Dynamic simulation models for seismic behavior of soil systems - Part I: Block diagrams

Sahin, Abdurrahman Techno-Press 2015 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.9 No.2

Digital simulation has recently become the preferred method for designing complex and dynamic systems. Simulation packages provide interactive, block-diagram environment for modeling and simulating dynamic models. The block diagrams in simulation models are flowcharts which describe the components of dynamic systems and their interaction. This paper is the first part of the study for determining the seismic behavior of soil systems. The aim of this part is to present the constructed block diagrams for discrete-time analysis of seismic site amplification in layered media for vertically propagating shear waves. Detailed block diagrams are constructed for single and multiple soil layers by considering wave propagation with and without damping, respectively. The block diagrams for recursive filter to model attenuation in discrete-time form are also constructed. Finite difference method is used for strain calculation. The block diagrams are developed by utilizing Simulink which is a software add-on to Matlab.

Dynamic simulation models for seismic behavior of soil systems - Part II: Solution algorithm and numerical applications

Sahin, Abdurrahman Techno-Press 2015 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.9 No.2

This paper is the second part of the study for determining the seismic behavior of soil systems. The aim of this part is to present solution approaches for determining seismic site amplification. For this purpose, two solution techniques are used. The first technique is equivalent linear analysis which is mostly used in literature. The other technique is real time parameter updating approach and this approach uses the possibilities of Simulink effectively. A graphical user interfaced (GUI) program called DTASSA standing for Discrete-Time Analysis of Seismic Site Amplification is developed. In DTASSA, automatic block diagram producing system is developed and seismic site amplification for multiple soil layers may easily be investigated in real time. Numerical applications have been carried out to check the reliability of developed algorithm. The results of DTASSA are compared with SUA, EERA and NERA programs for the particular example problems.

Computational finite element model updating tool for modal testing of structures

Sahin, Abdurrahman,Bayraktar, Alemdar Techno-Press 2014 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.51 No.2

In this paper, the development of a new optimization software for finite element model updating of engineering structures titled as FemUP is described. The program is used for computational FEM model updating of structures depending on modal testing results. This paper deals with the FE model updating procedure carried out in FemUP. The theoretical exposition on FE model updating and optimization techniques is presented. The related issues including the objective function, constraint function, different residuals and possible parameters for FE model updating are investigated. The issues of updating process adopted in FemUP are discussed. The ideas of optimization to be used in FE model updating application are explained. The algorithm of Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) is explored which will be used to solve the optimization problem. The possibilities of the program are demonstrated with a three dimensional steel frame model. As a result of this study, it can be said that SQP algorithm is very effective in model updating procedure.

Isolation, Characterization and Numerical Taxonomy of Novel Oxalate-oxidizing Bacteria

Sahin, Nurettin,Gokler, Isa,Tamer, Abdurrahman The Microbiological Society of Korea 2002 The journal of microbiology Vol.40 No.2

The present work is aimed at providing additional new pure cultures of oxalate utilizing bacteria and its preliminary characterization for further work in the field of oxalate-metabolism and taxonomic studies. The taxonomy of 14 mesophilic, aerobic oxalotrophic bacteria isolated by an enrichment culture technique from soils rhizosphers, and the juice of the petiole/stem tissue of plants was investigated. Isolates were characterized with 95 morphological, biochemical and physiological tests. Cellular lipid components and carotenoids of isolates were also studied as an aid to taxonomic characterization. All isolates were Gram-negative, oxidase and catalase positive and no growth factors were required. In addition to oxalates, some of the strains grow on methanol and/or formate. The taxonomic similarities among isolates, reference strains or previously reported oxalotrophic bacteria were analysed by using the Simple Matching (S/ sub SM/) and Jaccard (S$\_$J/) Coefficients. Clustering was performed by using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) algorithm. The oxalotrophic strains formed five major and two single-member clusters at the 70-86% similarity level. Based on the numerical taxonomy, isolates were separated into three phenotypic groups. Pink-pigmented strains belonged to Methylobacterium extorquens, yellow-pigmented strains were most similar to Pseudomonas sp. YOx and Xanthobacter autorophicus, and heterogeneous non-pigmented strains were closely related to genera Azospirillum, Ancylobacter, Burkholderia and Pseudomonas. New strains belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Azospirillum and Ancylobacter that differ taxonomically from other known oxalate oxidizers were obtained. Numerical analysis indicated that some strains of the yellow-pigmented and nonpigmented clusters might represent new species.

Automatic 3D soil model generation for southern part of the European side of Istanbul based on GIS database

Sisman, Rafet,Sahin, Abdurrahman,Hori, Muneo Techno-Press 2017 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.13 No.6

Automatic large scale soil model generation is very critical stage for earthquake hazard simulation of urban areas. Manual model development may cause some data losses and may not be effective when there are too many data from different soil observations in a wide area. Geographic information systems (GIS) for storing and analyzing spatial data help scientists to generate better models automatically. Although the original soil observations were limited to soil profile data, the recent developments in mapping technology, interpolation methods, and remote sensing have provided advanced soil model developments. Together with advanced computational technology, it is possible to handle much larger volumes of data. The scientists may solve difficult problems of describing the spatial variation of soil. In this study, an algorithm is proposed for automatic three dimensional soil and velocity model development of southern part of the European side of Istanbul next to Sea of Marmara based on GIS data. In the proposed algorithm, firstly bedrock surface is generated from integration of geological and geophysical measurements. Then, layer surface contacts are integrated with data gathered in vertical borings, and interpolations are interpreted on sections between the borings automatically. Three dimensional underground geology model is prepared using boring data, geologic cross sections and formation base contours drawn in the light of these data. During the preparation of the model, classification studies are made based on formation models. Then, 3D velocity models are developed by using geophysical measurements such as refraction-microtremor, array microtremor and PS logging. The soil and velocity models are integrated and final soil model is obtained. All stages of this algorithm are carried out automatically in the selected urban area. The system directly reads the GIS soil data in the selected part of urban area and 3D soil model is automatically developed for large scale earthquake hazard simulation studies.