a Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory (EESD), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), EPFL ENAC IIC EESD, GC B2 515, Station 18, CH – 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland b Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory (EESD), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), É...

The objective of this research is to develop an effective and efficient design methodology for optimizing the configurations of energy dissipation devices (EDD) based on building performance objectives. Current design codes do not provide any guidelines for the optimization of EDD configurations. Previous research efforts are either limited in addressing different performance indices or not eff...

In this paper we shall study the multipliers on Banach algebras and We prove some results concerning Arens regularity and amenability of the Banach algebra M(A) of all multipliers on a given Banach algebra A. We also show that, under special hypotheses, each Jordan multiplier on a Banach algebra without order is a multiplier. Finally, we present some applications of m...

This study attempts to answer the question of distinguishing appropriate intensity measure parameter for performance-based design or assessment, taking into account the efficiency aspect. The comprehensive comparative tables proposed in this paper could be an effective support in the decision making procedure for intensity measure selection, comprising most of the frequently utilized intensity ...

When transitioning local laboratory practices into distributed environments, the interdependent relationship between experimental procedure and the technologies used to execute experiments becomes highly visible and a focal point for system requirements. We present an analysis of ways in which this reciprocal relationship is reconfiguring laboratory practices in earthquake engineering as a new ...

This paper presents the results of a series of shake-table tests on a half-scale, four-storey building with reinforced concrete and unreinforced masonry walls. Due to the lack of reference tests, the seismic behaviour of such mixed structures is poorly understood. The test unit was subjected to several runs of increasing intensity yielding performance states between minor damage and near collap...

The use of “ductile seismic frames,” whose proper seismic behavior largely depends upon construction details and specific design rules, may do not always lead to effective seismic resistant structures, as dramatically denounced by the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in his artwork Straight. The artwork (96 t of undulating metal bars that were salvaged from schools destroyed by the 2008 Sichuan,...

Physical modeling of earthquake generation processes is essential to further our understanding of seismic hazard. However, the scale-dependent nature of earthquake rupture processes is further complicated by the heterogeneous nature of the crust. Despite significant advances in the understanding of earthquake generation processes, and the derivation of underlying physical laws, controversy rema...

in this paper the control algorithm for controlled civil structures subjected to earthquake excitation is thoroughly investigated. the objective of this work is the control of structures by means of the pole placement algorithm, in order to improve their response against earthquake actions. successful application of the algorithm requires judicious placement of the closed-loop eigenvalues from ...