This study investigates the seismic response of a horizontal axis wind turbine on two bottom-fixed support structures for transitional water depths (30-60 m), a tripod and a jacket, both resting on pile foundations. Fully coupled, nonlinear time-domain simulations on full system models are carried out under combined wind-wave-earthquake loadings, for different load cases, considering fixed and ...

Timber platform-frame shear walls are characterized by high ductility and diffuse energy dissipation but limited in-plane shear resistance. A novel lightweight constructive system composed of steel columns braced with oriented strand board (OSB) panels was conceived and tested. Preliminary laboratory tests were performed to study the OSB-to-column connections with self-drilling screws. Then, th...

A multi-panel PMC infilled system, using polymer matrix composite (PMC) material, was introduced as new conceptual design for seismic retrofitting. A proposed multi panel PMC infilled system was composed of two basic structural components: inner PMC sandwich infills and outer FRP damping panels. The PMC material had high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. Therefore, the addition...

Elastomeric bridge bearings have a history of use in the USA of close to 50 years. They are capable of carrying large vertical loads and allowing horizontal movement with low lateral force due to the extreme flexibility of the elastomeric material. They require little maintenance, have no moving parts, have good longevity and are very economical. The elastomer in bridge bearings is usually eith...

Fractures in rock masses influence strongly the mechanical and hydraulic properties of a rock mass. Thus, the detection and characterization of fractures using geophysical methods is of critical importance for maintaining the integrity of sub-surface infrastructure and subsurface waste or storage repositories. While the effects of single fractures or sets of parallel fractures on seismic wave p...

The use of composite materials is an effective technique to enhance the capacity of reinforced concrete columns subjected to the seismic loading due to their high tensile strength. In this paper, numerical models are developed in order to predict the experimental behavior of square reinforced concrete columns strengthened by glass fiber reinforced polymer and steel bars and unstrengthened colum...

We report on an extensive characterization of the cracking noise produced by charcoal samples when dampened with ethanol. We argue that the evaporation of ethanol causes transient and irregularly distributed internal stresses that promote the fragmentation of the samples and mimic some situations found in mining processes. The results show that, in general, the most fundamental seismic laws rul...

The potential for liquefaction triggering of a soil under a given seismic loading is measured herein by probability of liquefaction. The first order reliability method FORM is used to calculate reliability index, from which the probability of liquefaction is obtained. This approach requires the knowledge of parameter and model uncertainties; the latter is the focus of this paper. An empirical m...

In this paper effect of pile-soil consideration in obtaining seismic response offshore structure is assessed due to earthquake loading. InducedSeismic force is one of the most important excitations for the dynamic response of an offshore structure. According to API, Seismic forces should be accounted in platform design for seismically active regions in order to determine the allowable seismic r...

Self-centering rocking walls are known as viable alternatives to typical shear walls, as they provide a number of solutions for eliminating seismic flaws of conventional designs. These rocking walls have a generally positive impact on the seismic behavior of structural systems, but their design makes them susceptible to concrete crushing around their base, which can lead to significantly advers...