UGT Ground Shock Data and Effects Technology Transfer. Phase 1-Feasibility Study.
Abstract
This effort was a brief feasibility study directed toward determining whether ground motion and structural response data developed at the Nevada Test Site during the Defense Nuclear Agency underground nuclear test (UGT) program might be useful to the earthquake engineering community. Response spectra were computed for ground motions from four UGT events. They were compared with response spectra from selected records from the Northridge Earthquake and with predicted spectra for various earthquake magnitudes and ranges. The general approach was to attempt to find an equivalence based on spectral psuedo-velocity, between the earthquake and UGT ground motions. The general shapes of both types of spectra are comparable but earthquake spectral velocities peak at significantly higher natural periods. A UGT response spectrum for an estimated tunnel damage threshold range was compared with spectra from selected earthquake records made on soil and rock. It was concluded that one can probably make a good case that the spectral velocities and accelerations caused by earthquakes at typical depths for tunnels in rock will be significantly less than those associated with the tunnel damage threshold for the UGT events that were considered. However the same case cannot be made for spectral displacements. Recommendations for addressing some remaining questions are included.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA324490
Entities
People
- Danny N. Burgess
- Gary L. Wintergerst
Organizations
- United States Department of Energy