Search results for "seismic"
showing 10 items of 338 documents
Boundary rigidity for Randers metrics
2021
If a non-reversible Finsler norm is the sum of a reversible Finsler norm and a closed 1-form, then one can uniquely recover the 1-form up to potential fields from the boundary distance data. We also show a boundary rigidity result for Randers metrics where the reversible Finsler norm is induced by a Riemannian metric which is boundary rigid. Our theorems generalize Riemannian boundary rigidity results to some non-reversible Finsler manifolds. We provide an application to seismology where the seismic wave propagates in a moving medium.
MEMS-Based System for Structural Health Monitoring and Earthquake Observation in Sicily
2021
The implementation of systems for Structural Health Monitoring and Earthquake Observation is increasing in the last years owing to the development of new technologies which enable low-cost and small-size devices to be installed in large-scale or high-density applications. This paper introduces the implementation of monitoring systems, either for structural health assessment and earthquake observation. The applications are based in Sicily (Italy), a region characterized by a high seismic hazard and where the buildings are often old and vulnerable. The system relies on a MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensor, a 3-axial accelerometer which has been specifically selected in order to en…
Urban MEMS based seismic network for post-earthquakes rapid disaster assessment
2014
Abstract. In this paper, we introduce a project for the realization of the first European real-time urban seismic network based on Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. MEMS accelerometers are a highly enabling technology, and nowadays, the sensitivity and the dynamic range of these sensors are such as to allow the recording of earthquakes of moderate magnitude even at a distance of several tens of kilometers. Moreover, thanks to their low cost and smaller size, MEMS accelerometers can be easily installed in urban areas in order to achieve an urban seismic network constituted by high density of observation points. The network is being implemented in the Acireale Municipality (…
Cyclic response of masonry infilled RC frames: Experimental results and simplified modeling
2014
The recent large interest in nonlinear seismic analysis methods, static and dynamic, has required proper strategies of modeling based on reliable, and at the same time easy to use, constitutive laws for the structural elements. Regarding the behavior of framed structures, special attention has to be devoted to infills because of the key role they play in modifying overall stiffness, strength and ductility under seismic excitation. Pointing out the attention on this topic the paper discusses a criteria for modeling the structural behavior of infills based on a macromodeling approach, that is to say on the substitution of infills with diagonal pin jointed struts. Is here shown how multilinear…
Kernel intensity for space-time point processes with application to seismological problems
2010
Dealing with data coming from a space-time inhomogeneous process, there is often the need of semi-parametric estimates of the conditional intensity function; isotropic or anisotropic multivariate kernel estimates can be used, with windows sizes h. The properties of the intensities estimated with this choice of h are not always good for specific fields of application; we could try to choose h in order to have good predictive properties of the estimated intensity function. Since a direct ML approach cannot be followed, we propose an estimation procedure, computationally intensive, based on the subsequent increments of likelihood obtained adding an observation at time. The first results obtain…
Rockfall hazard assessment of the Monte Gallo Oriented Nature Reserve area (Southern Italy)
2021
Abstract The Monte Gallo area is a carbonate relief that develops a significant nature reserve and highly attracts tourism to the urbanized area of the City of Palermo (Southern Italy). The slopes are affected by several rockfall events, which have also caused death, injuries, material damage, and a strong social and economic impact. Here, a detailed geological and geotechnical study to assess the rockfall hazard relating to two sectors of the mount has been carried out. The hazard assessment at the slope scale was performed based on geological, geomorphological, geomechanical, and seismic analysis. Using both analytical and empirical methods and by means of different software, the reconstr…
Relationship Between Neotectonics And Fluid Escaping In The Northern Sicilian Continental Margin
2011
New exploration in the marine environments has revealed that the fluid escape structures are often associated with neotectonic elements and are aligned along the same direction. Sometimes is observed the migration of fluid along fault planes to the sea floor as gas venting (Forrest et al., 2005). This paper aims to recognize and to classify the different types of structures associated with fluid seepage, particularly those that develop along alignments coinciding with or parallel to the neotectonic lineaments, in order to assess the interactions between tectonics and fluid circulation. The study area extends, from west to east, from the Gulf of Castellammare to the Gulf of Termini (offshore…
Geodynamic inversion to constrain the non-linear rheology of the lithosphere
2015
A common method to determine the strength of the lithosphere is through estimating its effective elastic thickness from the coherence between gravity and topography. This method assumes a priori that the lithosphere is a thin elastic plate floating on a viscous mantle. Whereas this seems to work well with oceanic plates, it has given controversial results in continental collision zones. Usually, continental collisions zones are well-studied areas for which additional geophysical datasets such as receiver functions and seismic tomography exist that constrain the geometry of the lithosphere and often show that it is rather complex. Yet, lithospheric geometry by itself is insufficient to under…
Seismic prevention and rehabilitation of nonstructural elements. Application experiences of nonstructural pre-seismic evaluation
2012
Topics concerning nonstructural seismic prevention and rehabilitation take their place in the main context of buildings safety in order to explore some aspects of performance of those technical elements. They have become very topical in Italy in the last decade since the repetition of seismic events has made vulnerability and its implications obvious not only in terms of safety risk. This paper reports briefly about author research experiences in this topic and more detail an experience as a component of research team, organizer and tutor in the activities of an international cooperation project between University of Palermo and University of California-Berkeley. After a short introduction …
Numerical modelling of out-of-plane response of infilled frames: State of the art and future challenges for the equivalent strut macromodels
2017
Abstract Infill-frame interaction constitutes a still open question both in research and in practicing engineering. Computational models used to predict this interaction are, in most cases, addressing the estimation of the response of the infilled frames when subjected to actions parallel to their plane. However, the observation of the post-earthquake damage has demonstrated that infills, weakened by the in-plane actions, may fail out-of-plane increasing the risks associated to the earthquake scenarios. In spite of this, different studies have shown that infills, if properly designed and supported by the frame, exhibit a significant strength and displacement capacity when called to resist t…