Roles of soil-structure interaction and damping in base-isolated structures built on numerous soil layers overlying a half-space

This study examines the roles of soil-structure interaction （SSI）, higher modes, and damping in a base-isolated structure built on multiple layers of soil overlying a half space. Closed-form solutions for the entire system, including a superstructure, seismic isolator, and numerous soil layers overlying a half-space, were obtained. The formulations obtained in this study simply in terms of well-known frequencies and mechanical impedance ratios can explicitly interpret the dynamic behavior of a base-isolated structure interacting with multiple soil layers overlying a half-space. The key factors influencing the performance of the isolation system are the damping ratio of the isolator and the ratio of the natural frequency of the fixed-base structure to that of the isolated structure by assuming that the superstructure moves as a rigid body. This study reveals that higher damping in the base isolator is unfavorable to higher mode responses that usually dominate the responses of the superstructure and that the damping mechanism plays an important role in transmitting energy in addition to absorbing energy. It is also concluded that it is possible to design a soft soil layer as an isolation system for isolating vibration energy.

Mathematical modeling and full-scale shaking table tests for multi-curve buckling restrained braces

Buckling restrained braces （BRBs） have been widely applied in seismic mitigation since they were introduced in the 1970s. However, traditional BRBs have several disadvantages caused by using a steel tube to envelope the mortar to prevent the core plate from buckling, such as： complex interfaces between the materials used, uncertain precision, and time consumption during the manufacturing processes. In this study, a new device called the multi-curve buckling restrained brace （MC-BRB） is proposed to overcome these disadvantages. The new device consists of a core plate with multiple neck portions assembled to form multiple energy dissipation segments, and the enlarged segment, lateral support elements and constraining elements to prevent the BRB from buckling. The enlarged segment located in the middle of the core plate can be welded to the lateral support and constraining elements to increase buckling resistance and to prevent them from sliding during earthquakes. Component tests and a series of shaking table tests on a full-scale steel structure equipped with MC-BRBs were carried out to investigate the behavior and capability of this new BRB design for seismic mitigation. The experimental results illustrate that the MC-BRB possesses a stable mechanical behavior under cyclic loadings and provides good protection to structures during earthquakes. Also, a mathematical model has been developed to simulate the mechanical characteristics of BRBs.

Tri-directional shaking table tests of vibration sensitive equipment with static dynamics interchangeable-ball pendulum system

Recently, the high-tech industry has become a key industry for economic development in many countries. However, vibration sensitive equipment located in these industrial buildings is vulnerable during earthquakes, which may cause huge economic loss. In this study, an innovative isolator for safeguarding the vibration sensitive equipment, namely, the static dynamics interchangeable^all pendulum system （SDI-BPS） is proposed and investigated to examine its protective capability for the vibration sensitive equipment during earthquakes through a series of tri-directional shaking table tests. The experimental results illustrate that the SDI-BPS isolator can provide significant damping to rolling types of base isolation systems for reducing the bearing displacement and size, and avoid the stress concentration, which can cause damage or scratches on the rolling surface of the isolator, to prolong its life span of service. The SDI-BPS isolator also provides excellent capability in protecting the vibration sensitive equipment and exhibits a stable behavior under long terms of service loadings and earthquakes.

Landslide Susceptibility Mapping by Using Landslide RatioBased Logistic Regression:A Case Study in the Southern Taiwan

The object of the research is to compare the model performance and explain the error source of original logistic regression landslide susceptibility model(abbreviated as or-LRLSM) and landslide ratio-based logistic regression landslide susceptibility model(abbreviated as lr-LRLSM) in the Chishan watershed with a serious landslide disaster after 2009 Typhoon Morakot. The landslide inventory induced by 2009 Typhoon Morakot in South Taiwan is the main research material, while the Chishan watershed is the research area. Six variables, including elevation, slope, aspect, geological formation, accumulated rainfall, and bank erosion, were included in the two models. The performance of lr-LRLSM is better than that of or-LRLSM. The Cox & Snell R2, Nagelkerke R2 value, and the area under the relative operating characteristic curve(abbreviated as AUC) of lrLRLSM is larger than those of or-LRLSM, and the average correct ratio for the lr-LRLSM to predict landslide or non-landslide is larger than that of orLRLSM by 5.0%. The increase of the average correct ratio(abbreviated as ACR) difference from or-LRLSM to lr-LRLSM shows in slope, revised accumulated rainfall, aspect, geological formation and bank erosion variables, and only light decreases in elevation variable. The error sources of continuous variables in building the or-LRLSM is the dissimilarity between the distribution of landslide ratio and production of coefficient and characteristic values, while those of categorical variables is due to low correlation of landslide ratio and the coefficient value of each parameter. Using the classification of landslide ratio as the database to build logistic regression landslide susceptibility model(abbreviated as LRLSM) can revise the errors. The comparison of or-LRLSM and lr-LRLSM in the Chishan watershed also shows that building the landslide susceptibility model(abbreviated as LSM) by using lr-LRLSM is practical and of better performance than that by using the or-LRLSM.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Sacrificial Anode Method in Taiwan Strait

Taiwan Strait is one of the potential wind farm in the world. Cooperate with the development of national policies, thousands of offshore wind turbines will be installed in Taiwan Strait. In order to enable offshore wind turbine foundation to be erected in the ocean for a long time, the offshore structure facilities are protected by sacrificial anode or impressed current of today. This study utilized the MIKE21 numerical model, combined with ocean parameters such as sea waves and tidal current to simulate the change of the diffusion concentration and diffusion range of the materials released by the aluminum sacrificial anode blocks by the Changhua offshore wind farm located on Taiwan Strait in winter and summer, thus to evaluate the impact on the marine environment.

Equivalent series system to model a multiple friction pendulum system with numerous sliding interfaces for seismic analyses

Current structural analysis software programs offer few if any applicable device-specifi c hysteresis rules or nonlinear elements to simulate the precise mechanical behavior of a multiple friction pendulum system(MFPS) with numerous sliding interfaces.Based on the concept of subsystems,an equivalent series system that adopts existing nonlinear elements with parameters systematically calculated and mathematically proven through rigorous derivations is proposed.The aim is to simulate the characteristics of sliding motions for an MFPS isolation system with numerous concave sliding interfaces without prior knowledge of detailed information on the mobilized forces at various sliding stages.An MFPS with numerous concave sliding interfaces and one articulated or rigid slider located between these interfaces is divided into two subsystems: the fi rst represents the concave sliding interfaces above the slider,and the second represents those below the slider.The equivalent series system for the entire system is then obtained by connecting those for each subsystem in series.The equivalent series system is validated by comparing numerical results for an MFPS with four sliding interfaces obtained from the proposed method with those from a previous study by Fenz and Constantinou.Furthermore,these numerical results demonstrate that an MFPS isolator with numerous concave sliding interfaces,which may have any number of sliding interfaces,is a good isolation device to protect structures from earthquake damage through appropriate designs with controllable mechanisms.