Spif |

UQ state-dependent framework for seismic fragility assessment of industrial components

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

Recently, there has been increased interest in assessing the seismic fragility of industrial plants and process equipment. This is reflected in the growing number of studies, community-funded research projects and experimental campaigns on the matter. Nonetheless, the complexity of the problem and its inherent modelling, coupled with a general scarcity of available data on process equipment, has limited the development of risk assessment methods. In fact, these limitations have led to the creation of simplified and quick-to-run models. In this context, we propose an innovative framework for developing state-dependent fragility functions. This new methodology combines limited data with the power of metamodelling and statistical techniques, namely polynomial chaos expansions (PCE) and bootstrapping. Therefore, we validated the framework on a simplified and computationally efficient MDoF system endowed with Bouc–Wen hysteresis. Then, we tested it on a real nonstructural industrial process component. Specifically, we applied the state-dependent fragility framework to a critical vertical tank of a multicomponent full-scale 3D steel braced frame (BF). The seismic performance of the BF endowed with process components was captured by means of shake table campaign within the European SPIF project. Finally, we derived state-dependent fragility functions based on the combination of PCE and bootstrap at a greatly reduced computational cost.

Tip

Click the Cite button above to copy .bib publication metadata into your notes.
or directly download here either the bibtex version: Download BibTeX or the plain text one: Download Plain.txt

Bolted flange joints equipped with FBG sensors in industrial piping systems subjected to seismic loads

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

The vulnerability of major-hazard industrial plants to natural hazards has been recognized as an emergent issue whose importance is underlined by the Sendai Framework, established immediately after the Tohoku earthquake of 2011, in Japan. Hence, seismic risk analysis is of paramount importance as testified by the intense research activity that characterized the last years. In this respect, structural health monitoring can represent a valuable tool able to strongly help the decision-making phase. Along this main vein, optical fibers (OFs) represent a class of sensors able to both monitor critical conditions, as leakage of hazardous material, and activate safety barriers, if any. More precisely, optical fibers represent an economic solution, whose characteristics appear particularly suitable for dangerous environments like major-hazard plants. However, investigations relevant to their use for seismic monitoring of chemical/petrochemical plants are rather limited, especially when subject to strong dynamic excitations. As a result, this paper deals with the analysis of optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) applied to bolted flange joints (BFJ) under cyclic loadings. More precisely, two experimental programs, i.e., a cyclic test on a single BFJ and a series of shaking table tests on BFJs of a multicomponent system, demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring systems in detecting hazardous conditions and, thus, their potential use in conjunction with safety barriers.

Tip

Click the Cite button above to copy .bib publication metadata into your notes.
or directly download here either the bibtex version: Download BibTeX or the plain text one: Download Plain.txt

Seismic performance of multiple-component systems in special risk industrial facilities

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

Past earthquakes demonstrated the high vulnerability of industrial facilities equipped with complex process technologies leading to serious damage of the process equipment and multiple and simultaneous release of hazardous substances in industrial facilities. Nevertheless, the design of industrial plants is inadequately described in recent codes and guidelines, as they do not consider the dynamic interaction between the structure and the installations and thus the effect of seismic response of the installations on the response of the structure and vice versa. The current code-based approach for the seismic design of industrial facilities is considered not enough for ensure proper safety conditions against exceptional event entailing loss of content and related consequences. Accordingly, SPIF project (Seismic Performance of MultiComponent Systems in Special Risk Industrial Facilities) was proposed within the framework of the European H2020 - SERA funding scheme (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe). The objective of the SPIF project is the investigation of the seismic behavior of a representative industrial structure equipped with complex process technology by means of shaking table tests. The test structure is a three-story moment resisting steel frame with vertical and horizontal vessels and cabinets, arranged on the three levels and connected by pipes. The dynamic behavior of the test structure and installations is investigated with and without base isolation. Furthermore, both firmly anchored and isolated components are taken into account to compare their dynamic behavior and interactions with each other. Artificial and synthetic ground motions are applied to study the seismic response at different PGA levels. After each test, dynamic identification measurements are carried out to characterize the system condition. The contribution presents the numerical simulations to calibrate the tests on the prototype, the experimental setup of the investigated structure and installations, selected measurement data and finally describes preliminary experimental results.

Tip

Click the Cite button above to copy .bib publication metadata into your notes.
or directly download here either the bibtex version: Download BibTeX or the plain text one: Download Plain.txt

Ground motion model for seismic vulnerability assessment of prototype industrial plants

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

Relationships between seismic action, system response and relevant damage levels in industrial plants require a solid background both in experimental data, due to the high level of nonlinearity and seismic input. Besides, risk and fragility analyses depend on the adoption of a huge number of seismic records usually not available in a site-specific analysis. In order to manage these issues and to gain knowledge on the definition of damage levels, limit states and performance for major-hazard industrial plant components, we present a possible approach for an experimental campaign based on a real prototype industrial steel structure. The investigation of the seismic behaviour of the reference structure will be carried out through shaking table tests. In particular, tests are focused on structural or process-related interactions that can lead to serious secondary damages as leakage in piping systems or connections with tanks and cabinets. The aforementioned test program has been possible thanks to the adoption of: (i) a number of artificial spectrum-compatible accelerograms; (ii) a ground motion model (GMM) able to generate a suite of synthetic time-histories records for specified site characteristic and earthquake scenarios. More precisely, GMM model parameters can be identified by matching the statistics of a target-recorded accelerogram to the ones of the model in terms of faulting mechanism, earthquake magnitude, source-to-site distance and site shear-wave velocity. As a result, the stochastic model, based both on these matched parameters and on filtered white-noise process, can generate the ensemble of synthetic ground motions capable of capturing the main features of real earthquake ground motions, including intensity, duration, spectral content and peak values. Moreover, the synthetic records are selected to target specific damages and limit states in industrial components. Finally, by means of the combination of artificial and synthetic accelerograms, a seismic vulnerability assessment of both the whole structure and relevant industrial components

Tip

Click the Cite button above to copy .bib publication metadata into your notes.
or directly download here either the bibtex version: Download BibTeX or the plain text one: Download Plain.txt

A ground motion model for seismic vulnerability assessment of prototype industrial plants

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

Relationships between seismic action, system response and relevant damage levels in industrial plants require a solid background both in experimental data, due to the high level of nonlinearity, and in knowledge of seismic input due to large uncertainty. Besides, risk and fragility analyses depend on the adoption of a huge number of seismic records usually not available in a site-specific analysis. In order to manage these issues and to gain knowledge on the definition of damage levels, limit states and performance for major-hazard industrial plant components, we present a possible approach and discuss results of an experimental campaign based on a real prototype industrial steel structure. The investigation of the seismic behaviour of the reference structure has been carried on through shaking table tests, focusing in particular on the structural or process-related interactions that can lead to serious secondary damages as leakage in piping systems or connections with tanks and cabinets. This has been possible thanks to the adoption of a ground motion model (GMM) able to generate a suite of synthetic time-histories records for specified site characteristic and earthquake scenarios. In fact, model parameters can be identified by matching the statistics of a target-recorded accelerogram to the ones of the model in terms of faulting mechanism, earthquake magnitude, source-to-site distance and site shear-wave velocity. Hence, the stochastic model, based both on these matched parameters and on filtered white-noise process, generates the ensemble of synthetic ground motions capable to capture the main features of real earthquake ground motions, including intensity, duration, spectral content and peak values. Finally, by means of the combination of a high-fidelity and a low-fidelity FE model as well as the stochastic input generated by a GMM, a seismic vulnerability assessment of both industrial components and the global structure can be carried out.

Tip

Click the Cite button above to copy .bib publication metadata into your notes.
or directly download here either the bibtex version: Download BibTeX or the plain text one: Download Plain.txt

SPIF - Seismic Performance of Industrial Facilities

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Project’s objectives

The objective of the project is the holistic investigation of the seismic behaviour of industrial plants equipped with complex process technology by means of shaking table tests.

Journal Paper	Title	Ref.
j1.	AA

Spif |

UQ state-dependent framework for seismic fragility assessment of industrial components

Bolted flange joints equipped with FBG sensors in industrial piping systems subjected to seismic loads

Seismic performance of multiple-component systems in special risk industrial facilities

Ground motion model for seismic vulnerability assessment of prototype industrial plants

A ground motion model for seismic vulnerability assessment of prototype industrial plants

SPIF - Seismic Performance of Industrial Facilities

Project’s objectives

Related publications