Seismic Safety Program: Ground motion and structural response

Technical Report · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10185976· OSTI ID:10185976

In 1964, John A. Blume & Associates Research Division (Blume) began a broad-range structural response program to assist the Nevada Operations Office of the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in ensuring the continued safe conduct of underground nuclear detonation testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and elsewhere. Blume`s long experience in earthquake engineering provided a general basis for the program, but much more specialized knowledge was required for the AEC`s purposes. Over the next 24 years Blume conducted a major research program to provide essential understanding of the detailed nature of the response of structures to dynamic loads such as those imposed by seismic wave propagation. The program`s results have been embodied in a prediction technology which has served to provide reliable advanced knowledge of the probable effects of seismic ground motion on all kinds of structures, for use in earthquake engineering and in building codes as well as for the continuing needs of the US Department of Energy`s Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV). This report is primarily an accounting of the Blume work, beginning with the setting in 1964 and the perception of the program needs as envisioned by Dr. John A. Blume. Subsequent chapters describe the structural response program in detail and the structural prediction procedures which resulted; the intensive data acquisition program which, as is discussed at some length, relied heavily on the contributions of other consultant-contractors in the DOE/NV Seismic Safety Support Program; laboratory and field studies to provide data on building elements and structures subjected to dynamic loads from sources ranging from testing machines to earthquakes; structural response activities undertaken for testing at the NTS and for off-NTS underground nuclear detonations; and concluding with an account of corollary studies including effects of natural forces and of related studies on building response.

• Research Organization: URS/John A. Blume and Associates, Engineers, San Francisco, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-89NV10733
• OSTI ID: 10185976
• Report Number(s): JAB-10733-2; ON: DE94001092; BR: GB0104030
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: May 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
58 GEOSCIENCES
NEVADA TEST SITE
SEISMIC EFFECTS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
SAFETY
GROUND MOTION
BUILDINGS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
DYNAMIC LOADS
WAVE PROPAGATION
DATA ACQUISITION
DATA PROCESSING
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
EARTHQUAKES
GEOLOGY
METEOROLOGY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SEISMIC DETECTORS
SEISMOGRAPHS
450200
580000
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS AND EXPLOSIVES
GEOSCIENCES