Seismic response evaluation of base-isolated reinforced concrete buildings under bidirectional excitation

This paper reports on an investigation of the seismic response of base-isolated reinforced concrete buildings, which considers various isolation system parameters under bidirectional near-fault and far-fault motions. Three-dimensional models of 4-, 8-, and 12-story base-isolated buildings with nonlinear effects in the isolation system and the superstructure are investigated, and nonlinear response history analysis is carried out. The bounding values of isolation system properties that incorporate the aging effect of isolators are also taken into account, as is the current state of practice in the design and analysis of base-isolated buildings. The response indicators of the buildings are studied for near-fault and far-fault motions weight-scaled to represent the design earthquake （DE） level and the risk-targeted maximum considered earthquake （MCER） level. Results of the nonlinear response history analyses indicate no structural damage under DE-level motions for near-fault and far-fault motions and for MCER-level far-fault motions, whereas minor structural damage is observed under MCER- level near-fault motions. Results of the base-isolated buildings are compared with their fixed-base counterparts. Significant reduction of the superstructure response of the 12-story base-isolated building compared to the fixed-base condition indicates that base isolation can be effectively used in taller buildings to enhance performance. Additionally, the applicability of a rigid superstructure to predict the isolator displacement demand is also investigated. It is found that the isolator displacements can be estimated accurately using a rigid body model for the superstructure for the buildings considered.

Dynamic responses of two buildings connected by viscoelastic dampers under bidirectional earthquake excitations

In this study,dynamic responses of two buildings connected by viscoelastic dampers under bidirectional excitations are extensively investigated.The two buildings are a 10-story building and a 16-story building,with the shorter building on the left.Viscoelastic dampers are installed at all fl oors of the shorter building.Equations of motion are formulated using a fractional derivative model to represent the viscoelastic dampers.Three cases are considered with mass eccentricities at 0,10% and-10% with respect to the dimensions of the buildings.The responses of the buildings are numerically predicted at different damper properties.The simulation results indicated that the maximum horizontal responses of the buildings without eccentricities are signifi cantly mitigated.However,torsional effects are adversely increased.For asymmetric buildings,the effectiveness of the connecting dampers is affected by building eccentricities.As a result,mass eccentricities must be taken into account in damper selection.When compared with vibrations induced by unidirectional excitations,bidirectional excitations can increase the responses of coupled asymmetric buildings.In addition,installing dampers only at the top fl oor of the shorter building may cause a sudden change in lateral stiffness of the taller building.Consequently,the story shear envelopes of the taller building are changed.

Study on the Sliding Displacement of a Sliding Structure Subjected to Multi directional Earthquake Excitation

Transient dynamic analysis is used to study the effect of the bidirectional interaction of friction on the response of sliding displacement of a sliding structure subjected to bidirectional earthquake ground motion. The analysis varies the parameters of amplitude ratio of earthquake excitation, the period of the superstructure, and the coefficient of friction in the sliding support. Numerical results show that the sliding structure is significantly influenced by the interaction of frictional forces. So the sliding displacement may be underestimated and the acceleration of the superstructure may be overrated if the bidirectional interaction of frictional forces is neglected.

单、双向振动条件下饱和粉砂变形特性对比试验研究

由于仪器水平的限制,关于土体的动力特性的研究目前多采用单向激振方式替代双向激振方式。而这两种激振方式在试验原理方面存在明显不同。很多研究表明,应力路径对土的响应有着不可忽视的影响,这两种方式相替代的合理性尚待证明。本文利用DSC2000多功能动三轴试验系统,选取尾矿砂分别在单向及双向振动条件下进行一系列饱和土的动力特性试验,对比两种激振方式作用下土体的滞回曲线以及骨干曲线的差异,分析土体在这两种振动方式下产生差异的原因,并应用双曲线模型对骨干曲线进行拟合,最后给出在进行土体变形特性试验时以单向激振方式替代双向激振方式的适用条件。

On selection and scaling of ground motions for analysis of seismically isolated structures

A broader consensus on the number of ground motions to be used and the method of scaling to be adopted for nonlinear response history analysis （RHA） of structures is yet to be reached. Therefore, in this study, the effects of selection and scaling of ground motions on the response of seismically isolated structures, which are routinely designed using nonlinear RHA, are investigated. For this purpose, isolation systems with a range of properties subjected to bidirectional excitation are considered. Benchmark response of the isolation systems is established using large sets of unscaled ground motions systematically categorized into pulse-like, non-pulse-like, and mixed set of motions. Different subsets of seven to 14 ground motions are selected from these large sets using （a） random selection and （b） selection based on the best match of the shape of the response spectrum of ground motions to the target spectrum. Consequences of weighted scaling （also commonly referred to as amplitude scaling or linear scaling） as well as spectral matching are investigated. The ground motion selection and scaling procedures are evaluated from the viewpoint of their accuracy, efficiency, and consistency in predicting the benchmark response. It is confirmed that seven time histories are sufficient for a reliable prediction of isolation system displacement demands, for all ground motion subsets, selection and scaling procedures, and isolation systems considered. If ground motions are selected based on their best match to the shape of the target response spectrum （which should be preferred over randomly selected motions）, weighted scaling should be used if pulse-like motions are considered, either of weighted scaling or spectral matching can be used if non-pulse-like motions are considered, and an average of responses from weighted-scaled and spectrum-matched ground motions should be used for a mixed set of motions. On the other hand, the importance of randomly selected motions in representing inherent variability of response is recognized and it is found that weighted scaling is more appropriate for such motions.

Orientation effect on ground motion measurement for Mexican subduction earthquakes

The existence of the principal directions of the ground motion based on Arias intensity is well-known. These principal directions do not necessarily coincide with the orientations of recording sensors or with the orientations along which the ground motion parameters such as the peak ground acceleration and the pseudo-spectral acceleration （PSA） are maximum. This is evidenced by the fact that the maximum PSA at different natural vibration periods for horizontal excitations do not correspond to the same orientation. A recent analysis carried out for California earthquake records suggests that an orientation-dependent ground motion measurement for horizontal excitations can be developed. The main objective of this study is to investigate and provide seismic ground motion measurements in the horizontal plane, including bidirectional horizontal ground motions, for Mexican interplate and inslab earthquake records. Extensive statistical analyses of PSA are conducted for the assessment. The analysis results suggest that similar to the case of California records, the average behavior of the ratio of the PSA to the maximum resulting PSA can be approximated by a quarter of an ellipse in one quadrant; and that the ratio can be considered to be independent of the value of the maximum resulting PSA, earthquake magnitude, earthquake distance and the focal depth. Sets of response ratios and attenuation relationships that can be used to represent a bidirectional horizontal ground motion measurement for Mexican interplate and inslab earthquakes were also developed.