In order to increase the seismic safety of nuclear power plant (NPP) structures in high seismicity regions, seismic isolation techniques can be adapted to NPP structures. In this paper, the applicability of multi-step analysis of seismically isolated NPP containment structures with lead-rubber bearings (LRB) is evaluated. The floor response spectrum of NPP containment structures with equivalent linear LRB and nonlinear LRB are compared. In addition, the force-displacement relationships for equivalent linear LRB and nonlinear LRB are compared.
Seismic intensity deduced from instrumental data has been evaluated using the empirical relationship between intensity and peak ground acceleration (PGA) during an earthquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) developed a seismic intensity meter, which can estimate the real-time seismic intensity from seismic motions observed at a local site to evaluate the damage during the earthquake more correctly. This paper proposes a practical application of the JMA intensity to dams during the 2013 earthquake in Yeongcheon, Korea. In the present paper, seismic intensity was estimated from the relationships between accelerations observed at Yeongcheon Dam. Estimated seismic intensities were in the range of 0 to 3, which was verified from the displacements of dams and the variation of the ground water level observed at Yeongcheon dam during the earthquake. The JMA intensity, which is determined by considering the frequency, duration of cyclic loading, etc., was 0 (zero) and there was no damage to Yeoncheon dam during the earthquake.
Considering a rigorously fluid-structure interaction, a method for an earthquake response analysis of a floating offshore structure subjected to vertical ground motion from a seaquake is developed. Mass, damping, stiffness, and hydrostatic stiffness matrices of the floating offshore structure are obtained from a finite-element model. The sea water is assumed to be a compressible, nonviscous, ideal fluid. Hydrodynamic pressure, which is applied to the structure, from the sea water is assessed using its finite elements and transmitting boundary. Considering the fluid-structure interaction, added mass and force from the hydrodynamic pressure is obtained, which will be combined with the numerical model for the structure. Hydrodynamic pressure in a free field subjected to vertical ground motion and due to harmonic vibration of a floating massless rigid circular plate are calculated and compared with analytical solutions for verification. Using the developed method, the earthquake responses of a floating offshore structure subjected to a vertical ground motion from the seaquake is obtained. It is concluded that the earthquake responses of a floating offshore structure to vertical ground motion is severely influenced by the compressibility of sea water.
There has been an increasing demand for introducing a base isolation system to secure the seismic safety of a nuclear power plant. However, the design criteria and the safety assessment methodology of a base isolated nuclear facility are still being developed. A performance based design concept for the base isolation system needs to be added to the general seismic design procedures. For the base isolation system, the displacement responses of isolators excited by the extended design basis earthquake are important as well as the design displacement. The possible displacement response by the extended design basis earthquake should be limited less than the failure displacement of the isolator. The failure of isolators were investigated by an experimental test to define the ultimate strain level of rubber bearings. The uncertainty analysis, considering the variations of the mechanical properties of isolators and input ground motions, was performed to estimate the probabilistic distribution of the isolator displacement. The relationship of the displacement response by each ground motion level was compared in view of a period elongation and a reduction of damping. Finally, several examples of isolator parameters are calculated and the considerations for an acceptable isolation design is discussed.
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the beam is suspended by load-bearing cables. There are two classifications: the self-anchored suspension bridge has the main cable anchored to the bridge girders, and the earth-anchored suspension bridge has the main cable anchored to a large anchorage. Although a suspension bridge is structurally safe, it is prone to be damaged by various actions such as hurricanes, tsunamis and terrorist incidents because its cables are exposed. If damage to a cable eventually leads to the cable rupture, the bridge may collapse. To avoid these accidents, studies on the dynamic behavior of cable bridges due to the cable rupture have been carried out. Design codes specify that the calculated DAF (dynamic amplification factor) should not exceed a certain value. However, it has been difficult to determine DAFs effectively from dynamic analysis, and thus no systematic approach has been suggested. The current study provides a guideline to determine DAFs reliably from the dynamic analysis results and summarizes the results by applying the method to an earth-anchored suspension bridge. In the study, DAFs were calculated at the location of four structural parts, girders, pylons, main cable and hangers, with variations in the rupture time.