Seismic response of nuclear containment structures due to recorded and simulated near-fault ground motions

• Published in: Structural engineering and mechanics pp. 431 - 450
• Main Authors: Kurtulus Soyluk, Hamid Sadegh-Azar, Dersu Yılmaz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 국제구조공학회 01-09-2023
• Subjects: 토목공학
• ISSN: 1225-4568

In this study, it is intended to perform nonlinear time-history analyses of nuclear power plant structures (NPP) under near-fault earthquakes showing directivity pulse and fling-step characteristics. Simulation procedures based on cycloidal pulse and far-fault ground motions are also used to simulate near-fault motions showing forward-directivity and fling-step characteristics and the structural responses are compared with those of the recorded near-fault ground motions. Because it is aimed to determine specifically the pulse type characteristics of near-fault ground motions on NPPs, all the ground motions are normalized to have a PGA of 0.3 g. Depending on the obtained results it can be underlined that although near-fault ground motion has the potential to cause damage mostly on structural systems having larger periods, it may also have noticeable effects on the responses of rigid structures, like NPP containment buildings. On the other hand, simulated near-fault motions can help us to get an insight into the near-fault mechanism as well as an approximate visualization of the structural responses under nearfault earthquakes. KCI Citation Count: 0