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At least 19 records

Study of the characteristics of seismic signals generated by natural and cultural phenomena

Seismic data recorded at the Tonto Forest Seismological Observatory in Arizona and the Uinta Basin Seismological Observatory in Utah were used to compare the frequency of occurrence, severity, and spectral content of ground motions resulting from earthquakes, and other natural and man-made sources with the motions generated by sonic booms. A search of data recorded at the two observatories yielded a classification of over 180,000 earthquake phase arrivals on the basis of frequency of occurrence versus maximum ground velocity. The majority of the large ground velocities were produced by seismic surface waves from moderate to large earthquakes in the western United States, and particularly along the Pacific Coast of the United States and northern Mexico. A visual analysis of raw film seismogram data over a 3-year period indicates that local and regional seismic events, including quarry blasts, are frequent in occurrence, but do not produce ground motions at the observatories comparable to either the large western United States earthquakes or to sonic booms. Seismic data from the Nevada Test Site nuclear blasts were used to derive magnitude-distance-sonic boom overpressure relations.

Goforth, T. T.

On implementation of the extended interior penalty function

The extended interior penalty function formulation is implemented. A rational method for determining the transition between the interior and extended parts is set forth. The formulation includes a straightforward method for avoiding design points with some negative components, which are physically meaningless in structural analysis. The technique, when extended to problems involving parametric constraints, can facilitate closed form integration of the penalty terms over the most important parts of the parameter interval. The method lends itself well to the use of approximation concepts, such as design variable linking, constraint deletion and Taylor series expansions of response quantities in terms of design variables. Examples demonstrating the algorithm, in the context of planar orthogonal frames subjected to ground motion, are included.

Cassis, J. H.

Seismic energy transmission in an intensively scattering environment

In order to account for some special features of lunar seismograms, namely, the gradual build-up of the signal, the extremely prolonged tail, and the lack of apparent coherence among three orthogonal components of ground motion, a statistical approach is proposed for describing transmission of seismic energy through a medium in which strong scattering takes place. A seismic diffusion theory is presented for a medium with randomly distributed scatterers of a given size distribution. A solution of the resulting diffusion equation for an impulsive energy source gives a curve which fairly closely reproduces the envelope of typical lunar impact seismograms. Since the model is based on constant diffusivity, long-range transmission will require a combination of diffusion and wave propagation treatments for accurate description.

Nakamura, Y.

Spaceborne ranging system

A spaceborne laser ranging system is described that could survey a large network of ground reflectors, and provide their relative locations to a precision of + or - 1 cm. This performance is believed realizable for networks covering up to 10 to 6th power square kilometers and from only a few days of observations. This system could be used to monitor crustal movements in many areas of the world and has the potential to provide an almost real-time system for detecting precursory ground motions before large earthquakes.

Smith, D. E.

Correction of lunar seismograms for instrumental and near-surface effects and constraints on the velocity structure of the lunar interior

Long-period lunar seismograms were studied with the aim of identifying consistent sets of direct shear and secondary wave arrivals, thus constraining the velocities in the lunar mantle and the depths of the velocity discontinuities. Two velocity models were used to locate the natural impacts and the shallow moonquakes and to obtain the travel time residuals. Seismic sections were made of the radial, transverse, and vertical components of ground motion for impacts, shallow, and deep moonquakes in order to search for consistent sets of secondary wave arrivals. No conclusive set of secondary arrivals could be recognized on the seismic sections and thus the velocities and depths of the velocity discontinuities cannot be severely constrained by secondary arrivals. It is likely that the crust is thinner than 50 km and that a first-order discontinuity separates the upper and lower crust at a depth of between 20 and 30 km.

Horvath, P.

Advances and trends in structural and solid mechanics; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, October 4-7, 1982

The mechanics of materials and material characterization are considered, taking into account micromechanics, the behavior of steel structures at elevated temperatures, and an anisotropic plasticity model for inelastic multiaxial cyclic deformation. Other topics explored are related to advances and trends in finite element technology, classical analytical techniques and their computer implementation, interactive computing and computational strategies for nonlinear problems, advances and trends in numerical analysis, database management systems and CAD/CAM, space structures and vehicle crashworthiness, beams, plates and fibrous composite structures, design-oriented analysis, artificial intelligence and optimization, contact problems, random waves, and lifetime prediction. Earthquake-resistant structures and other advanced structural applications are also discussed, giving attention to cumulative damage in steel structures subjected to earthquake ground motions, and a mixed domain analysis of nuclear containment structures using impulse functions.

Noor, A. K.

Investigation of seismicity and related effects at NASA Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Computer Center, Edwards, California

This report discusses a geological and seismological investigation of the NASA Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility site at Edwards, California. Results are presented as seismic design criteria, with design values of the pertinent ground motion parameters, probability of recurrence, and recommended analogous time-history accelerograms with their corresponding spectra. The recommendations apply specifically to the Dryden site and should not be extrapolated to other sites with varying foundation and geologic conditions or different seismic environments.

Cousineau, R. D.

Pressure Systems Energy Release Protection (Gas Pressurized Systems)

A survey of studies into hazards associated with closed or pressurized system rupture and preliminary guidelines for the performance design of primary, secondary, and protective receptors of these hazards are provided. The hazards discussed in the survey are: blast, fragments, ground motion, heat radiation, biological, and chemical. Performance guidelines for receptors are limited to pressurized systems that contain inert gas. The performance guidelines for protection against the remaining unaddressed degenerative hazards are to be covered in another study.

Brown, S. J.

Strain accumulation and surface deformation along the San Andreas, California

The goal of this project remains to be the achievement of a better understanding of the regional and local deformation and crustal straining processes in western North America, particularly the effect of the San Andreas and nearby faults on the spatial and temporal crustal deformation behavior. Construction of theoretical models based on the mechanics of coupled elastic plate/viscoelastic foundation and large scale crack mechanics provide a rational basis for the interpretation of seismic and aseismic anomalies and expedite efforts in forecasting the stability of plate boundary deformations. In the present period, special focus is placed on the 3-D effect of irregular fault locked patches on the ground measured deformation fields. Specifically, use is made of a newly developed 3-D boundary element program to analyze the fault slip and vertical ground motion in the Parkfield area on the San Andreas.

Li, Victor C.

Optimum seismic structural design based on random vibration and fuzzy graded damages

This paper presents the fuzzy dynamical reliability and failure probability as well as the basic principles and the analytical method of loss assessment for nonlinear seismic steel structures. Also presented is the optimization formulation and a numerical example for double objectives, initial construction cost and expected failure loss, and dynamical reliability constraints. The earthquake ground motion is based on a stationary filtered non-white noise and the fuzzy damage grade is described by damage index.

Cheng, Franklin Y.

Application of nonlinear adaptive motion washout to transport ground-handling simulation

The application of a nonlinear coordinated adaptive motion washout to the transport ground-handling environment is documented. Additions to both the aircraft math model and the motion washout system are discussed. The additions to the simulated-aircraft math model provided improved modeling fidelity for braking and reverse-thrust application, and the additions to the motion-base washout system allowed transition from the desired flight parameters to the less restrictive ground parameters of the washout.

Parrish, R. V.

Validation of the Passenger Ride Quality Apparatus (PRQA) for simulation of aircraft motions for ride-quality research

The NASA passenger ride quality apparatus (PRQA), a ground based motion simulator, was compared to the total in flight simulator (TIFS). Tests were made on PRQA with varying stimuli: motions only; motions and noise; motions, noise, and visual; and motions and visual. Regression equations for the tests were obtained and subsequent t-testing of the slopes indicated that ground based simulator tests produced comfort change rates similar to actual flight data. It was recommended that PRQA be used in the ride quality program for aircraft and that it be validated for other transportation modes.

Bigler, W. B., II

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Horizontal Motion of a Wing Near the Ground

By the method of images the horizontal steady motion of a wing at small heights above the ground was investigated in the wind tunnel, A rectangular wing with Clark Y-H profile was tested with and without flaps. The distance from the trailing edge of the wing to the ground was varied within the limits 0.75 less than or = s/c less than or = 0.25. Measurements were made of the lift, the drag, the pitching moment, and the pressure distribution at one section. For a wing without flaps and one with flaps a considereble decrease in the lift force and a,drop in the drag was obtained at angles of attack below stalling. The flow separation near the ground occurs at smaller angles of attack than is the case for a great height above the ground. At horizontal steady flight for practical values of the height above the ground the maximum lift coefficient for the wing without flaps changes little, but markedly decreases for the wing with flaps. Analysis of these phenomena involves the investigation of the pressure distribution. The pressure distribution curves showed that the changes occurring near the ground are not equivalent to a change in the angle of attack. At the lower surface of the section a very strong increase in the pressures is observed. The pressure changes on the upper surface at angles of attack below stalling are insignificant and lead mainly to an increase in the unfavorable pressure gradient, resulting in the earlier occurrence of separation. For a wing with flaps at large angles of attack for distances from the trailing edge of the flap to the ground less than 0.5 chord, the flow between the wing end the ground is retarded so greatly that the pressure coefficient at the lower surface of the section is very near its limiting value (P = 1), and any further possibility of increase in the pressure is very small. In the application an approximate computation procedure is given of the change of certain aerodynamic characteristics for horizontal steady flight near the ground.

Serebrisky, Y. M.

The use of the logistic model in space motion sickness prediction

The one-equation and the two-equation logistic models were used to predict subjects' susceptibility to motion sickness in KC-135 parabolic flights using data from other ground-based motion sickness tests. The results show that the logistic models correctly predicted substantially more cases (an average of 13 percent) in the data subset used for model building. Overall, the logistic models ranged from 53 to 65 percent predictions of the three endpoint parameters, whereas the Bayes linear discriminant procedure ranged from 48 to 65 percent correct for the cross validation sample.

Lin, Karl K.

Trends in repeated loads on transport airplanes

Statistical repeated loads data on piston and turbine powered transport aircraft resulting from atmospheric turbulence, maneuvers, landing contact, oscillatory motion, and ground movement

ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE