Sei Smi C: Earthquakes
Sei Smi C: Earthquakes
Sei Smi C: Earthquakes
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SEISMIC ACADEMY
A forum for professionals, academicians, authorities and industry experts to interact and
disseminate knowledge on various aspects of earthquake engineering with different
stakeholders, with an intent to increase awareness and develop their expertise on the subject.
OUR VISION
To make seismic academy as one source of information and use it for promotion of all seismic
initiatives in our country.
Er. Jayant Kumar Dr. S. M. Ali Er. Vinay Gupta Er. Alok Bhowmick
Managing Director Director General - Solar Managing Director Managing Director
Hilti India Pvt. Ltd. Energy Society of India Tandon Consultants Pvt. Ltd. B&S Engg. Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
Dr. Amit Prashant Dr. Ajay Chourasia Dr. Rajeev Goel Dr. Durgesh Rai
Professor of Civil Engg. Chief Scientist and Head Chief Scientist & Head Professor
& Dean of Research & Devt. of Structural Engg. & 3D Bridge Engg. & Strut. Div. Dept. of Civil Engg.
IIT Gandhinagar Concrete Printing Group CSIR-CRRI, New Delhi IIT - Kanpur
CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee
“The information and views expressed in articles published in Seismic Academy Journal
are those of the authors and Seismic Academy takes no responsibility regarding the same.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission
from Seismic Academy.”
A PRODUCTION
IN THIS ISSUE - Total No. of Pages: 28 (Including Cover)
“
For example, industry contractors must understand and
strictly abide by the differing safety regulations when
building malls, railway stations, hospitals, and schools
compared to constructing residential spaces. Lack of
understanding affects regulatory compliance, leading These unique multi-prong
to inefficient constructions that could be hazardous.
Therefore, there is a need to mandate compliance, prioritise approaches taken by the
structures that require special safety regulations, and Seismic Academy
provide avenues to test innovations.
nurture R&D innovations,
The Seismic Academy tackles these technological build core expertise,
obstacles and compliance issues by creating pipelines
to solve sector-wise problems using holistic approaches.
Towards this, comprehensive resource repositories have
been established, which have helped develop domain
expertise. These efforts have provided an impetus to
industrial innovations, reflected in the appearance of novel
“
introduce revolutionary
technology to the markets and
boost their widespread use.
products in the market.
EVENT UPDATE
Annual Conference 2023
31st August 2023 at India Habitat Center, New Delhi......................... 05
RECENT EARTHQUAKES..................................................................... 09
CASE STUDIES
Structural Assessment And Strengthening of Bridge No. 5/5
at Umngi River (Umpung) on Balat Bagli Road, Meghalaya,
India
By Dr. Jayanta Pathak, Er. Ayush Agarwal, Er. Khangenbom
Prasenjit Singha, Er. Lambha Deilang Suchiang................................. 13
Repair And Rehabilitation Of Admin Block In School Building
By Mr. Rohit Yadav.................................................................................... 18
EVENT UPDATES
Training Program On
Urban Risk Mitigation – Focus On Seismic & Fire Safety ............ 21
SEISMIC SPLENDOUR
Taipei 101 Is An Iconic Earthquake Withstanding Human
Marvel................................................................................................. 24
The Second Annual Conference under the aegis of the Seismic Academy was
organized on 31st August 2023 at India Habitat Center, Delhi.
To view the session videos and the event gallery please visit -
https://theseismicacademy.com/event-detail/seismic-resilient-infrastructure-in-health-
care-facilities---annual-conference-2023
EVENT DETAILS -
EVENT UPDATE
More than 85 participants from standardisation bodies, practising engineers, academicians, and
researchers working in the field of earthquake engineering and healthcare facilities were present at the
conference, representing a variety of participants from across the nation disciplines, alike.
Our esteemed Advisory Board graced the conference and added their esteemed insights to the
discussion. Senior practising consultants, academicians representation from government agencies like
MCD, PWD, and CPWD, professionals from organisations like IAStructE, architects from the School of
Planning & Architecture, representatives from Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Bureau of
India Standards, National Institute of Disaster Management, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure,
Indian Society for Technical Education and engineering team from Life Insurance Corporation were
among the participants.
The day started with a welcome address by Mr. Ashish Mittal, Vice President
- Engineering, Hilti India Pvt. Ltd. who summarized the initiative and the
progress in terms of the different activities which was made over the last year.
Er. Vinay Gupta, Managing Director, Tandon Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and
Advisory Board Member, Seismic Academy shared his insight and perspective
from the Advisory Board and how the academy can be an enabler to create
precise content for reference by engineers.
Dr. S.M. Ali, Director General, Solar Energy Society of India and Advisory Board
Member, Seismic Academy gave valuable insight as to how the capacity building
activities can be taken up more actively to build a competent future engineering
fraternity.
The day also had 2 engaging panel discussions. The esteemed panelists
included the likes of Dr. Abhay Gupta, Director, Skeleton Consultants; Dr. Vasant
Matsagar, Dogra Chair Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Advisory Board Member,
Seismic Academy; Dr. Chandan Ghosh, Head Resilient Infrastructure Division, National Institute of
Disaster Management, Government of India; Mrs. Madhurima Madhav, Joint Director - Civil Engineering,
Bureau of India Standards and Dr. Amit Prashant, Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar
and Advisory Board Member, Seismic Academy along with the speakers.
Like-minded stakeholders had a great opportunity to communicate, learn from one another, share
ideas, and spread more information about the subject throughout the session. They also shared their
expectation and willingness to associate and contribute in a more meaningful manner to the initiative.
The day was brimming with learning and knowledge exchange.
The event was managed by Revered Media, a unit of CE&CR.
“ “ “ “
The conference was well managed, organised and covered I personally found the seismic academy and the
holisticly all related topics. The seismic academy initiative conference really a very helpful. One of the most
is good forum for knowledge & experience sharing. It enjoyable and informative conferences/seminar
provides a good platform for various stakeholders to I have ever attended. Thanks to the organisers &
experiment and explore new ideas and initiatives. very special thanks to the great speakers.
“
- Mr. Ankit Sahay - Er Dushyant Kumar
I had an amazing experience at the Seismic Academy Annual Conference. The atmosphere was electric!
It was an enlightening and enriching experience. I was inspired by the knowledge shared by the incredible
speakers. It gave me a fantastic opportunity to network and connect with professionals in the industry.
The organization and execution of the Conference were flawless. Hats off to the team for their hard work!
I was blown away by the quality of presentations at the Seismic Academy Annual Conference. It exceeded my expectations.
It was truly awe-inspiring. I appreciate the thoughtfulness and attention to detail put into every aspect of the Seismic
“
“
Academy Annual Conference. It made for a seamless and enjoyable experience.
by Seismic Academy, this has been my first time in the conference and had a very satisfying learning
- Mr. Vishal Bhatia
A great initiative to start Seismic Academy chapter in India. Though I have been attending the webinars
experience from the different experts. I belong to Uttarakhand which is highly prone to seismic activity. Apart
from the seeking knowledge of the experts in this field, my personal interest was also a big reason for me.
“
“
The conference has been a very enlightening experience and look forward to further webinars and conferences.
- Mr. Ravindra Shah
It was an incredibly enlightening and well-organised event that left me with a wealth of valuable insights.
What truly made this conference exceptional were the insightful presentations and discussions.
The speakers not only possessed a deep understanding of the subject matter but also had a remarkable ability
to convey complex concepts in an accessible manner. Their expertise and real-world experiences provided
valuable perspectives on the challenges and solutions in ensuring seismic resilience in healthcare facilities.
The panel discussions opened the floor for interactions amongst professionals, researchers, and practitioners
who share a passion for ensuring the safety and resilience of healthcare infrastructure. These interactions opened
up avenues for potential collaborations and knowledge sharing that I look forward to exploring in the future.
“
“
I left the conference feeling inspired and armed with a deeper understanding of the critical importance of seismic resilience
“
in healthcare facilities. - Ms. Sanika Upasani
The conference was an eye opener when it comes to resilient and safe designing, especially for healthcare infrastructure,
which is supposed to be the ‘last building standing’ in all disasters. To have professionals together as a community,
working rigorously towards providing safety to the citizens and hospitals, is an important source of security and certainty
for the communities and the country.
- Ms. Sumedha Dua
EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY IN
AND AROUND INDIA IN THE RECENT PAST
India is positioned on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it susceptible
to earthquakes. The Himalayan region, in particular, is a seismic hotspot due to the ongoing collision
between these plates. The convergence of these plates generates immense tectonic stress, periodically
released in the form of earthquakes.
Over the past decade, India has experienced a staggering total of 2748 earthquakes with a magnitude
of four or above within a 300 km radius. This comes down to a yearly average of 274 earthquakes
per year, or 22 per month.
In 2015, a large number of earthquakes occurred near India. That year, 685 earthquakes of magnitude
4 or higher were detected within 300 kilometres of India. The most powerful had a magnitude of 7.8.
Since the epicenter of this devastating earthquakes was in Nepal, the impact was strongly felt in
northern India.
The table below depicts the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300 kilometres of India
in the previous ten years.
2 EARTHQUAKES RAVAGE AFGHANISTAN WITH DEATH TOLL CROSSING 2000 AND FLATTENING
HUNDREDS OF HOMES
Four large earthquakes measuring magnitude 6.3 and their aftershocks struck Herat Province in western
Afghanistan. The first two earthquakes struck near Herat on 7th October ‘23, followed by numerous
aftershocks. Two more magnitude 6.3 earthquakes struck the same area on 11th & 15th October ‘23.
These earthquakes were linked to thrust faulting. The complex and active tectonic interactions between
the Arabian, Eurasian, and Indian plates are responsible for Afghanistan’s seismicity.
The first event, with a magnitude of 6.3, took place at 11:11 AFT. An afterschok with a magnitude 5.5
occured exactly eight minutes later. At 11:42 AFT, another event struck with a magnitude 6.3, followed
by a magnitude 5.9 aftershock. On
11th October ‘23, a third earthquake
occurred with a magnitude of 6.3 in
the same area, followed by another
of the same magnitude on 15th
October ‘23.
According to the NCS, the epicentre of the earthquake was Image Source:
9 km east of Faridabad. https://twitter.com/NCS_Earthquake
A building of the district police office in Bajhang was damaged and several houses developed cracks,
according to the local administration office. While the tremors were felt strongly in India, there were no
immediate reports of damage. Nepal lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (seismic zone IV and V)
of the world, making the country extremely vulnerable to earthquakes.
EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEPAL TWICE IN A DAY
Two consecutive earthquakes rattled Nepal on
22 nd
October ‘23, with the second one measuring
4.3 on the Richter scale, as reported by the National Center for
Seismology.
The country is located on the ridge of where the Tibetan plate and
Indian tectonic plate meet and advance two meters closer to one
Image Source: another every century. The pressure so generated gets released in
https://twitter.com/NCS_Earthquake
the form of earthquakes.
This follows the 4.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal’s Sudurpaschim province a week before. It’s worth
noting that in 2015, Nepal suffered a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8, which resulted
in the loss of around 9,000 lives.
Nations must recognise that high precision in earthquake prediction is a critical scientific challenge in
the ongoing pursuit of earthquake preparedness. As seismic events shape the landscape, leveraging
artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly important, providing a powerful tool for analysing vast
datasets and identifying patterns, ultimately improving our understanding and response capabilities in
the face of inescapable seismic challenges.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PREDICTS EARTHQUAKES WITH A 70% ACCURACY RATE ONE WEEK
BEFORE THEY OCCUR.
Some artificial intelligence
models are now used to predict
earthquakes with a high degree of
certainty by examining geological
features and previous seismic
data. These models estimate
the probability of earthquakes
occurring in specific areas over a
given time period. These forecasts,
however, are frequently too general
to account for precise predictions.
This could soon change. Researchers at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin tested an AI algorithm
that predicted 70% of earthquakes a week in advance. The trials, which lasted seven months in
China, raised hopes that a reliable AI system for predicting earthquakes would soon be available.
The AI system had the ability to predict the location and strength of 14 earthquakes within about 200
miles of where they in fact occurred. Only eight false warnings were flagged by the system, and one
earthquake was missed.
As a next step, the AI will be tested in Texas using the bureau’s TexNet data, which includes information
from over 300 seismic stations and more than six years of continuous records.
References
• https://earthquakelist.org/india/#major-latest-earthquakes
• https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2023/11/india-a-magnitude-51-offshore-earthquake-occurs-
near-the-andaman-islands-at-around-1821-nov-1
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/earthquake-of-magnitude-4-3-jolts-andaman-
and-nicobar-islands/articleshow/102370587.cms
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Herat_earthquakes
• https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2023-000184-afg
• https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/tremors-felt-across-delhi-ncr-after-3-1-magnitude-
earthquake-hits-faridabad-8984118/
• https://www.livemint.com/news/world/earthquake-today-4-3-magnitude-quake-struck-nepal-
today-evening-11697977141594.html
• https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/nepal-hit-by-64-earthquake-felt-new-
delhi-2023-11-03/
• https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-predicts-70-of-earthquakes-a-week-before-
they-occur
INTRODUCTION
Bridges are the lifeline of any region and aging It is important to carry out a detailed
and degradation of transportation infrastructure assessment of this old bridge to understand the
pose significant safety concerns, with increase status of the bridge in terms of its resilience to
in the vehicular traffic on such bridges, for increased traffic loading and overall adequacy
which, they were not designed. The structural and integrity of the structural components viz.
health assessment of such old bridges are very piers, girders etc against prescribed seismic
important and involves a process starting form loading. A detailed inspection and assessment
a visual inspection to detailed non-destructive programme was planned and executed to
test programme without affecting the flow of understand the structural health and integrity
the traffic during such exercises. The bridges in of the bridge structure and prepare necessary
the state of Meghalaya are mostly in deep valley advisory for retrofitting the structure with
connecting otherwise inaccessible mountains feasible economics.
and hills and assesment and monotroing of
such high bridges are challenging for the
engineering departments. The bridge No. 5/5
at Umngi River (Umpung) on Balat Bagli Road
is one such bridge, which was built about 60
years before by the Public Works Department
of the undivided Assam. The bridge is 150 m
long in total with 4 spans of 37.5 m each resting
on tall piers of average 1.75 m diameter, sitting
on well foundations as shown in Fig. 1 and 2.
The pier above the well TOC is about 8.4 m up
Figure 1:
to the pier head as shown in Fig. 2. Total length 150 Meter with 4 Spans of 37.5 meter each
Figure 3: Drone Survey at the site Figure 4: Drone accessing difficult Figure 5: Suspended platform for
for RVS with remote access locations for RVS - Pier Top physical access and NDT at site
NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
PROGRAMME FOR HEALTH ASSESSMENT
A detailed Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
programme was planned to assess the
structural health of the bridge components. The
quality checking of the concrete is of utmost
interest for assessing overall structural integrity
and adequacy of the bridges. The main purpose
of the testing is to determine the quality of the
concrete on all the piers and girders and to Figure 6:
Normal Distribution of the observed USPV data in the gird-
determine the possibility of retrofitting of the ers of the bridge. The quality of concrete in all the girders
same in view of enhanced safety for traffic were found to be of excellent quality as per NDT data.
assess the maximum demand forces at different demand is greater than the capacity of
sections along the span of the girder. the girder. Strengthening of girders using
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
Laminates is thus explored.
• For girder sections near support, it is
observed that the shear demand is
greater than the capacity of the girder.
Figure 7:
3-D rendered view of the Strengthening of girders using Carbon
bridge girder and slab sys- Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Wraps is
tem Numerical Mode
thus explored.
Figure 8: Plan view of the bridge girder and slab system Numerical Model
ANALYSIS RESULT
• For girder sections near and around mid-
Figure 12: Comparing Moment Demand vs
span, it is observed that the moment Capacity along the span of the girder
(before and after strengthening)
CFRP wrap along both sides of the girder for a At Design Basis Earthquake (DBE): The Pier
distance of 5 meters from the support. should perform within Immediate Occupancy
(IO) Acceptability Criteria, i.e., after the
earthquake, the pier should remain safe for
continued operation, and essentially retain its
pre-earthquake strength and stiffness.
Figure 14: Strengthening of Bridge Girder using Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Laminates and Wraps
by Reinforced Concrete Jacketing (RCJ) is recommended to improve the performance of the pier.
Reinforced Concrete Jacketing improves column flexural strength and ductility. For strengthening of the
pier, a 200mm thick reinforced concrete jacket (as shown in Fig. 49) is added around the existing pier.
Figure 16:
Cross section of RC jacketed pier as defined in computational model
CONCLUSION
The article presented the effort undertaken
by the department of the PWD (Roads),
Meghalaya to carryout inspection, assessment
and retrofit the old bridges in the state. A brief
of the effort undertaken with special reference
to the Bridge No. 5/5 at Umngi River (Umpung)
on Balat Bagli Road. The assessment work
included capacity analysis and static pushover
Figure 18: Strengthening of Bridge Pier by Reinforced analysis followed by retrofitting design and
Concrete Jacketing implementation plan.
INTRODUCTION
Repair and rehabilitation are essential processes
in maintaining and restoring structures and
infrastructure. These terms are often used in
addressing structural deficiencies, wear and
tear, or damage to ensure the assets’ continued
functionality, safety, and longevity. Generally,
repair is a corrective measure applied to
rectify localized problems, such as cracks, Fig.1 – Deteriorated ground floor roof slab
leaks, or corrosion, whereas rehabilitation is
a more comprehensive process that aims to
enhance or restore the overall performance and
capacity of a structure that has experienced
significant deterioration. Rehabilitation has
some environmental impact, but this impact is
significantly less than the extensive demolition
and rebuilding process for the structures that
have been allowed to deteriorate without
rehabilitation. Sometimes, rehabilitation is the
only option due to functionality and economic
aspects. A widespread misconception in this
sector is the belief that rehabilitation serves as Fig.2 – Exterior view of the building
a means to conceal structural deterioration.
CONDITIONAL ASSESSMENT AND
This case study comprises the details of SOLUTION
the repair and rehabilitation of the admin
A conditional assessment of an existing structure
building in a school situated in the central
involves evaluating its condition based on
part of Rajasthan. It is a two-story building
constructed about 35 years back, and the specific criteria or conditions. This assessment
ground floor roof has deteriorated significantly, aims to determine the structural integrity, safety,
as shown in Fig. 1. Texel Consulting Engineers and performance of the structure under various
Pvt Ltd was appointed for the engineering circumstances. The conditional assessment
part of this rehabilitation project. Engineers process comprises specific steps that vary
from the company conducted a site visit and depending on the problem statement. In this
encountered challenges such as the absence project, we adhered to the procedures outlined
of drawings, a lack of information regarding in Fig. 3 to assess the current structural strength.
the structural components, time constraints,
In line with the procedure above, engineers 1. Chipping and removing loose concrete:
conducted comprehensive measurements Loose and carbonated concrete on the
of the entire building, including masonry wall surface of the existing beams and slabs was
dimensions and beam-slab details. Non- carefully chipped away using a chisel and
destructive testing (NDT) methods, such as hammer until sound concrete was exposed.
rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity Laitance, oil, and other impurities on the
(UPV), were employed to evaluate the concrete concrete surface were removed through
quality. Additionally, core samples were extracted grinding or sandblasting. The exposed
to assess the closest compressive strength, as reinforcement surfaces were also descaled
depicted in Fig. 4. Visual assessment of slab
using a brush to eliminate rust scales.
reinforcement was carried out in exposed areas,
2. Corrosion treatment: An alkaline rust-
including measurement of reduced diameters
converting primer was applied after
using a vernier caliper. For areas where the
reinforcement was not exposed, an instrument removing all the rust scales from the
called HILTI Ps-200 was utilized to gather corroded steel bars. This primer is alkaline
reinforcement information, as shown in Fig. 5. and transforms hematite and magnetite
compounds into stable compounds.
Following the application of the primer,
two coats of anti-corrosive epoxy coating
were applied to protect the bars from future
corrosion.
3. Making up the lost section with polymer-
modified mortar (PMM): Before applying
the PMM, a concrete bonding agent was
used on the exposed concrete surface to
Fig.4 – Extracted core and prepared sample
ensure a strong bond between the concrete
surface and PMM. A mixture comprising 50
kg of cement, 150 kg of sand, 2.5 to 5 kg of
polymer latex, and 15-20 liters of water was
prepared and applied to the surface after
the bonding agent had reached a tacky
consistency.
Training Program on
URBAN RISK MITIGATION –
FOCUS ON SEISMIC & FIRE SAFETY
Held on 8th – 10th August ‘23
Officials and representatives from various government agencies, including the Departments of PWD, DMRC,
Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, Town Planning Departments, Skill & Entrepreneurship
University, Irrigation & Flood Control Department, DDMA, Mines & Geology, Faculty from different institutes
(BITS Pilani, Manipal Institute of Technology, etc.), practising engineers from Jaipur, Delhi, and other cities
attended the workshop.
The workshop had clear direction setting in the inaugural session by Shri Rajendra Ratnoo (IAS),
Executive Director, National Institute of Disaster Management, Shri Narendra Singh Bundela (IPS),
Inspector General, National Disaster Response Force, Dr. Shailesh Agrawal, Executive Director, Building
Materials and Technology Promotion Council, Mr. Arun Kumar S, Director & Head - Civil Engineering
Dept., Bureau of Indian Standard, Dr. Chandan Ghosh, Head - Resilient Infrastructure Division,
National Institute of Disaster Management,
Dr. Garima Aggarwal, Senior Consultant, National
Institute of Disaster Management and Mr. Shounak
Mitra, Head-Codes and Approval, Hilti India Pvt. Ltd.
Dr. Naveet Kaur, Senior Scientist-Bridge Engineering & Structures, CSIR-Centre Road Research Institute
explained the importance of sensors technology in health monitoring of structures, focusing on case
studies from bridges.
Day 2 started with Dr. Shailesh Agrawal, Executive Director, Building Materials and Technology Promotion
Council deliberating on the development of advanced construction technologies to facilitate faster
completion of construction, focusing on mass housing projects. He took reference of multiple projects
across the country which has already been executed under the aegis of BMTPC and also lined up for
future.
The session was followed by dedicated session by Mr. Vinay Gupta, Managing Director, Tandon
Consultants Pvt. Ltd. & Dr. Pratima Bose, Associate Director, DDF Consultants Pvt. Ltd. on the different
retrofitting techniques, with the help of exclusive case studies. While Mr. Gupta focused on bridges and
other infrastructure, Dr. Bose highlighted on hospital project retrofitting in Uttarakhand.
This was followed by a session by Dr. Amit Bose, Director – DDF Consultants Pvt. Ltd. who shared his
views on mainstreaming DRR into urban planning.
The final session of the day featured a demonstration by Shounak Mitra on how to ensure appropriate
implementation of any retrofitting work as well as educate and emphasise the need of good installation
practises.
Day 3 was more focused on ensuring safety against fire where Mr. R C Sharma, Former Director,
Delhi Fire Services, Mr. Rajesh Choudhary, Associate Director, Bureau of Indian Standard and
Mr. Shounak Mitra covered different
aspects of National Building Code –
Fire & Life Safety, different standards,
learning from case studies, active fire
protection and compartmentation
measures, in line with the different
codes and standards in India.
Workshop on:
Revision of IS 1893 Parts-1 & 2 and IS 16700:
METHODOLOGICAL CHANGES IN
SEISMIC DESIGN OF BUILDINGS
Held on 24th – 25th November‘23
This workshop focused on the methodological changes in the codes (IS: 1893, IS:13920,
and IS:16700) which are either in the process of revision or have been revised. Major
changes in approach of hazard estimation, estimation of period of vibration, ductile
detailing provisions, and provisions related to torsion were discussed.
Speaker - Prof. (Dr.) Yogendra Singh, Department of Earthquake Engineering, IIT, Roorkee
Worshop Convener: Mr. Jayant Kulkarni
Moderators: Mr. Anand Kulkarni, Mr. Arvind Parulekar, Mr. R. D. Deshpande
To know more, click - https://theseismicacademy.com/workshops
Workshop on:
CAPACITY BUILDING
Along with many other workshops
Held at - Assam Engineering College
Conducted By Mr. Shounak Mitra, Head – Codes & Approval
(Fastening), Hilti India Pvt. Ltd.
F
ormerly known as the Taipei Financial Center, Taipei 101 is an office building in Taipei, Taiwan,
standing 508 m tall. When it was completed in 2004, it dethroned the Petronas Twin Towers in
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, 452 m as the tallest building in the world.
Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners, a local architectural firm and structural consultants from Thornton-
Tomasetti Engineers, New York City and Evergreen Consulting Engineers; Taipei 101 is an iconic
structure, engineered to withstand strong earthquake tremors as well as powerful typhoons that
wreak havoc in Taiwan. It is designed to be resilient against gale winds of 134 mph and the strongest
earthquake with an estimated return period of 2,500 years. This performance is mainly attributed to the
660 tonne steel pendulum that serves as a tuned mass damper.
Construction of Taipei 101 began in 1999. The structure was topped out in 2003, and work was
completed in 2004. The largest section of the building, between the base and the spire, consists
of eight blocks or groupings of eight stories. The building also has a distinctively Chinese character
“
in its resemblance to a stalk of bamboo or an elongated pagoda.
In comparison to a straight shaft, the ninth module,
which is the top of the main shaft and supports
an architectural spire, has a 25-story base fashioned like
It is designed to be
a truncated pyramid, which increases lateral stiffness resilient against gale
and overturning resistance. Medallions modelled by
ancient Chinese coins illustrate the change from the
lower pyramid to the upper modules. There are also
exterior curtain panels slope 5 & 7 degrees, resembling a
shoot of bamboo, and tying back to the mega-columns.
winds of 134 mph and the
strongest earthquake with
an estimated return period
“
The facade is able to withstand an impact of up to of 2500 years.
7 tonnes and the Saw-toothed corners greatly reduce
crosswind oscillation.
Called the “wind damper” or “tuned mass damper”, a massive golden ball is suspended beneath
the observatory deck of Taipei 101. The wind damper is made up of three major components:
an oscillating mass (for inertial force), a spring (for elastic restoring force), and a visco-damper
(for energy dissipation). At such a height, the Taipei 101 is a massive skyscraper, and is therefore
susceptible to oscillation caused by earthquakes or strong winds. If the shaking is too violent, office
workers and tourists inside the building may experience dizziness and discomfort. According to
Evergreen Consulting Engineering which supervised the structural design of Taipei 101, when oscillation
caused by wind exceeds 5cm/sec2, people within the skyscraper will experience discomfort.
However, due to its great height, the vibration experienced by the higher office levels is already
6.2 cm/sec2 in normal weather. The figure shoots up to 7.4cm/sec2 when there’s a typhoon.
Both numbers are greater than the recommended 5cm/sec2. Therefore, Taipei 101 needs a wind
damper to reduce the vibration caused by high winds.
While wind is an ever-present environmental condition, Taiwan’s geology also directs that earthquake
resistance must be considered. A structural system stiff enough to limit wind drift does not automatically
have the overload behavior desired for seismic ductility. But frames specifically designed for seismic
ductility can be too flexible for wind conditions. The solution here was to design for stiffness and
then check for seismic ductility and seismic strength.
For example, where braces are ‘opened’ (work points do
not coincide), in a seismic-controlled design they might
be treated as ductile Eccentric Braced Frames with
beam sections selected to meet specific proportions that
force web shear to control over beam flexure. But such
members would introduce undesirable flexibility for wind
conditions.
The sheer size and weight of the wind damper made it difficult to move to the construction site, and
it was simply impossible for cranes to lift it up to between the 87th and 92nd floors, where it was to be
installed. Workers had to send the damper up in smaller pieces, then weld the whole thing together on
the spot.
In July of 2013, when Typhoon Soulik made landfall, wind speed in the Taipei area reached Force 14
on the Beaufort scale. At 4:10 in the morning, the wind damper in Taipei 101 experienced an oscillation
of 70 centimeters in both directions, the greatest since the building was completed.
On April 18th, 2019, an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Xiulin Township in Hualien.
At 1:01 in the afternoon, the wind damper in Taipei 101 swung 20 cm in both directions, a record-
breaking oscillation that’s caused by an earthquake. This ingenious protection mechanism prevented
people inside the skyscraper from harm or discomfort.
The pinnacle presented further engineering difficulties. The pinnacle is vulnerable to crosswind
excitation due to its uniform cylindrical shape and location on top of a building. With many more cycles
at lower stresses accumulating at low wind speeds, three mode forms were found to have the ability to
produce substantial stress ranges during storms. Due to these circumstances, fatigue life was a crucial
design factor for the steel-trussed pinnacle spine. There were two strategies for reducing fatigue. First,
local supplemental dampening was applied to lessen dynamic response. In addition to the building’s
primary TMD, Motioneering, of Guelph, Ontario, designed two ingenious compact TMDs to be placed
within the uppermost 8 m of the pinnacle. Each has a 4.5 Mg (5 ton) steel mass that can slide on rollers
horizontally along two axes, like a bridge crane traversing the width and length of a factory bay. The
TMDs are “tuned” with vertical precompressed spring sets tied to the masses through flexible cables
and pulleys. Two TMDs are needed due to the multiple oscillation modes that can excite the pinnacle.
A 680 ton ball,
Total Height suspended by cables As the building moves in
508 m on the 92nd floor, one direction, the immense
stabilizes the building. mental ball swings in the
other direction, absorbing
energy and limiting the
movement of the structure.
P 101 Steel
488 m Structure
P 92
Cables
Hydraulic
bombs
Restraints
The second fatigue life technique involved identifying the areas that were most susceptible to fatigue
and lowering their cyclic stress ranges. Using Goodman’s Simplification to treat variable stress cycles
as uniform cycles, thousands of high-stress cycles and many more lower-stress cycles were processed
and combined using the Modified Miners Rule, a form of weighted average, to establish an equivalent
2 million cycle uniform stress range for further study. Welded splices of the vertical pinnacle trusswork
chords were identified as highly stressed by overturning moments, and sensitive to fatigue at one-sided
penetration welds. To reduce the stress ranges, steel plate ‘ears’ on the chords that were originally
intended to receive only temporary erection bolts were redesigned to receive permanent connections
with plates connected by slip-critical high-strength bolts. By sharing the chord force, these plates
reduce stresses in the welded splices and reduce their cyclic stress ranges.
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