This paper presents a finite element method (FEM) framework for the dynamic analysis of coupled vehicle—bridge systems under nearfield /far-field ground motions. A train car with two bogies is assumed to be represented sufficiently by a discrete, rigid multi-body system with thirty-eight degrees of freedoms (DOFs). The normal Hertzian contact theory and the tangential Kalker linear theory modif...

Masonry structures are complex systems that require a thorough and detailed knowledge and information regarding their behaviour under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake resistant design or assessment. However, modelling a real structure to a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex a...

As ice retreated from southern coastal Maine from 15,000 to 13,000 years ago, the ocean inundated coastal areas where the earth’s crust had been temporarily depressed by the weight of glacial ice. A thick veneer of glacial-marine clay and silt – the Presumpscot Formation – was deposited in coastal Maine lowlands. Due to its fine-grained character, shear waves from seismic events travel slowly t...

We developed a kinematic earthquake cycle model applicable to transform fault zones, subduction zones, and collision zones on the basis of elastic dislocation theory. The crustal deformation associated with the periodic occurrence of interplate earthquakes is generally given by the superposition of viscoelastic responses to steady slip on the whole plate boundary, steady back slip on the seismi...

We discuss three approaches to seismic interferometry and compare their underlying assumptions. In the first approach the reflection response is reconstructed by cross-correlating the responses of many uncorrelated noise sources. In the second approach a depth image is obtained from the response of a single source, recorded by many receivers. In the third approach the Green’s function is recons...

Probabilistic characteristics of seismic responses of the Partially Restrained connection rotation (PRCR) and panel zone deformation (PZD) installed in older steel moment frames were investigated in accordance with statistical inference in decision-making process. The 4, 6 and 8 story older steel moment frames with clip angle and T-stub connections were designed and analyzed using 2%/50yrs grou...

In this paper, a new approach for the dynamic reliability assessment of finite element modelled underground pipeline structures under earthquake excitations with uncertain parameters is proposed. The approach is established based on the thoughts of the newly developed probability density evolution method, which is capable of capturing the instantaneous probability density function (PDF) and its...