PEER Reports

PEER Reports

Empirical Characterizations of Site Conditions on Strong Ground Motion, PEER Report 2005-01

Jonathan P. Stewart
Yoojoong Choi
Robert W. Graves
2005

Empirical relationships are developed to predict amplification factors for 5% damped response spectral acceleration as a function of site condition. Amplification factors are evaluated as residuals between ground motion recordings and predictions from modified rock attenuation relationships.

Both shallow and deep characteristics of site condition are considered to identify those parameters that are most effective from the standpoint of bias and dispersion reduction. The parameterization of shallow site condition is based on (1) surface geology, (2) NEHRP classification, (3)...

Fragility Basis for California Highway Overpass Bridge Seismic Decision Making, PEER Report 2005-02

Kevin R. Mackie
Bozidar Stojadinovic
2005

The seismic loss modeling of transportation networks is a multifaceted procedure for calculating monetary losses due to damage to the transportation links in an earthquake. This report focuses on providing a rational method to evaluate da mage potential and to assess probable highway bridge losses for critical decision making regarding the post-earthquake safety and repair of a highway network. Loss fragilities were defined for each individual bridge using PEER’s performance-based earthquake engineering framework. Decision variables were related to earthquake intensity through a series of...

A Taxonomy of Building Components for Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering, PEER Report 2005-03

Keith A. Porter
2005

To model the seismic performance of building components, they must first be defined. A categorization system (or taxonomy) of components is developed here, including both structural and nonstructural elements but focusing on the latter. Structural elements are those that are part of the structure’s vertical- or
lateral-force-resisting system. Nonstructural components are generally those that are attached to a structure but are not considered part of either system. Taxonomic groups are defined to meet ten objectives to ensure that meaningful fragility functions can be created for a...

Numerical Modeling of the Nonlinear Cyclic Response of Shallow Foundations, PEER Report 2005-04

Chad Harden
Tara Hutchinson
Geoffrey R. Martin
Bruce L. Kutter
2005

Understanding the nonlinear behavior of shallow building foundations under large-amplitude loading is an important aspect of performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE). Soil yielding beneath foundations can be an effective energy-dissipation mechanism; however, this yielding may lead to excessive permanent deformations. The objective of this report is to develop and test procedures to account for foundation nonlinearity and uplift in PBEE

In order to accurately represent PBEE in current design, a Winkler-type finite element mesh generator is written to simulate a shallow strip...

Performance Characterization of Bench- and Shelf-Mounted Equipment, PEER Report 2005-05

Samit Ray Chaudhuri
Tara C. Hutchinson
2005

It is now well recognized by the earthquake engineering community that even during a moderate seismic event extensive nonstructural damage may occur, resulting in a potential threat to life safety and significant economic losses. For equipment and building contents, the primary economic losses may be accrued due to operational failure or repair of the equipment and the associated downtime. In science laboratories or hospitals, equipment are generally placed on the surface of ceramic laboratory benches, which in turn are attached to the structural floor and ceiling systems. Therefore, the...

Global Collapse of Frame Structures under Seismic Excitations, PEER Report 2005-06

Luis F. Ibarra
Helmut Krawinkler
2005

Global collapse in earthquake engineering refers to the inability of a structural system to sustain gravity loads when subjected to seismic excitation. The research described in this report proposes a methodology for evaluating global incremental (side-sway) collapse based on a relative intensity measure instead of an engineering demand para meter (EDP). The relative intensity is the ratio of ground motion intensity to a structural strength parameter, which is increased until the response of the system becomes unstabl e. At this stage the relative intensity – EDP curve becomes flat (zero...

Experimental and Analytical Studies on the Seismic Response of Freestanding and Anchored Laboratory Equipment, PEER Report 2005-07

Dimitrios Konstantinidis
Nicos Makris
2005

This report presents the results of a comprehensive experimental program investigating the seismic response of freestanding and anchored laboratory equipment. The study is part of a broader study on the UC Science Laborator y facility that implements the performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) methodology proposed by the PEER Center.

In this study, quasi-static experiments were conducted in order to examine the mechanical behavior of the contact interface between laboratory equipment and the floors on which the equipment is situated. Based on the results of these experiments...

Damage Accumulation in Lightly Confined Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns, PEER Report 2005-08

R. Tyler Ranf
Jared M. Nelson
Zach Price
Marc O. Eberhard
John F. Stanton
2005

Six reinforced concrete columns were tested at the University of Washington to evaluate the effects of cyclic loading on damage progression in lightly confined reinforced concrete circular bridge columns. The six columns, which were nominally identical, were typical of those built by the Washington State Department of Transportation until the mid-1970s.

The columns were subjected to a variety of lateral-deformation histories. These tests showed that increasing the number of cycles from 1 to 15 at each deformation level resulted in an approximately 30% reduction in the maximum column...

Test Applications of Advanced Seismic Assessment Guidelines, PEER Report 2005-09

Joe Maffei
Karl Telleen
Danya Mohr
William Holmes
Yuki Nakayama
2005

Advanced Seismic Assessment Guidelines, applicable to utility buildings, were developed by Stanford University (Bazzurro et al. 2004) as part of the PEER Lifelines Program, Building Vulnerability Studies (Project Task Number 507). The subject project, Task 508, applies these state-of-the-art guidelines in a detailed fashion to two example buildings, each with differing features and functions within the electric and gas utility network.

The first building studied is a three-story steel moment-frame building. The second building is an older type of utility structure of...

First NEES/E-Defense Workshop on Collapse Simulation of Reinforced Concrete Building Structures, PEER Report 2005-10

2005

Research collaboration agreements for earthquake disaster prev ention are in progress between U.S. and Japanese organizations: the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) on the U.S. side, and the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention of Japan (NIED) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). Collectively these organizations are known as the “NEES/E-Defense Earthquake Engineering Research Collaboration.” The purpose of the joint research...