In this study, stochastic seismic response of a rock-fill dam is investigated by finite element method. The Keban dam constructed in Elazığ, Turkey is chosen as a numerical example. The interaction of the rock-fill dam with the reservoir is neglected, but not the foundation rock. The properties of the dam materials were taken from the dam project and assumed to be linearly elastic, homogenous a...

Weibo, as the largest social media service in China, has billions of messages generated every day. The huge number of messages contain rich sentimental information. In order to analyze the emotional changes in accordance with time and space, this paper presents an Emotion Analysis Platform (EAP), which explores the emotional distribution of each province, so that can monitor the global pulse of...

Due to its rapid speed of information spread, wide user bases, and extreme mobility, Twitter is drawing attention as a potential emergency reporting tool under extreme events. However, at the same time, Twitter is sometimes despised as a citizen based non-professional social medium for propagating misinformation, rumors, and, in extreme case, propaganda. This study explores the working dynamics...

In this paper, the probable range of the horizontal component of peak ground acceleration (PGA) is predicted as a function of focal depth, earthquake magnitude and epicentral distance, using artificial neural network (ANN). Three different ANN architectures (namely Feed Forward, Back Propagation and Radial Bias Networks) are used to develop the model. The three models are then compared, to deci...

One of the most successful means of protecting structures against severe seismic events is base isolation. However, optimal design of base isolation systems depends on the magnitude of the design level earthquake that is considered. The features of an isolation system designed for an El Centro-type earthquake typically will not be optimal for a Northridge-type earthquake and vice versa. To be e...

Structural vibration control is one of the most important features in structural engineering. Real-time information about seismic resultant forces is required for deciding module of intelligent control systems. Evaluation of lateral forces during an earthquake is a complicated problem considering uncertainties of gravity loads amount and distribution and earthquake characteristics. An artificia...

This paper aims to examine increases in professional liability for architectural and engineering (A/E) professionals following quantitative changes in litigation risks after the Chichi Earthquake. The methodology uses t-tests and ANOVA to analyse the impact of the earthquake with regard to (1) the number of A/E litigations, (2) the type of plaintiff, (3) court decisions, and (4) the scope of A/...

In this paper, we describe the principles and methods of building an expert system for Earthquake Risk Zoning (ERZ) which is used to determine the dangerous earthquake areas for the engineering design. The innovations in the design of this system are (1). We use the ideas from the second generation expert system to combine expert empirical knowledge with traditional software. This enlarges the ...

In this chapter we explore how people build new theories in the context of collaborative scientific thinking. As illustrated by many of the chapters in this volume, our default notion of “scientific thinking” has changed from that of the lone scientist or student toiling away on a magnum opus or in the laboratory, to that of people working as part of collaborative groups who negotiate goals for...

b-Value Variations Preceding the Devastating, 1999 Earthquake, near Izmit, Turkey Sara Andersson The potential of temporal b-value variations as an intermediate-term (weeks to months) earthquake precursor was investigated in the western portion of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), between January 1982 to December 2004. The focus of the study is on the devastating, 1999 earthquake, near Izm...