Automated classification of near‐fault acceleration pulses using wavelet packets

This study proposes a new algorithm for automatically classifying two types of velocity‐pulses that are integral of a distinct acceleration pulse (acc‐pulse) or a succession of high‐frequency one‐sided acceleration spikes (non‐acc‐pulse). For achieving this, wavelet packet transform is used to filter the high‐frequency content and to extract the coherent velocity‐pulse. Then, the pulse period is unequivocally derived through the peak point method. Following the determination of the pulse‐starting (t_s) and pulse‐ending (t_e) time instants in the velocity time‐history, a local acceleration time‐history truncated by t_s and t_e is obtained. The maximum relative energy of the pulse between two adjacent zero crossings is then employed as indicator for distinguishing the two types of velocity‐pulses. The criteria for identifying acc‐pulses and non‐acc‐pulses are calibrated using a training data set of manually classified ground motions from the Next Generation Attenuation West 2 project. Finally, significance of such a classification between velocity‐pulses of different characteristics is assessed through the comparison of elastic acceleration response spectra of the two categories of pulse‐like records.     

Wavelet PSO‐Based LQR Algorithm for Optimal Structural Control Using Active Tuned Mass Dampers

This study presents a new method to find the optimal control forces for active tuned mass damper. The method uses three algorithms: discrete wavelet transform (DWT), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and linear quadratic regulator (LQR). DWT is used to obtain the local energy distribution of the motivation over the frequency bands. PSO is used to determine the gain matrices through the online update of the weighting matrices used in the LQR controller while eliminating the trial and error. The method is tested on a 10‐story structure subject to several historical pulse‐like near‐fault ground motions. The results indicate that the proposed method is more effective at reducing the displacement response of the structure in real time than conventional LQR controllers.     

New insights on effects of directionality and duration of near‐field ground motions on seismic response of tall buildings

The effects of ground motion directionality on seismic response of buildings are at the center of ongoing debate among earthquake engineering professionals and researchers. This has prompted a renewed interest to have a better understanding of directionality effects of near‐field pulse‐like ground motions on seismic response of tall buildings to further improve seismic design in this respect. In particular the prediction of the maximum displacement response along the structural axis which is called the critical displacement response. This paper presents the results from parametric studies that investigate the directionality effects on nonlinear dynamic response of simple structures and a tall building. The outcome of these analyses was the development of a method, which relies on the maximum velocity to provide a good approximation to the critical displacement response. The method developed is computationally efficient and involves less calculation than other methods. In addition, it was determined that the building responses to records rotated to fault‐normal can lead to significant underestimation of the maximum response along the structural axis, using the fault‐parallel ground motion also may lead to large response differences and smaller yet significant differences when using the maximum direction ground motion.     

Forward directivity near‐fault and far‐fault ground motion effects on the behavior of reinforced concrete wall tall buildings with one and more plastic hinges

Near‐fault (NF) ground motion having forward directivity and far‐fault (FF) earthquakes can generate different responses on tall reinforced concrete cantilever walls. In this paper, the behavior of the core wall buildings were examined by performing nonlinear time history analyses on 20‐story, 30‐story and 40‐story fiber element models. The concept of one, two, three and extended plastic hinge in the core walls subjected to the NF motions having forward directivity (pulse‐like) and FF motion was studied by carrying out inelastic dynamic analysis. At the upper levels of the walls, NF pulse‐like ground motions can produce considerably larger curvature ductility, inter‐story drift and displacement demands as compared with the FF motions. A new approach was proposed to obtain the moment demand and reinforcement required to balance the curvature ductility demand along the height of a core wall. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plastic hinge length of reinforced concrete columns subjected to both far‐fault and near‐fault ground motions having forward directivity

In a strong earthquake, a standard reinforced concrete (RC) column may develop plastic deformations in regions often termed as plastic hinge regions. A plastic hinge is basically an energy dampening device that dampens energy through the plastic rotation of a rigid column connection, which triggers redistribution of bending moments. The formation of a plastic hinge in an RC column in regions that experience inelastic actions depends on the characteristics of the earthquakes as well as the column details. Recordings from recent earthquakes have provided evidence that ground motions in the near field of a rupturing fault can contain a large energy or ‘directivity’ pulse. A directivity pulse occurs when the propagation of the fault proceeds at nearly the same rate as the shear wave velocity. This pulse is seen in the forward direction of the rupture and can cause considerable damage during an earthquake, especially to structures with natural periods that are close to those of the pulse. In the present paper, 1316 inelastic time‐history analyses have been performed to predict the nonlinear behaviour of RC columns under both far‐fault and near‐fault ground motions. The effects of axial load, height over depth ratio and amount of longitudinal reinforcement, as well as different characteristics of earthquakes, were evaluated analytically by finite element methods and the results were compared with corresponding experimental data. Based on the results, simple expressions were proposed that can be used to estimate plastic hinge length of RC columns subjected to both far‐fault and near‐fault earthquakes that contain a forward‐directivity effect. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time-Frequency Signal Analysis of Earthquake Records Using Mexican Hat Wavelets

Abstract:   A method is presented for time-frequency signal analysis of earthquake records using Mexican hat wavelets. Ground motions in earthquakes are postulated as a sequence of simple penny-shaped ruptures at different locations along a fault line and occurring at different times. The single point source displacement of ground motion is idealized by a Gaussian function. For the purpose of signal analysis of accelerograms, the ground motion record generated by a simple penny-shaped rupture is used to form the basis wavelet function. After a careful study of the characteristics of various wavelet functions, the Mexican hat wavelet was found to be the most appropriate wavelet basis function to represent the acceleration of a single point source rupture. The result of the signal processing of an accelerogram is presented in the form of a scalogram using the coefficients of the continuous Mexican hat wavelet transform to describe the signal energy in the time-scale domain. The proposed signal processing methodology can be used to investigate the characteristics of accelerograms recorded on various types of sites and their effects on different types of structures.     

Seismic response of mega buckling‐restrained braces subjected to fling‐step and forward‐directivity near‐fault ground motions

Special characteristics of earthquakes in the near‐fault regions caused failures for many modern‐engineered structures. Fling‐step and forward‐directivity are the main consequences of these earthquakes. High‐amplitude pulses at the beginning of the seismograph have been obviously presented in forward‐directivity sites. These pulses have high amount of seismic energy released in a very short time and caused higher demands for engineering structures. Fling‐step is generally characterized by a unidirectional large‐amplitude velocity pulse and a monotonic step in the displacement time history. These monotonic steps cause residual ground displacements that are associated with rupture mechanism. In this paper, the seismic performance of steel buckling‐restrained braced frames with mega configuration under near‐source excitation was investigated. Fourteen near‐fault records with forward‐directivity and fling‐step characteristics and seven far‐faults have been selected. Nonlinear time‐history analyses of 4‐story, 8‐story, 12‐story and 15‐story frames have been performed using OpenSees software. After comparing the results, it is shown that, for all frames subjected to the selected records, the maximum demand occurred in lower floors, and higher modes were not triggered. Near‐fault records imposed higher demands on the structures. The results for near‐fault records with fling‐step were very dispersed, and in some cases, these records were more damaging than others. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

近断层竖向地震动特征统计分析

为研究近断层地区的竖向地震动特性,基于环太平洋地震工程研究中心(PEER)数据库选取890组强地震动,研究了地震动竖向与水平加速度分量峰值比aV/aH与矩震级、断层距、场地条件和断层类型的统计规律,给出近断层竖向加速度与水平加速度峰值比aV/aH的合理取值。采用基于能量的识别方法判定近断层地震动是否包含脉冲,分别研究竖向脉冲和水平脉冲参数与地震参数关系并对比了竖向脉冲和水平脉冲的速度峰值及周期的衰减关系。结果表明：近断层区域竖向加速度与水平加速度峰值比aV/aH受地震参数影响,规范建议值2/3会低估近断层竖向地震;相比较于水平脉冲,竖向脉冲数量少且分布范围小,水平脉冲和竖向脉冲的峰值、周期也存在差异。     

基于系列地震试验基础隔震结构的减震性能及地震波参数的影响研究

为了研究基础隔震结构的减震性能及地震波参数的影响,对1个基础隔震结构模型进行了一系列工况的振动台试验。以隔震结构的减震率为指标,分析近场和远场地震下其减震性能的变化,研究相同地震动强度下平均周期、卓越周期、地震动峰值速度与峰值加速度之比、断层距和地震波方向对其减震性能的影响,分析不同地震动强度和多维地震输入下其减震性能的变化,探讨系列地震下其减震性能的退化。研究结果表明,与远场地震相比,近场地震下基础隔震结构模型的减震率相对较低,其减震性能相对较差;地震波参数中卓越周期、断层距和地震动峰值速度与峰值加速度之比及地震动强度对其减震性能的影响明显,宜作为隔震结构减震性能的主要影响因素;系列地震试验表明铅芯橡胶支座具有良好的抗性能退化能力,可以确保隔震结构的减震性能的稳定性。     

Effects of hysteretic model on seismic demands: consideration of near‐fault ground motions

This paper summarizes the results of a study that is to evaluate the structural response attributes of near‐fault ground motion. Ground motion recordings from the Chi‐Chi earthquake are used as inputs to the structural system. An improved nonlinear hysteretic model, based on the experimental study, was used to calculate the response of the single degree‐of‐freedom inelastic system. Comparison of the results of analysis with traditional elastic–perfect plastic mode calculations was made. Discussions on the inelastic design spectrum, particularly the code‐specified base shear coefficients, using the improved nonlinear hysteretic model incorporated with the near‐fault input ground motion are made. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Energy dissipation of tall core‐wall structures with multi‐plastic hinges subjected to forward directivity near‐fault and far‐fault earthquakes

In this study, different energy components in the tall reinforced concrete core‐wall buildings with numerous plastic hinges over the height are investigated using nonlinear time history analysis. The effect of near‐fault and far‐fault earthquakes is compared. The idea of one‐plastic, two‐plastic, three‐plastic and whole‐plastic hinge approaches along the core wall is examined. The input energy, inelastic, damping, kinetic and elastic strain energy during the earthquakes are studied. The results show that a large energy quantity transfers to the structure at the arrival time of the near‐fault motion pulse. Inelastic energy distribution over the height shows a considerable amount of inelastic energy dissipation occurring at the base and above the mid‐height of the walls. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Considering rupture directivity effects,which structures should be named ‘long‐period buildings’?

Recorded accelerograms in the regions near active faults may have specific characteristics that inclusion of their effects on the response of structures is necessary. Of particular importance are permanent displacement, i.e. fling‐step, rupture directivity pulses and high‐frequency content. Several researchers have focused on the effects of rupture directivity pulses on response of structures. They have shown that long‐period structures are severely affected by these types of excitations. However, in near‐fault regions, the question ‘which building structures are long period?’ has not been clearly and quantitatively answered. In this paper, responses of 10‐, 20‐, 30‐ and 40‐story steel structures designed based on Uniform Building Code 1997 regulations are investigated under artificial pulses produced by directivity effects. It is shown that, considering rupture directivity effects, a long‐period structure is the one that has a first‐mode period–to–pulse period ratio greater than about 0.44. Furthermore, the effects of variations in the period of the near‐fault velocity pulses on the characteristics of inelastic response of structures are examined. Consequently, analysis of the structures experiencing actual near‐fault records indicates that the pattern of response spectrum obtained from artificial pulses presents the behavior of the structure under real near‐fault earthquakes rather accurately. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reliable fragility functions for seismic collapse assessment of reinforced concrete special moment resisting frame structures under near‐fault ground motions

A collapse fragility function shows how the probability of collapse of a structure increases with increasing ground motion intensity measure (IM). To have a more reliable fragility function, an IM should be applied that is efficient and sufficient with respect to ground motion parameters such as magnitude (M) and source‐to‐site distance (R). Typically, pulse‐like near‐fault ground motions are known by the presence of a velocity pulse, and the period of this pulse (T_p) affects the structural response. The present study investigates the application of different scalar and vector‐valued IMs to obtain reliable seismic collapse fragility functions for reinforced concrete special moment resisting frames (RC SMRFs) under near‐fault ground motions. The efficiency and sufficiency of the IMs as the desirable features of an optimal IM are investigated, and it is shown that seismic collapse assessments by using most of the IMs are biased with respect to T_p. The results show that (Sa(T₁), Sa(T₁)/DSI) has high efficiency and sufficiency with respect to M, R, T_p, and scale factor for collapse capacity prediction of RC SMRFs. Moreover, the multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm is applied to improve the efficiency and sufficiency of some advanced scalar IMs, and an optimal scalar IM is proposed.     

A wavelet-based method to generate artificial wind fluctuation data

A method using the inverse wavelet transform is proposed to generate artificial wind velocity fluctuations. At first, in order to investigate the time-scale structure of natural wind, the wavelet transform is applied to the time history of a measured wind velocity data. Taking the results into account, the wavelet-based method is constructed such that the created time history possesses the characteristics similar to those of the natural wind data. The time histories are in particular synthesized to have a target power spectrum and intermittency similar to measured time histories. The characteristics of the time histories produced with the proposed method are discussed.     

Fuzzy‐Valued Intensity Measures for Near‐Fault Pulse‐Like Ground Motions

Two fuzzy‐valued (FV) structure‐specific intensity measures (IMs), one based on squared spectral velocity and the other on inelastic spectral displacement, are presented to characterize near‐fault pulse‐like ground motions for performance‐based seismic design and assessment of concrete frame structures. The first IM is designed through fuzzying structural fundamental period to account for the period shift effect due to stiffness degradation, whereas the second IM is developed to take into account higher mode contribution in high‐rise buildings by employing a fuzzy combination of the first two or three modes for the lateral loading pattern in pushover analysis. A benchmark study of three example reinforced concrete frame structures shows that for moderate‐ to medium‐period structures, both of the proposed IMs improve prediction accuracy in comparison with the existing IMs. For short‐period structures, the FV inelastic spectral displacement is the best.     

Dual‐steel frame consisting of moment‐resisting frame and shape memory alloy braces subjected to near‐field earthquakes

In this paper, concentric braced frames are combined with moment‐resisting frame (MRF) as a dual system subjected to near‐field (NF) pulse‐like and far‐field ground motions. The braced frame in this system configuration consists of steel buckling‐restrained braces (BRB model), braces with shape memory alloy (SMA model), or combination of BRB and SMA braces (COMBINED model). Some prototype structures of the proposed systems are designed according to the code recommendations. Then, the nonlinear models of the considered structures are developed in SeismoStruct software, and nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) is implemented. NLTHA is performed subjected to earthquake record sets at maximum considered earthquake (MCE) and design base earthquake (DBE) levels, and responses of the systems are investigated and compared with each other. Among the examined models, the SMA and COMBINED models exceed the CP level subjected to NF‐MCE record set. Therefore, more investigation is needed for using short‐segment SMA braces in the dual‐steel frames in NF area.     

地震波参数对基础隔震体系的减震效果影响#br# 研究与试验验证

为研究地震波参数对基础隔震体系的动力响应和减震效果影响,选取集集地震中16条地震波作为输入,采用单自由度体系对基础隔震体系进行数值分析,主要分析地震波参数中卓越周期、平均周期、地震动峰值速度与峰值加速度之比和断层距及地震波幅值对其动力响应和减震效果的影响,并进行振动台试验验证。结果表明：地震波参数中卓越周期、平均周期、断层距和地震动峰值速度与峰值加速度之比及地震波幅值对其动力响应和减震效果的影响明显,均具有较强的相关性。同幅值下地震动峰值速度与峰值加速度之比对其减震效果的影响最显著,可以作为评价基础隔震体系的减震效果的主要指标。远场地震波和普通近场地震波下随地震波幅值的增大减震率增大,达到一定的数值后减震率基本稳定,减震效果较好;脉冲型近场地震波作用下其减震效果最差;试验分析结果与数值分析结果基本一致,表明分析结果的合理性和可靠性。     

汶川Ms8.0地震四川及邻区数字强震台网记录

2008年5月12日汶川Ms8.0特大地震是龙门山构造带逆冲–右旋错动的结果,四川数字强震台网共获取133组三分向加速度记录,结合陕西、甘肃部分台站观测结果,根据原始记录绘制的加速度峰值等值线呈长轴为NE方向的不规则椭圆形,与地震影响烈度分布具有较好的一致性。进一步分析发现,该次地震的加速度记录具有比较明显的方向性效应和断层上盘效应,即沿破裂传播的NE方向加速度峰值衰减显著慢于SW方向;而处于断层NW上盘的地震动峰值衰减明显慢于SE下盘,出现系统性偏高现象,且在发震断裂的映秀—北川段更为显著,与震源破裂的方式和过程具相关性。另一个现象是近发震断裂的竖向(UD)与水平向(H)地震动峰值的比值明显高于远场,在近断层附近比值在1.0左右,与现行的《建筑抗震设计规范》(GB50011–2001)规定的比值2/3存在较大差异。随断层距的增加,加速度反应谱峰值逐渐移向长周期,当断层距大于200km时更为显著,但在近断层100km时存在速度大脉冲现象。     

An area‐based intensity measure for incremental dynamic analysis under two‐dimensional ground motion input

Incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) is a useful method in performance‐based earthquake engineering. IDA curves combine the intensity measure (IM) of ground motions with structural responses (as measured by engineering demand parameter) from nonlinear dynamic analysis. However, the curves display large record‐to‐record variability. And various IMs can lead to different results. Therefore, it is important to find a desirable IM to reduce the discreteness of the IDA results. So far, the studies on IM for IDA have been carried out by many scholars from scalar‐valued to vector‐valued, but few were based on 2‐dimensional ground motion input. To make the analysis more reasonable and practical as well as investigate the desirable IM under 2‐dimensional ground motion input, incremental dynamic analyses when ground motions are inputted in 2 directions should be investigated. In this paper, 2 combinational types of area‐based IM incorporating the influence of ground motion record components in secondary directions were proposed. To investigate the applicability, efficiency and desirable combinational form of the area‐based IM under 2‐dimensional ground motion input, incremental dynamic analysis were carried out using 2 reinforced concrete frames. Then the efficiency of the IMs was measured by the residual sum of squares and R². It is concluded that the area‐based IM with a combination by the square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS) method is the most efficient for IDA under 2‐dimensional ground motion input. The methods and conclusions will provide significant reference for studying IMs under 2‐dimensional ground motion input. Further research will focus on the applicability of the area‐based IM for tall buildings whose higher modes need to be considered.     

Earthquake responses of RC moment frames subjected to near‐fault ground motions

There are three objectives in this paper. The first objective is to compare the dynamic behaviour of a reinforced concrete building structure subjected to near‐fault and far‐field ground motions. A twelve‐storey and a five‐storey reinforced concrete building with moment resisting frames were selected in this study. The Chi‐Chi earthquake was selected as a first set in this study to test near‐fault earthquake characteristics. Further, another earthquake record of an event at the same site was selected to test the far‐field earthquake characteristics for comparison. Through nonlinear time history analyses, the results show that the near‐fault earthquake results in much more damage than the far‐field earthquake. The second objective of this paper is to compare the predictions for ductility demand by the nonlinear time history analyses with those obtained by the pushover analysis procedure. The third objective is to explore the parameters that will more significantly affect the the building structure's dynamic response characteristics of base shear reduction and displacement amplification. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.