for design goals beyond safety,known as functional recovery objectives,in the interest of community resilience.Frameworks have been proposed in the literature to assess the post-earthquake functional recovery of a building,but without accounting for utility systems’disruption,which may be a key contributor to determining when a building is functional.This paper integrates a previously proposed probabilistic method for estimating the post-earthquake restoration of critical utility services with an individual building’s functional recovery assessment framework.The integration was performed by incorporating utilities into the building system fault trees embedded into a functional recovery framework for various building occupancies(residential and commercial office buildings).Once incorporated,the results are used to interrogate the functional recovery of a reinforced concrete building,and the recovery time results were presented for seven cases investigating contributing factors in the functional recovery results including the number of crews available for lifeline restoration,the effect of low-quality service on meeting tenant requirements for elevators,heating ventilation and air conditioning(HVAC),plumbing and electrical systems,consideration of fire watch,the effect of building seismic retrofit,as well as different cases of fragility functions for the lifeline systems.Results showed that utility systems’disruption does not have a significant impact on the recoccupancy of a building because only one utility-dependent building system(fire suppression)is needed for the building’s safety.Unlike reoccupancy,utility systems are significant for functional recovery,mainly at moderate hazard levels because,at these levels,lifeline networks could be damaged without significant building damage,such that the lifeline systems restoration governs.Buildings with more restrictive tenant requirements are more sensitive to tenant disruptions.

Introduction of structural aseismic research in China in recent four years

The paper mainly summarized the developments on structural aseismic theory, aseismic analysis and design of reinforced concrete structure, lifeline system, several another kinds of structures, site and structure foundation, structure mitigation and isolation of vibration in China in recent four years. This is the introduction of recent re-search results of Chinese professionals for international organizations and professionals. At the same time, it provides numerous abstract materials for colleagues to realize the trend of the structural aseismic theory and re-search range needing more study.

Planning of Anti-Disaster Transformer Substation Based on NN and PSO

Recently, the frequent extreme natural disasters made enormous damage to the electric grid leading to blackouts. The lifeline system aiming at providing continuous power supply for the important load in extreme natural disasters was designed in that condition. In this paper, a developed model for planning of the transformer substation in lifeline system which considered the effect of existing transformer substations, the motivated areas and punishment areas was proposed. The Hopfield NN （neural network） was adopted to solve the feeders and the PSO （particle swarm optimization） was adopted to new the locations of the transformer substations based on the feeders. The planning result not only took fully use of the existing substation but also got the suitable location for new construction which was satisfactory.

Centrifuge modeling of PGD response of buried pipe

A new centrifuge based method for determining the response of continuous buried pipe to PGD is presented. The physical characteristics of the RPI's 100 g-ton geotechnical centrifuge and the current lifeline experiment split-box are described: The split-box contains the model pipeline and surrounding soil and is manufactured such that half can be offset, in flight, simulating PGD. In addition, governing similitude relations which allow one to determine the physical characteristics, (diameter, wall thickness and material modulus of elasticity) of the model pipeline are presented. Finally, recorded strains induced in two buried pipes with prototype diameters of 0.63 m and 0.95 m (24 and 36 inch) subject to 0.6 and 2.0 meters (2 and 6 feet) of full scale fault offsets and presented and compared to corresponding FE results.

Case studies of earthquake-induced effects on concrete channels

Case studies are presented for two concrete lined channels shaken by strong ground motions during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the high speed channel （HSC） and bypass channel （BC）, on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power＇s Van Norman Complex. Performances of these two channels as they pass through different subsurface materials identify several important seismic aspects and the critical role of geotechnical earthquake engineering in assessing channel behaviors. Preliminary evaluations using detailed mapping of channel cracks, permanent ground movements, subsurface profiles, and nearby strong ground motion recordings from the 1994 earthquake show that the channel liners may have been damaged from both transient motions and permanent ground movements. Damage from permanent ground deformations is obvious by observation; therefore simplified analyses are presented only for transient movements. Site specific transient response analyses are performed to provide an initial assessment of the differing effects from transient and permanent ground movements on HSC and BC liner damage. These case studies are helpful for introducing the potential for lifeline damage from transient movements within zones of permanent ground movement, a concept not well understood in the earthquake engineering community

Planning of Anti-Disaster Transformer Substation Based on NN and PSO

Recently, the frequent extreme natural disasters made enormous damage to the electric grid leading to blackouts. The lifeline system aiming at providing continuous power supply for the important load in extreme natural disasters was designed in that condition. In this paper, a developed model for planning of the transformer substation in lifeline system? which considered the effect of existing transformer substations, the motivated areas and punishment areas was proposed. The Hopfield NN was adopted to solve the feeders and the PSO was adopted to new the locations of the transformer substations based on the feeders. The planning result not only took fully use of the existing substation but also get the suitable location for new construction which was satisfactory.

A PDEM-based perspective to engineering reliability: From structures to lifeline networks

Research of reliability of engineering structures has experienced a developing history for more than 90 years.However,the problem of how to resolve the global reliability of structural systems still remains open,especially the problem of the combinatorial explosion and the challenge of correlation between failure modes.Benefiting from the research of probability density evolution theory in recent years,the physics-based system reliability researches open a new way for bypassing this dilemma.The present paper introduces the theoretical foundation of probability density evolution method in view of a broad background,whereby a probability density evolution equation for probability dissipative system is deduced.In conjunction of physical equations and structural failure criteria,a general engineering reliability analysis frame is then presented.For illustrative purposes,several cases are studied which prove the value of the proposed engineering reliability analysis method.

Tigers Get a Lifeline

They say you never miss the water until you see the well run dry.It’s certainly true in the case of the world’s endangered species.And especially in the instance of the South China tiger.By the time the conservation authorities hit the panic button it was already too late and the big beautiful cats had disappeared from the wilds of China,culled by hunters and poachers,and squeezed out of their habitat by the march of civilization and its voracious appetite for land. Now bred in captivity and rewilded,the tigers’numbers inch upwards.Growing public awareness helps. But replacing nature’s work artificially brings its own challenges.