PEER Reports

PEER Reports

Boore-Atkinson NGA Ground Motion Relations for the Geometric Mean Horizontal Component of Peak and Spectral Ground Motion Parameters, PEER Report 2007-01

David M. Boore
Gail M. Atkinson
2007

This report contains ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) for a particular measure of horizontal-component ground motions as a function of earthquake mechanism, distance from source to site, local average shear-wave velocity, and fault type. Our equations are for peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and 5%-damped pseudo-absolute- acceleration spectra (PSA) at periods between 0.01 s and 10 s. The equations were derived by empirical regression of the PEER NGA strong-motion database. For periods of less than 1 s, the analysis used 1574 records from 58 mainshocks...

Campbell-Bozorgnia NGA Ground Motion Relations for the Geometric Mean Horizontal Component of Peak and Spectral Ground Motion Parameters, PEER Report 2007-02

Kenneth W. Campbell
Yousef Bozorgnia
2007

We present a new empirical ground motion model, commonly referred to as an attenuation relationship, which we developed as part of the PEER Next Generation Attenuation of Ground Motion (NGA) Project. Using a common database of worldwide strong motion recordings, we selected a subset of ground motion data and predictor variables that we believed were appropriate for use in developing our model. Consistent with the requirements of the PEER NGA Project, we developed both a median and aleatory uncertainty model for peak ground acceleration (PGA). peak ground velocity (PGV), peak ground...

Beam-Column Element Model Calibrated for Predicting Flexural Response Leading to Global Collapse of RC Frame Buildings, PEER Report 2007-03

Curt B. Haselton
Abbie B. Liel
Sarah Taylor Lange
Gregory G. Deierlein
2007

Performance-based earthquake engineering relies on the availability of analysis models that can be used to predict structural performance, including collapse. In this report, a lumped-plasticity element model developed by Ibarra et al. (2005) is used to model the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beam-columns. The backbone and its associated hysteretic rules provide for versatile modeling of cyclic behavior and, importantly, the model captures the negative stiffness of post-peak response, enabling modeling of the strain-softening behavior that is critical for simulating the collapse of...

Numerical Models for Analysis and Performance-Based Design of Shallow Foundations Subjected to Seismic Loading, PEER Report 2007-04

Sivapalan Gajan
Tara Hutchinson
Bruce Kutter
Prishati Raychowdhury
José Ugalde
Jonathan Stewart
2007

For stiff structural systems, such as shear walls and braced frames, deformations that occur at the soil-foundation interface can represent a significant component of the overall soil-foundation- structure system flexibility. Practical guidelines have been available for many years to characterize these soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects when structural analyses are performed using simplified pseudo-static force-based or pushover-type procedures. Those guidelines are typically based in large part on representing the soil-foundation interaction in terms of elastic impedance functions...

Uncertainty and Correlation in Seismic Risk Assessment of Transportation Systems, PEER Report 2007-05

Renee G. Lee
Anne S. Kiremidjian
2007

This report describes the research and application of ground motion and damage correlation models affecting risk assessment for spatially distributed lifeline systems with specific emphasis on transportation networks. Deterministic and probabilistic seismic risks of the system are assessed for direct structural loss and network reliability. As a result of potentially underestimating system risk, high-cost economic decisions may be conservative.

Two different ground motion correlation models are developed and compared. The sensitivity of loss uncertainty to damage correlation is...

Development of Improved Procedures for Seismic Design of Buried and Partially Buried Structures, PEER Report 2007-06

Linda Al Atik
Nicholas Sitar
2007

Two sets of dynamic centrifuge model experiments were performed to evaluate the magnitude and distribution of seismically induced lateral earth pressures on retaining structures that are representative of designs currently under consideration by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). Two U-shaped cantilever retaining structures, one flexible and one stiff, were used to model the prototype structures, and dry medium-dense sand at 61% and 72% relative density was used as backfill.

The results of the centrifuge experiments show that the maximum...

Performance Modeling Strategies for Modern Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns, PEER Report 2007-07

Michael P. Berry
Marc O. Eberhard
2007

It is important to characterize the performance of bridges during earthquakes because they are integral components of transportation networks. Loss of bridge function can have severe
economic consequences, and consequences to life safety when bridges are critical links in lifelines to emergency facilities, which are particularly important after a disasters. Although damage to other elements can have economic and life-safety impacts, reinforced concrete columns are often the most vulnerable elements in a bridge, and column failure can have catastrophic consequences.

The objective...

Assessing Seismic Collapse Safety of Modern Reinforced Concrete Moment-Frame Buildings, PEER Report 2007-08

Curt B. Haselton
Gregory G. Deierlein
2007

A primary goal of seismic design requirements of bu ilding codes is to protect the life safety of building inhabitants during extreme earthquakes, which requires that the likelihood of structural collapse be at an acceptably low level. However, building codes and standards are empirical in nature; this results in the collapse safety of new buildings not yet being well understood.

In this research, we develop the tools and methods to quantitatively assess the collapse risk of reinforced concrete (RC) special moment frame (SMF) buildings. This primarily includes treatment of ground...

Integrated Probabilistic Performance-Based Evaluation of Benchmark Reinforced Concrete Bridges, PEER Report 2007-09

Kevin R. Mackie
John-Michael Wong
Bozidar Stojadinovic
2007

Multiple-span reinforced concrete highway overpass bridges constitute a large portion of the total inventory of bridges in California, particularly among bridges of new design. Probabilistic valua- tion of performance of these bridges under rare but strong ground motions is therefore essential for successful evaluation of the entire regional transportation network performance during and after an earthquake. Additionally, probabilistic quantification of bridge seismic performance and vulnerability provides insight into the shortcomings of current designs and into the potential advantages of...

Computational Modeling of Progressive Collapse in Reinforced Concrete Frame Structures, PEER Report 2007-10

Mohamed M. Talaat
Khalid M. Mosalam
2007

The progressive collapse of structures during severe loading caused by earthquakes, blasts, and other effects causes catastrophic loss of life. Such collapse is typically caused by the inability of the structural system to redistribute its loads following the failure of one or more structural members to carry gravity loads. In reinforced concrete (RC) structures, the loss of gravity load- carrying capacity in columns has been observed to trigger a chain of collapse events. This is especially true for structures built according to older building code provisions and thus possessing non-...