Ahmad Fahmy Kamarudin

Vulnerability assessment of existing low-rise reinforced concrete school buildings in low seismic region using ambient noise method

Ground movements triggered by the Bukit Tinggi earthquakes in 2007 to 2009 are believed to be the possible cause of several structural damages on a secondary school building of SMK Bukit Tinggi, in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. This paper describes the ambient noise study conducted on the damaged building (a 4-storey reinforced concrete frame laboratory building) and the adjacent buildings using tri-axial 1 Hz seismometer sensors. Fourier amplitude spectra (FAS) analysis was applied to determine the buildings natural frequencies for vulnerability assessment of the damaged structure in both longitudinal and transverse axes. Significant multiple peaks of FAS curves used for natural frequencies determination of the buildings show values between 4.18 to 4.34 Hz, 5.04 to 5.23 Hz, 6.07 to 6.54 Hz and 8.17 to 8.81 Hz, indicating the existence of translational and torsional vibration modes acting on the buildings. Differences in dynamic behaviour between the laboratory and the adjacent buildings may be responsible for the structural damages due to the independent structural response and excessive torsional effect during the Bukit Tinggi earthquake tremors.

Estimation of Site Dynamic Characteristics from Ambient Noise Measurements Using HVSR Method in Microzonation Study: Senggarang, Batu Pahat, Malaysia

Site dynamic characteristics evaluation of fundamental ground frequency, Fo and amplification factor, Ao in Senggarang region were presented in 2D and 3D contour maps (microzonation maps) based on the ambient noise measurements carried out using Lennartz 1 Hz tri-axial seismometer sensors. Reliability of Fo and Ao determined from the ambient noise technique has become the main key components in seismic hazard analysis, resonance effect assessment, predictions of sedimentary layer and shear wave velocity, through cheaper, non-destructive and quick methodology. 73 points of ambient noise records were analyzed using Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) method in the boundary area of 800 m x 800 m with the grid spacing of 100 m x 100 m. Significant peaks of mean HVSR curves were checked against the criterions proposed by the SESAME guideline. Slight difference of the Fo contours pattern between the North-South (NS) and the East-West (EW) directions was observed, but vice versa to the Ao contours between both directions. Significant peaks of Fo values were distributed from 1.61 to 6.35 Hz, whereas the Ao values were found from 3.18 to 9.39. Wide gap between the ranges of Fo and Ao in respective direction have shown to the variation of sediment thicknesses. Meanwhile, dominance shape of significant peak from the HVSR curves may indicate to a large velocity contrast presence underneath the ground surfaces.

The effects of pressure dependent constitutive model to simulate concrete structures failure under impact loads

The main objective of this paper is to explore the effect of confining pressure in the compression and tension zone by simulating the behaviour of reinforced concrete/mortar structures subjected to the impact load. The analysis comprises the numerical simulation of the influences of high mass low speed impact weight dropping on concrete structures, where the analyses are incorporated with meshless method namely as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The derivation of the plastic stiffness matrix of Drucker-Prager (DP) that extended from Von-Mises (VM) yield criteria to simulate the concrete behaviour were presented in this paper. In which, the displacements for concrete/mortar structures are assumed to be infinitesimal. Furthermore, the influence of the different material model of DP and VM that used numerically for concrete and mortar structures are also discussed. Validation upon existing experimental test results is carried out to investigate the effect of confining pressure, it is found that VM criterion causes unreal impact failure (flexural cracking) of concrete structures.

Determination of Soil Moisture Content using Laboratory Experimental and Field Electrical Resistivity Values

The efficiency of civil engineering structure require comprehensive geotechnical data obtained from site investigation. In the past, conventional site investigation was heavily related to drilling techniques thus suffer from several limitations such as time consuming, expensive and limited data collection. Consequently, this study presents determination of soil moisture content using laboratory experimental and field electrical resistivity values (ERV). Field and laboratory electrical resistivity (ER) test were performed using ABEM SAS4000 and Nilsson400 soil resistance meter. Soil sample used for resistivity test was tested for characterization test specifically on particle size distribution and moisture content test according to BS1377 (1990). Field ER data was processed using RES2DINV software while laboratory ER data was analyzed using SPSS and Excel software. Correlation of ERV and moisture content shows some medium relationship due to its r = 0.506. Moreover, coefficient of determination, R2 analyzed has demonstrate that the statistical correlation obtain was very good due to its R2 value of 0.9382. In order to determine soil moisture content based on statistical correlation (w = 110.68ρ-0.347), correction factor, C was established through laboratory and field ERV given as 19.27. Finally, this study has shown that soil basic geotechnical properties with particular reference to water content was applicably determined using integration of laboratory and field ERV data analysis thus able to compliment conventional approach due to its economic, fast and wider data coverage.

Identification of Natural Frequency of Low Rise Building on Soft Ground Profile using Ambient Vibration Method

Natural frequency is the rate at which a body to vibrate or oscillate. Application of ambient vibration (AV) excitation is widely used nowadays as the input motion for building predominant frequency, fo, and ground fundamental frequency, Fo, prediction due to simple, fast, non-destructive, simple handling operation and reliable result. However, it must be emphasized and caution to isolate these frequencies (fo and Fo) from spurious frequencies of site-structure effects especially to low rise building on soft ground deposit. In this study, identification of fo and Fo by using AV measurements were performed on ground and 4-storey primary school reinforced concrete (RC) building at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sg. Tongkang, Rengit, Johor using 1 Hz of tri-axial seismometer sensor. Overlapping spectra between Fourier Amplitude Spectra (FAS) from and Horizontal to Vertical Spectra Ratio (HVSR) were used to distinguish respective frequencies of building and ground natural frequencies. Three dominant frequencies were identified from the FAS curves at 1.91 Hz, 1.98 Hz and 2.79 Hz in longitudinal (East West-EW), transverse (North South-NS) and vertical (UD) directions. It is expected the building has deformed in translational mode based on the first peak frequency by respective NS and EW components of FAS spectrum. Vertical frequency identified from the horizontal spectrums, might induces to the potential of rocking effect experienced by the school building. Meanwhile, single peak HVSR spectrum at low ground fundamental frequency concentrated at 0.93 Hz indicates to the existence deep contrast of soft deposit. Strong interaction between ground and building at similar frequency (0.93 Hz) observed from the FAS curves on the highest floor has shown the building to behave as a dependent unit against ground response as one rigid mass.

Integral Analysis of Seismic Refraction and Ambient Vibration Survey for Subsurface Profile Evaluation

Geotechnical site investigation as known as subsurface profile evaluation is the process of subsurface layer characteristics determination which finally used for design and construction phase. Traditionally, site investigation was performed using drilling technique thus suffers from several limitation due to cost, time, data coverage and sustainability. In order to overcome those problems, this study adopted surface techniques using seismic refraction and ambient vibration method for subsurface profile depth evaluation. Seismic refraction data acquisition and processing was performed using ABEM Terraloc and OPTIM software respectively. Meanwhile ambient vibration data acquisition and processing was performed using CityShark II, Lennartz and GEOPSY software respectively. It was found that studied area consist of two layers representing overburden and bedrock geomaterials based on p-wave velocity value (vp = 300 – 2500 m/s and vp > 2500 m/s) and natural frequency value (Fo = 3.37 – 3.90 Hz) analyzed. Further analysis found that both methods show some good similarity in term of depth and thickness with percentage accuracy at 60 – 97%. Consequently, this study has demonstrated that the application of seismic refractin and ambient vibration method was applicable in subsurface profile depth and thickness estimation. Moreover, surface technique which consider as non-destructive method adopted in this study was able to compliment conventional drilling method in term of cost, time, data coverage and environmental sustainaibility.

Influence of Traffic Vehicles Against Ground Fundamental Frequency Prediction using Ambient Vibration Technique

Ambient vibration (AV) technique is widely used nowadays for ground fundamental frequency prediction. This technique is easy, quick, non-destructive, less operator required and reliable result. The input motions of ambient vibration are originally collected from surrounding natural and artificial excitations. But, careful data acquisition controlled must be implemented to reduce the intrusion of short period noise that could imply the quality of frequency prediction of an investigated site. In this study, investigation on the primary noise intrusion under peak (morning, afternoon and evening) and off peak (early morning) traffic flows (only 8 meter from sensor to road shoulder) against the stability and quality of ground fundamental frequency prediction were carried out. None of specific standard is available for AV data acquisition and processing. Thus, some field and processing parameters recommended by previous studies and guideline were considered. Two units of 1 Hz tri-axial seismometer sensor were closely positioned in front of the main entrance Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. 15 minutes of recording length were taken during peak and off peak periods of traffic flows. All passing vehicles were counted and grouped into four classes. Three components of ambient vibration time series recorded in the North-South: NS, East-West: EW and vertical: UD directions were automatically computed into Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), by using open source software of GEOPSY for fundamental ground frequency, Fo determination. Single sharp peak pattern of HVSR curves have been obtained at peak frequencies between 1.33 to 1.38 Hz which classified under soft to dense soil classification. Even identical HVSR curves pattern with close frequencies prediction were obtained under both periods of AV measurement, however the total numbers of stable and quality windows selected for HVSR computation were significantly different but both have satisfied the requirement given by SESAME (2004) guideline. Besides, the second peak frequencies from the early morning HVSR curve was clearly indicated between 8.23 to 8.55 Hz at very low amplitude (Ao < 2), but it should be neglected according to the similar guideline criteria. In conclusion, the ground fundamental frequency using HVSR method was successfully determined by 1 Hz seismometer instrument with recommended to specific parameters consideration on field as well as data processing, without disruption from the nearest traffic excitations.

Axial compression behaviour of reinforced wallettes fabricated using wood-wool cement panel

Wood-wool cement composite panel (WWCP) is one of wood based composite material that produced in a stable panel form and suitable to be used as building wall system to replace non-ecofriendly material such as brick and other masonry element. Heavy construction material such as brick requires more manpower and consume a lot of time to build the wall panel. WWCP is a lightweight material with a density range from 300 kg/m3 to 500 kg/m3 and also capable to support an imposed load from the building. This study reported on the axial compression behaviour of prefabricated reinforced wallettes constructed with wood-wool cement panel. A total of six specimens were fabricated using two layers of cross laminated WWCP bonded with normal mortar paste (Portland cement) at a mix ratio of 1:3 (cement : sand). As part of lifting mechanism, the wallettes were equipped with three steel reinforcement (T12) that embedded inside the core of wallettes. Three replicates of wallettes specimens with dimension 600 mm width and 600 mm length were fabricated without surface plaster and with 16 mm thickness of surface plaster. The wallettes were tested under axial compression load after 28 days of fabrication until failure.The result indicated that, the application of surface plaster significantly increases the loading capacity about 35 % and different orientation of the panels improve the bonding strength of the wall.

Simulation of Shear and Bending Cracking in RC Beam: Material Model and its Application to Impact

This paper presents a simple and reliable non-linear numerical analysis incorporated with fully Lagrangian method namely Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to predict the impact response of the reinforced concrete (RC) beam under impact loading. The analysis includes the simulation of the effects of high mass low-velocity impact load falling on beam structures. Three basic ideas to present the localized failure of structural elements are: (1) the accurate strength of concrete and steel reinforcement during the short period (dynamic), Dynamic Increase Factor (DIF) has been employed for the effect of strain rate on the compression and tensile strength (2) linear pressure-sensitive yield criteria (Drucker-Prager type) with a new volume dependent Plane-Cap (PC) hardening in the pre-peak regime is assumed for the concrete, meanwhile, shear-strain energy criterion (Von-Mises) is applied to steel reinforcement (3) two kinds of constitutive equation are introduced to simulate the crushing and bending cracking of the beam elements. Then, these numerical analysis results were compared with the experimental test results.

A Study of Geological Formation on Different Sites in Batu Pahat, Malaysia Based On HVSR Method Using Microtremor Measurement

Geological formation is a one of information need to know during site reconnaissance. Conventional method like borehole has been known is very accurate to identify the formation of geology of a site. However, the problem of this technique is very expensive and not economical for large area. In the last decade, microtremor measurement has been introduced as an alternative technique and widely used in the geological formation study. Therefore, the aim in this study is to determine the geological formation underneath of surface in Batu Pahat district using microtremor measurement. There are two parameters have been carried out from microtremor measurement in term of natural frequency and HVSR curves images. Microtremor measurements are done conducted at 15 sites surrounding of Batu Pahat. Horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method was used for analyzing microtermor measurement data, to determine the natural frequency and also HVSR curves image. In this study, values of natural frequencies are used to classify the soil types with range in the between 0.93 to 5.35 Hz, meanwhile the pattern of HVSR curve images has been shown exists a few groups of soil types surrounding Batu Pahat district. Hence, microtremor measurement indirectly can be used as a one technique to add value in the site reconnaissance in the future.