Basic Earthquake Engineering

This book provides senior undergraduate students, master students and structural engineers who do not have a background in the field with core knowledge of structural earthquake engineering that will be invaluable in their professional lives. The basics of seismotectonics, including the causes, magnitude, and intensity of earthquakes, are first explained. Then the book introduces basic elements of seismic hazard analysis and presents the concept of a seismic hazard map for use in seismic design. Subsequent chapters cover key aspects of the response analysis of simple systems and building structures to earthquake ground motions, design spectrum, the adoption of seismic analysis procedures in seismic design codes, seismic design principles and seismic design of reinforced concrete structures. Helpful worked examples on seismic analysis of linear, nonlinear and base isolated buildings, earthquake-resistant design of frame and frame-shear wall systems are included, most of which can be solved using a hand calculator.

While successfully preventing earthquakes may still be beyond the capacity of modern engineering, the ability to mitigate damages with strong structural designs and other mitigation measures are well within the purview of science. Fundamental Concepts of Earthquake Engineering presents the concepts, procedures, and code provisions that are currentl

"In order to reduce the seismic risk facing many densely populated regions worldwide, including Canada and the United States, modern earthquake engineering should be more widely applied. But current literature on earthquake engineering may be difficult to grasp for structural engineers who are untrained in seismic design. In addition no single resource addressed seismic design practices in both Canada and the United States until now. Elements of Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics was written to fill the gap. It presents the key elements of earthquake engineering and structural dynamics at an introductory level and gives readers the basic knowledge they need to apply the seismic provisions contained in Canadian and American building codes."--Résumé de l'éditeur.

Earthquake engineering or seismic engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural environment, and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels. Earthquake Engineering can be defined as the branch of engineering devoted to mitigating earthquake hazards. In this broad sense, earthquake engineering covers the investigation and solution of the problems created by damaging earthquakes, and consequently the work involved in the practical application of these solutions, i.e. in planning, designing, constructing and managing earthquake-resistant structures and facilities. The main objectives of earthquake engineering are to predict the potential consequences of strong earthquakes on urban areas and civil infrastructure. A properly engineered structure does not necessarily have to be extremely strong or expensive. It has to be properly designed to withstand the seismic effects while sustaining an acceptable level of damage. This book emphasizes to students of structural and architectural engineering the problems and solutions in attaining efficient earthquake-resistant structures and facilities. To achieve this objective, after a brief discussion of the general goals in seismic-resistant design and construction of structures and facilities, the diverse sources of damage that can be triggered by an earthquake are discussed.

This book is intended primarily as a textbook for students studying structural engineering. It covers three main areas in the analysis and design of structural systems subjected to seismic loading: basic seismology, basic structural dynamics, and code-based calculations used to determine seismic loads from an equivalent static method and a dynamics-based method. It provides students with the skills to determine seismic effects on structural systems, and is unique in that it combines the fundamentals of structural dynamics with the latest code specifications. Each chapter contains electronic resources: image galleries, PowerPoint presentations, a solutions manual, etc.

Provides in-depth earthquake engineering analysis as applied to soils. Includes worked-out problems illustrating earthquake analyses and current seismic codes.

This book provides a practical guide to the basic essentials of earthquake engineering with a focus on seismic loading and structural design. Benefiting from the author’s extensive career in structural and earthquake engineering, dynamic analysis and lecturing, it is written from an industry perspective at a level suitable for graduate students. Fundamentals of Seismic Loading on Structures is organised into four major sections: introduction to earthquakes and related engineering problems, analysis, seismic loading, and design concepts. From a practical perspective, reviews linear and non-linear behaviour, introduces concepts of uniform hazard spectra, discusses loading provisions in design codes and examines soil-structure interaction issues, allowing the reader to quickly identify and implement information in a working environment. Discusses probabilistic methods that are widely employed in the assessment of seismic hazard, illustrating the use of Monte Carlo simulation with a number of worked examples. Summarises the latest developments in the field such as performance-based seismic engineering and advances in liquefaction research. “There are many books on earthquake engineering, but few are of direct use to the practising structural designer. This one, however, offers a new perspective, putting emphasis on the practical aspects of quantifying seismic loading, and explaining the importance of geotechnical effects during a major seismic event in readily understandable terms. The author has succeeded in marrying important seismological considerations with structural engineering practice, and this long-awaited book will find ready acceptance in the profession.” Professor Patrick J. Dowling CBE, DL, DSc, FIStructE, Hon MRIA, FIAE, FREng, FRS Chairman, British Association for the Advancement of Science Emeritus Professor and Retired Vice Chancellor, University of Surrey

Earthquakes are nearly unique among natural phenomena - they affect virtually everything within a region, from massive buildings and bridges, down to the furnishings within a home. Successful earthquake engineering therefore requires a broad background in subjects, ranging from the geologic causes and effects of earthquakes to understanding the imp