It is essential to determine a proper earthquake time history as a seismic load in a seismic design for a critical structure. In the code, a seismic load should satisfy a design response spectrum and include the characteristic of a target fault. The characteristic of a fault can be represented by a definition of a type of possible earthquake time history shape that occurred in a target fault. In this paper, the pseudo-basis function is proposed to be used to construct a specific type of earthquake, including the characteristic of a target fault. The pseudo-basis function is derived from analyzing the earthquake time history of specific fault harmonic wavelet transform. To show the feasibility of this method, the proposed method was applied to the faults causing the Gyeong-Ju ML5.8 and Pohang ML5.3 earthquakes.

The stochastic method is applied to simulate strong ground motions at seismic stations of seven metropolises in South Korea, creating an earthquake scenario based on the causative fault of the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake. Input parameters are established according to what has been revealed so far for the causative fault of the Gyeongju earthquake, while the ratio of differences in response spectra between observed and simulated strong ground motions is assumed to be an adjustment factor. The calculations confirm the applicability and reproducibility of strong ground motion simulations based on the relatively small bias in response spectra between observed and simulated strong ground motions. Based on this result, strong ground motions by a scenario earthquake on the causative fault of the Gyeongju earthquake with moment magnitude 6.5 are simulated, assuming that the ratios of its fault length to width are 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. The results are similar to those of the empirical Green’s function method. Although actual site response factors of seismic stations should be supplemented later, the simulated strong ground motions can be used as input data for developing ground motion prediction equations and input data for calculating the design response spectra of major facilities in South Korea.

The empirical Green’s function method is applied to the foreshock and the mainshock of the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake to simulate strong ground motions of the mainshock and scenario earthquake at seismic stations of seven metropolises in South Korea, respectively. To identify the applicability of the method in advance, the mainshock is simulated, assuming the foreshock as the empirical Green’s function. As a result of the simulation, the overall shape, the amplitude of PGA, and the duration and response spectra of the simulated seismic waveforms are similar with those of the observed seismic waveforms. Based on this result, a scenario earthquake on the causative fault of Gyeongju earthquake with a moment magnitude 6.5 is simulated, assuming that the mainshock serves as the empirical Green’s function. As a result, the amplitude of PGA and the duration of simulated seismic waveforms are significantly increased and extended, and the spectral amplitude of the low frequency band is relatively increased compared with that of the high frequency band. If the empirical Green’s function method is applied to several recent well-recorded moderate earthquakes, the simulated seismic waveforms can be used as not only input data for developing ground motion prediction equations, but also input data for creating the design response spectra of major facilities in South Korea.

In this paper, comparative analysis of the 9.12 Gyeongju and 11.15 Pohang earthquakes was conducted in order to provide probable explanations and reasons for the damage observed in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake from both earthquake and structural engineering perspectives. The damage potentials like Arias intensity, effective peak ground acceleration, etc observed in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake were generally weaker than those of the 9.12 Gyeongju earthquake. However, in contrast to the high-frequency dominant nature of the 9.12 Gyeongju earthquake records, the spectral power of PHA2 record observed in the soft soil site was highly concentrated around 2Hz. The base shear around 2 Hz frequency was as high as 40% building weight. This frequency band is very close to the fundamental frequency of the piloti-type buildings severely damaged in the northern part of Pohang. Unfortunately, in addition to inherent vertical irregularity, most of the damaged piloti-type buildings had plan irregularity as well and were non-seismic. All these contributed to the fatal damage. Inelastic dynamic analysis indicated that PHA2 record demands system ductility capacity of 3.5 for a structure with a fundamental period of 0.5 sec and yield base shear strength of 10% building weight. The system ductility level of 3.5 seems very difficult to be achievable in non-seismic brittle piloti-type buildings. The soil profile of the PHA2 site was inversely estimated based on deconvolution technique and trial-error procedure with utilizing available records measured at several rock sites during the 11.15 Pohang earthquake. The soil profile estimated was very typical of soil class D, implying significant soil amplification in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake. The 11.15 Pohang earthquake gave us the expensive lesson that near-collapse damage to irregular and brittle buildings is highly possible when soil is soft and epicenter is close, although the earthquake magnitude is just minor to moderate (M 5+).

Severe earthquakes can cause damage to society both socially and economically. An appropriate initial response can alleviate damage from severe earthquakes. In order to formulate an appropriate initial response, it is necessary to identify damage situations in societies; however, it is difficult to grasp this information immediately after an earthquake event. In this study, an earthquake damage assessment methodology for buildings is proposed for estimating damage situations immediately after severe earthquakes. A response spectrum database is constructed to provide response spectra at arbitrary locations from earthquake measurements immediately after the event. The fragility curves are used to estimate the damage of the buildings. Earthquake damage assessment is performed from the response spectrum database at the building scale to provide enhanced damage condition information. Earthquake damage assessment for Gyeongju city and Pohang city were conducted using the proposed methodology, when an earthquake occurred on September 12, 2016, and November 15, 2017. Results confirm that the proposed earthquake damage assessment effectively represented the earthquake damage situation in the city to decide on an appropriate initial response by providing detailed information at the building scale.

The first instrumental earthquake observation in Korea was started in 1905 by installing mechanical seismometers at the Incheon Observatory. Since then, the largest earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 has occurred in Gyeongju in 2016. The seismic data on the Gyeongju earthquake are provided in the form of Mini Seed from the Korea National Earthquake Comprehensive Information System (http://necis.kma.go.kr/). In this study, it is aimed to understand the response characteristics of Gyeongju seismic waves. The response spectra of El Centro, Taft and the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake are compared and analyzed. In the response spectrum analysis, the acceleration response and the energy response were mainly considered.

On September 12, 2016, Gyeongju earthquake occurred. Its local magnitude was announced to be ML=5.8 by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Ground motion data recorded at KMA, EMC and KERC stations was obtained from their data bases. From the data, horizontal and vertical response spectra, and V/H ratio were calculated. The horizontal spectrum was defined as geometric mean spectrum, GMRotI50. From the statistical analysis of the geometric mean spectra, a mean plus one standard deviation spectrum in lognormal distribution is obtained. Regression analysis is performed on this curve to determine the shape of spectrum including transition periods. Applying the same procedure, the shape and transition periods of vertical spectrum was obtained. These results were compared with the Korean standard design spectra, which were developed from domestic and overseas intraplate earthquake records. The response spectra of Gyeongju earthquake were found to be almost identical with the newly proposed design spectra. Even the V/H ratios showed good agreement. These results confirmed that the method adopted when developing the standard design spectra were valid and the developed design spectra were reliable.

After the Gyeong-ju 9.12 earthquake, we found the necessity of seismic design of nonstructural element is important to reduce damages in view of properties and economic losses. This study focused on the investigation of damages including both properties and human beings. It was found that most of the damages are leaking of water pipe line, rupture of glasses, spalling of roof finishing, cracks of building, and falling from roof. It was also found that the seismic design force of nonstructural elements is taking account into the natural periods, amplification factors, response modification factors to forsee inelastic behaviors. From this studies, it is recommended that more studies are necessary on the seismic design force of nonstructural element.

In low to moderate seismic regions, there are limited earthquake ground motion data recorded from past earthquakes. In this regard, th e Gyeongju earthquake (M=5.8)occurred on September 12, 2016 produces valuable information on ground motions. Ground motions w ere recorded at various recording stations located widely in Korean peninsula. Without actual recoded ground motions, it is impossible t o make a ground motion prediction model. In this study, a point source model is constructed to accurately simulate ground motions rec orded at different stations located on different soil conditions during the Gyeongju earthquake. Using the model, ground motions are ge nerated at all grid locations of Korean peninsula. Each grid size has 0.1°(latitude)x0.1°(longitude). Then a contour hazard map is constr ucted using the peak ground acceleration of the simulated ground motions

This paper investigates seismic damage potential of recent September 12 M5.8 Gyeongju earthquake from diverse earthquake engineering perspectives using the accelerograms recorded at three stations near the epicenter. In time domain, strong motion durations are evaluated based on the accelerograms and compared with statistical averages of the ground motions with similar magnitude, epicentral distance and soil conditions, while Fourier analysis using FFT is performed to identify damaging frequency contents contained in the earthquake. Effective peak ground accelerations are evaluated from the calculated response spectra and compared with apparent peak ground accelerations and the design spectrum in KBC 2016. All these results are used to consistently explain the reason why most of seismic damage in the earthquake was concentrated on low-rise stiff buildings but not quite significant. In order to comparatively appraise the damage potential, the constant ductility spectrum constructed from the Gyeongju earthquake is compared with that of the well-known 1940 El Centro earthquake. Deconvolution analysis by using one accelerogram speculated to be recorded at a stiff soil site is also performed to estimate the soil profile conforming to the response spectrum characteristics. Finally, response history analysis for 39- and 61-story tall buildings is performed as a case study to explain significant building vibration felt on the upper floors of some tall buildings in Busan area during the Gyeongju earthquake. Seismic design and retrofit implications of M5.8 Gyeongju earthquake are summarized for further research efforts and improvements of relevant practice.

In this study, effectiveness of seismic retrofitting methods using passive damping devices was investigated through numerical analyses of short-period structures under earthquakes which have short-duration and high-frequency impulse characteristics similar to Geyongju earthquakes. Displacement spectra of elastic systems and ductility demand of inelastic systems were evaluated by increasing viscous or friction damping. The damping devices could reduce responses of the structures with shorter structural period than 0.2s. The earthquakes similar to impulse load did not induce the responses of the structures with longer period than 0.4s, and the effects of the damping devices which generates damping forces proportional to structural responses became insignificant.

In this paper, time and frequency domain characteristics of Gyeong-ju earthquakes were investigated, and nonlinear time history analyses were conducted for bi-linear hysteretic structures excited by short-duration ground accelerations. Previous studies showed that larger inelastic displacements than the peak displacement of the corresponding elastic system were observed especially for the structures with structural period shorter than 0.3s, and the similar results could be obtained when long-duration ground accelerations were used as excitation loads. For the short-duration earthquakes, however, the inelastic displacements were not so large and almost identical to the peak elastic displacements.

In this paper, seismic performance assessment has been examined for a mid-rise RC building subjected to 2016 Gyeongju earthquake occurred in Korea. For the purpose of the paper, 2D external and internal frames in each direction of the building have been employed in the present comparative analyses. Nonlinear static pushover analyses have been conducted to estimate frame capacities. Nonlinear dynamic time-history analyses have also been carried out to examine demands for the frames subjected to ground motions recorded at stations in near of Gyeongju and a previous earthquake ground motion. Analytical predictions demonstrate that maximum demands are significantly affected by characteristics of both spectral acceleration response and spectrum intensity over a wide range of periods. Further damage potential of the frames has been evaluated in terms of fragility analyses using the same ground motions. Fragility results reveal that the ground motion characteristics of the Gyeongju earthquake have little influence on the seismic demand and fragility of frames.

Damage potential has been investigated for a domestic metropolitan railway bridge subjected to 2016 Gyeongju earthquake which has been reported as the strongest earthquake in Korea. For this purpose, nonlinear static pushover analyses for the bridge piers have been carried out to evaluate ductility capacities. Then, the capacities have been compared with those suggested by Railway Design Standards of Korea. This comparison shows that all piers possess enough safety margins. Nonlinear dynamic time-history analysis has also been conducted to estimate both displacement and shear force demands for the bridge subjected to ground motions recorded at stations in near of Gyeongju. Maximum demands reveal that response under the ground motions remains essentially in elastic. In addition, for a further assessment of the bridge under the Gyeongju earthquake, fragility analyses have been performed using those ground motions. The fragility results indicate that the recorded earthquakes do not significantly affect the damage exceedance probability of the bridge piers.

The Gyeong-Ju earthquake in the magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scaleoccurred in September 12, 2016. Because there are many nuclear power plants (NPP) near the epicenter of the Gyeong-Ju earthquake, the seismic stability of nuclear power plants is becoming a social problem. In order to evaluate the safety of seismically isolated NPP, the seismic response of a NPP subjected to the Gyeong-Ju earthquake was compared with those of 30 sets of artificial earthquakes corresponding to the nuclear standard design spectrum (NSDS). A 2-node model and a simple beam-stick model were used for the seismic analysis of seismically isolated NPP structures. Using 2-node model, the effect of internal temperature rise, decrease of shear stiffness, increase of lateral displacement and decrease of vertical stiffness according to nonlinear behavior of lead-rubber bearing (LRB) were evaluated. The displacement response, the acceleration response, and the shear force response of the seismically isolated nuclear containment structure were evaluated using the simple beam-stick model. It can be observed that the seismic responses of the isolated nuclear structure subjected to Gyeong-Ju earthquake is significantly less than those to the artificial earthquakes corresponding to NSDS.

A Gyeongju earthquake in the magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale (the moment magnitude of 5.4), which was recorded as the strongest earthquake in Korea, occurred in September 12, 2016. Compared with the 2011 Virginia earthquake, the moment magnitude was slightly smaller and its duration was 3 seconds, much shorter than 10 seconds of the Virginia earthquake, resulting in relatively minor damage. But the two earthquakes are quite similar in terms of the overall scale, unexpectedness, and social situation. The North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, which is a nuclear power plant located at 18 km away from the epicenter of the Virginia earthquake, had no damage to nuclear reactors because the reactors were automatically shut down as the design basis earthquake value was exceeded. Ground accelerations of the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake did not exceed the threshold value but the manual shutdown was carried out so that Wolsong Nuclear Power Site was not damaged. Damaged historic homestead house and masonry structures due to the Virginia earthquake have been repaired, reinforced, and rebuilt based on a long-term earthquake recovery project. Likewise, it will be necessary to carefully carry out an earthquake recovery planning program to improve overall seismic performance and to reconstruct the historic buildings and structures damaged as a result of the Gyeongju earthquake.

This study investigates important parameters used to determine an effective peak ground acceleration (EPGA) based on the characteristics of response spectra of historical earthquakes occurred at Korean peninsula. EPGAs are very important since they are implemented in the Korean Building Code for the seismic design of new structures. Recently, the Gyeongju earthquakes with the largest magnitude in earthquakes measured at Korea took place and resulted in non-structural and structural damage, which their EPGAs should need to be evaluated. This paper first describes the basic concepts on EPGAs and the EPGAs of the Gyeongju earthquakes are then evaluated and compared according to epicentral distances, site classes and directions of seismic waves. The EPGAs are dependant on normalizing factors and ranges of period on response spectrum constructed with the Gyeongju earthquake records. Using the normalizing factors and the ranges of period determined based on the characteristics of domestic response spectra, this paper draw a conclusion that the EPGAs are estimated to be about 30 % of the measured peak ground accelerations (PGA).

본 연구는 경주부근에서 일어난 3개의 지진 (1999년 4월 24일, 규모 3.3, 6개 관측소; 1999년 6월 2일, 규모 4.0, 14개 관측소; 1999년 9월 12일, 규모 3.2, 7개 관측소)으로부터 27개의 관측된 지반진동 자료를 이용하여 지진원 및 지진파감쇄특성 변수값을 분석하였다. 본 연구에서는 구하고자 하는 모든 값을 동시에 비선형적으로 분석하기 위해 LM (Levenberg -Marquardt) 역산방법을 적용하였고 전단파 에너지를 이용하였다. 3개지진의 평균 응력강하값은 약48-bar이고 본 연구에 이용된 모든 관측소 부지부근 지진파감쇄 {\kappa}값의 평균은 0.0312-sec로 분석되었다. 또한 광역 지진파감쇄값인 Qo 과 {\eta}값은 각각 417 및 0.83으로 분석되었다. 특히 지진파감쇄 {\kappa}값은 미국 동부지역 대푯값 보다 훨씬 크고 미국 서부지역 대푯값 보다 약간 작은 값을 보여주고 있어 관측소 부지증폭 특성에 대한 분석자료가 있으면 보다 의미있는 결과를 얻을 수 있다고 판단된다. 본 연구에서 분석된 지진원 및 지진파감쇄 특성 변수값들은 지배방정식의 차이 등으로 인해 기존의 연구결과와 일부 파라메타값에 있어서 다소 커다란 차이를 보여주고 있다.