CAREER: A Comprehensive Approach for Investigating the Effects of Near-Fault Dynamic Ground Deformations on Engineering Structures

该学院早期职业发展（CAREER）计划奖的研究目标是调查近断层动态地面变形对工程结构响应的影响。拟议的研究是基于一个跨学科的方法，范围从地震源的描述，地面运动建模，并动态结构响应。具体的研究活动包括：（1）用数值方法模拟近断层区地面动力变形，并评价其预测近断层区地面运动应变、摇摆和扭转分量的精度;（2）用运动学模拟方法研究断层破裂特征对近断层区地面动力变形的影响;（3）导出表示动态地面变形场某些分量的简化数学模型;（4）研究结构（如大跨度桥塔）对近断层平移和旋转运动的动力响应;（5）获得了近断层地区工程分析和设计的倾斜和平移耦合地震动反应谱，为工程结构在强震近场地面动变形作用下的抗震性能评估提供了先进的工具和技术，对地震工程界具有直接的影响。研究结果将最终导致设计规范的改进。该项目的教育和外联计划包括让少数群体和代表性不足的群体参与大学一级的活动，并通过K-12外联活动，扩大他们在数学、科学和工程领域的参与。具体的K-12外展活动包括参加为高中生设计的夏季研究和指导计划，以及为华盛顿大都市区公立高中的学生举办讲座、演示、计算机项目和动手实验室实验。研究成果将发表在学术期刊和会议论文集上，通过项目网站传播，并纳入本科生和研究生课程。该项目还将加强地震工程和工程地震学学科之间的相互作用。综合方法将使科学界能够更好地理解地震问题的本质，更有效地面对研究挑战，以严格的方式将进展纳入工程规范，并最终降低地震风险。

The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award is to investigate the effects of near-fault dynamic ground deformations on the response of engineering structures. The proposed research is based on an interdisciplinary approach that ranges from the description of the earthquake source, to ground motion modeling, and to dynamic structural response. Specific research activities include: (1) simulating dynamic ground deformations using numerical approaches, and evaluating their accuracy in predicting strain, rocking and torsional components of ground motion in the near-fault region, (2) investigating the effect of fault rupture characteristics on near-fault dynamic ground deformations using a kinematic modeling approach, (3) deriving simplified mathematical models for the representation of certain components of the dynamic ground deformation field, (4) investigating the dynamic response of structures such as towers of long-span bridges to near-fault translational and rotational motions, and (5) deriving coupled tilt and translational ground motion response spectra for engineering analysis and design in the near-fault region.Insights from this research will have a direct impact on the earthquake engineering community, by providing advanced tools and techniques for assessing the seismic performance of engineering structures to dynamic ground deformations in the near field of strong earthquakes. Research results will ultimately lead to improvements in design codes. The education and outreach plan of this project includes the involvement of minorities and underrepresented groups at the university level and through K-12 outreach activities with the objective of broadening their participation in the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. Specific K-12 outreach activities include participation in summer research and mentoring programs designed for high school students, as well as lectures, demonstrations, computer projects and hands-on laboratory experiments to students at public high schools in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Research results will be published in scholarly journals and conference proceedings, disseminated through a project website, and integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses. The project will also strengthen interactions between the earthquake engineering and engineering seismology disciplines. An integrated approach will enable the scientific community to better understand the nature of the earthquake problem, face the research challenges more effectively, incorporate the progress into engineering codes in a rigorous way, and ultimately reduce the seismic risk.