Activity Report
TG8 was established in August 1994 as a Working Group
(WG12). In 1995 its scope of activities was extended, and it was reorganized as
a Task Group, the purpose of which is to promote research, as well as to
disseminate knowledge by means of providing forums for scientific exchange in
the field.
Activities to date:
Activities up to 1999 were reported in the EAEE
Bulletin’s issues of December 1995, August 1998 and December 1999. In the
following more recent activities are summarized.
Workshops
* Two Proceedings volumes of the Second European Workshop
on the Seismic Behaviour of Asymmetric and Irregular Buildings held in Istanbul
on October 8-9, 1999 (see Dec. 1999 issue of the EAEE Bulletin) were published,
and distributed to the participants. Information about availability of copies
can be obtained from Prof. F. Karadogan, Istanbul Technical University
(Bulletin’s Editor address).
* A third workshop to be hosted by the University of
Firenze, and organized by Professors G. Sara and M. De Stefano, is slated for
September 2002, with tentative dates September 16-17. Invitations to members of TG8 and other prospective participants
will be sent shortly. A Proceedings volume will be published after the event.
Publications
Rutenberg, A., “EAEE Task Group (TG) 8: Behaviour of
Irregular and Complex Structures. State of the Art Report: Seismic Nonlinear
Response of Code-Designed Asymmetric Structures”. CD-ROM Proc. 11th European
Conf. Earthquake Engineering, Paris, Sept. 1998, Balkema, Rotterdam, Sept.
1998.
Experimental Research
The recognition that lack of experimental validation of
theoretical research findings was hampering the updating of process for
earthquake design provisions relating to irregular structures led to a series
of shaking-table tests at the University of Bristol Earthquake Research Centre
facility. Professor M. De Stefano, Dr. T. Trombetti and the writer designed the
model, and it consists of a three storey mass eccentric steel frame, as shown
schematically in the Figure. The model was excited bi-directionally by a two
component earthquake. The specimen was built and tested under the supervision
of Dr. C. Taylor and Dr. A. Crewe of the Bristol Earthquake Research Centre.
The analysis of the data is almost complete, and a report comparing analytical
with experimental results is now in preparation.
·
the sections of columns
remain constant along the height
A. Rutenberg