A project named PERSISTAH (
Projetos de Escolas Resilientes aos SISmos no Território do Algarve e de Huelva
, in Portuguese) is being developed. It aims to cooperatively assess and improve the seismic vulnerability of primary schools in the Algarve (Portugal) and Huelva (Spain). A large number of schools have to be analysed. In order to determine which seismic retrofitting technique is optimal, an index-based method is presented in this paper. It considers three parameters: first, the efficiency of the seismic retrofitting technique in relation to the structural improvement obtained; second, the cost of the implementation of the retrofitting technique; and third, the architectural impact. It should be mentioned that a specific measurement for each solution according to its geometry has been performed. Also, coefficients to consider the singularities of each analysis and the importance of the parameters (number of buildings, typology, available funds, etc.) in the study are considered. The most representative primary school of Huelva has been chosen to test the index-based method. The most suitable retrofitting techniques for this type of buildings have been tested. The retrofitting technique which most increased the seismic performance has been the addition of X and V bracings within the building’s bays. Furthermore, the analyses have revealed that adding the retrofitting elements in the most vulnerable direction of the building provides a high efficiency. The results have also shown that implementing techniques of lower architectural impact gives acceptable results. The analysis of the mean damage level index has shown that the building would experiment a severe damage. All the retrofitting techniques applied have reduced it, at least, up to moderate damage. Finally, it should be noted that the position of the retrofitting elements is also paramount for providing an optimal retrofitting.
Rock fracture in geo-materials is a complex phenomenon due to its intrinsic characteristics and the potential external loading conditions. As a result, these materials can experience intricate fracture patterns endowing various cracking phenomena such as: branching, coalescence, shielding, and amplification, among many others. In this article, we present a numerical investigation concerning the applicability of an original bulk-interface fracture simulation technique to trigger such phenomena within the context of the phase field approach for fracture. In particular, the prediction of failure patterns in heterogenous rock masses with brittle response is accomplished through the current methodology by combining the phase field approach for intact rock failure and the cohesive interface-like modeling approach for its application in joint fracture. Predictions from the present technique are first validated against Brazilian test results, which were developed using alternative phase field methods, and with respect to specimens subjected to different loading case and whose corresponding definitions are characterized by the presence of single and multiple flaws. Subsequently, the numerical study is extended to the analysis of heterogeneous rock masses including joints that separate different potential lithologies, leading to tortuous crack paths, which are observed in many practical situations.
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