In earthquake resistance design of structures, two general concepts have been used. The first is to increase the capacity of the structures to resist the earthquake load effects (mostly horizontal forces) or to increase the dynamic stiffness such as the seismic energy dissipation ability by adding damping systems (both devices and/or structural fuses). The second concept includes seismic isolat...

Since the collapse of the Dolomieu crater floor at Piton de la Fournaise Volcano (la Réunion) in 2007, hundreds of seismic signals generated by rockfalls have been recorded daily at the Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF). To study rockfall activity over a long period of time, automated methods are required to process the available continuous seismic records. We present ...

Experimental proof is provided of an unconventional seismic design concept, which is based on deliberately underdesigning shallow foundations to promote intense rocking oscillations and thereby to dramatically improve the seismic resilience of structures. Termed rocking isolation, this new seismic design philosophy is investigated through a series of dynamic centrifuge experiments on properly s...

Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Spokane Mining Research Division (SMRD) have developed a modeling framework, using commercially available software, for investigating the fracture and ejection of rock into underground mine openings caused by seismic loading and the restraint of this failed rock by the ground support system. The modeling framework...

Materials engineered at the micro- and nanometer scales have had a tremendous and lasting impact in photonics and phononics. At much larger scales, natural soils civil engineered at decimeter to meter scales may interact with seismic waves when the global properties of the medium are modified, or alternatively thanks to a seismic metamaterial constituted of a mesh of vertical empty inclusions b...

In an attempt to better understand the impact that large mining shots will have on verifying compliance with the international, worldwide, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT, no nuclear explosion tests), a series of seismic and videographic experiments has been conducted during the past two years at the Black Thunder Coal Mine. Personnel from the mine and Los Alamos National Laboratory have co...

Japan is in a seismically active area and experiences many damaging earthquakes with loss of life. In 1995, the Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake caused major destruction in Kobe City and in 2011 the Great Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami caused major destruction in the Pacific coast areas of northeastern Japan. Additionally, recent relatively less destructive earthquakes include the 2003 Tokachi-O...

This study presents a plan for seismic monitoring of a region around a potential nuclear power plant. Seismic monitoring is needed to evaluate seismic risk. The International Atomic Energy Agency has set guidelines on seismic hazard evaluation and monitoring of such areas. According to these guidelines, we have made a plan for a local network of seismic stations to collect data for seismic sour...

Impact-induced seismic vibrations have long been suspected of being an important surface modification process on small satellites and asteroids. In this study, we use a series of linked seismic and geomorphic models to investigate the process in detail. We begin by developing a basic theory for the propagation of seismic energy in a highly fractured asteroid, and we use this theory to model the...