@article{RossiStupazziniParisietal.2019, author = {Rossi, Leonardo and Stupazzini, Marco and Parisi, Davide and Holtschoppen, Britta and Ruggieri, Gabriella and Butenweg, Christoph}, title = {Empirical fragility functions and loss curves for long-span-beam buildings based on the 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake official database}, series = {Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering}, volume = {18}, journal = {Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, issn = {1573-1456}, doi = {10.1007/s10518-019-00759-1}, pages = {1693 -- 1721}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake, that mainly struck the homonymous Italian region provoking 28 casualties and damage to thousands of structures and infrastructures, is an exceptional source of information to question, investigate, and challenge the validity of seismic fragility functions and loss curves from an empirical standpoint. Among the most recent seismic events taking place in Europe, that of Emilia-Romagna is quite likely one of the best documented, not only in terms of experienced damages, but also for what concerns occurred losses and necessary reconstruction costs. In fact, in order to manage the compensations in a fair way both to citizens and business owners, soon after the seismic sequence, the regional administrative authority started (1) collecting damage and consequence-related data, (2) evaluating information sources and (3) taking care of the cross-checking of various reports. A specific database—so-called Sistema Informativo Gestione Europa (SFINGE)—was devoted to damaged business activities. As a result, 7 years after the seismic events, scientists can rely on a one-of-a-kind, vast and consistent database, containing information about (among other things): (1) buildings' location and dimensions, (2) occurred structural damages, (3) experienced direct economic losses and (4) related reconstruction costs. The present work is focused on a specific data subset of SFINGE, whose elements are Long-Span-Beam buildings (mostly precast) deployed for business activities in industry, trade or agriculture. With the available set of data, empirical fragility functions, cost and loss ratio curves are elaborated, that may be included within existing Performance Based Earthquake Engineering assessment toolkits.}, language = {en} } @article{RossiWinandsButenweg2022, author = {Rossi, Leonardo and Winands, Mark H. M. and Butenweg, Christoph}, title = {Monte Carlo Tree Search as an intelligent search tool in structural design problems}, series = {Engineering with Computers : An International Journal for Simulation-Based Engineering}, volume = {38}, journal = {Engineering with Computers : An International Journal for Simulation-Based Engineering}, number = {4}, editor = {Zhang, Jessica}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, address = {Cham}, issn = {1435-5663}, doi = {10.1007/s00366-021-01338-2}, pages = {3219 -- 3236}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) is a search technique that in the last decade emerged as a major breakthrough for Artificial Intelligence applications regarding board- and video-games. In 2016, AlphaGo, an MCTS-based software agent, outperformed the human world champion of the board game Go. This game was for long considered almost infeasible for machines, due to its immense search space and the need for a long-term strategy. Since this historical success, MCTS is considered as an effective new approach for many other scientific and technical problems. Interestingly, civil structural engineering, as a discipline, offers many tasks whose solution may benefit from intelligent search and in particular from adopting MCTS as a search tool. In this work, we show how MCTS can be adapted to search for suitable solutions of a structural engineering design problem. The problem consists of choosing the load-bearing elements in a reference reinforced concrete structure, so to achieve a set of specific dynamic characteristics. In the paper, we report the results obtained by applying both a plain and a hybrid version of single-agent MCTS. The hybrid approach consists of an integration of both MCTS and classic Genetic Algorithm (GA), the latter also serving as a term of comparison for the results. The study's outcomes may open new perspectives for the adoption of MCTS as a design tool for civil engineers.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{SchmittButenweg2015, author = {Schmitt, T. and Butenweg, Christoph}, title = {Seismische Einwirkungen auf erdverlegte Rohrleitungssysteme - Parameterstudie}, series = {Erdbeben und bestehende Bauten : 14. D-A-C-H Tagung 20.08. - 21.08.2015, ETH Z{\"u}rich. (Dokumentation / SIA ; D 0255)}, booktitle = {Erdbeben und bestehende Bauten : 14. D-A-C-H Tagung 20.08. - 21.08.2015, ETH Z{\"u}rich. (Dokumentation / SIA ; D 0255)}, publisher = {SGEB}, address = {Z{\"u}rich}, organization = {D-A-C-H Tagung <14, 2015, Z{\"u}rich>}, isbn = {978-3-03732-060-0}, pages = {199 -- 206}, year = {2015}, language = {de} } @inproceedings{SchmittRosinButenweg2018, author = {Schmitt, Timo and Rosin, Julia and Butenweg, Christoph}, title = {Seismic Impact And Design Of Buried Pipelines}, series = {16th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Thessaloniki, 18-21 June, 2018}, booktitle = {16th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Thessaloniki, 18-21 June, 2018}, pages = {1 -- 12}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Seismic design of buried pipeline systems for energy and water supply is not only important for plant and operational safety but also for the maintenance of the supply infrastructure after an earthquake. The present paper shows special issues of the seismic wave impacts on buried pipelines, describes calculation methods, proposes approaches and gives calculation examples. This paper regards the effects of transient displacement differences and resulting tensions within the pipeline due to the wave propagation of the earthquake. However, the presented model can also be used to calculate fault rupture induced displacements. Based on a three-dimensional Finite Element Model parameter studies are performed to show the influence of several parameters such as incoming wave angle, wave velocity, backfill height and synthetic displacement time histories. The interaction between the pipeline and the surrounding soil is modeled with non-linear soil springs and the propagating wave is simulated affecting the pipeline punctually, independently in time and space. Special attention is given to long-distance heat pipeline systems. Here, in regular distances expansion bends are arranged to ensure movements of the pipeline due to high temperature. Such expansion bends are usually designed with small bending radii, which during the earthquake lead to high bending stresses in the cross-section of the pipeline. Finally, an interpretation of the results and recommendations are given for the most critical parameters.}, language = {en} } @article{TaddeiButenwegKlinkel2015, author = {Taddei, Francesca and Butenweg, Christoph and Klinkel, S.}, title = {Parametric investigation of the soil-structure interaction effects on the dynamic behaviour of a shallow foundation supported wind turbine considering a layered soil}, series = {Wind energy : an international journal for progress and applications in wind power conversion technology}, volume = {Volume 18}, journal = {Wind energy : an international journal for progress and applications in wind power conversion technology}, number = {Issue 3}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1099-1824 (E-Journal); 1095-4244 (Print)}, doi = {10.1002/we.1703}, pages = {399 -- 417}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{TaddeiLozanaMicheletal.2015, author = {Taddei, Francesca and Lozana, Lara and Michel, Philipp and Butenweg, Christoph and Klinkel, Sven}, title = {Practical recommendations for the foundation design of onshore wind turbines including soil-structure interaction}, series = {5th International Conference on Computational Methods in Structural , Hersonissos, Greece Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, COMPDYN 2015, 25.05.2015-27.05.2015, Hersonissos, Greece.}, booktitle = {5th International Conference on Computational Methods in Structural , Hersonissos, Greece Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, COMPDYN 2015, 25.05.2015-27.05.2015, Hersonissos, Greece.}, editor = {Papadrakakis, Manolis and Papadrakakis, M. and Papadopoulos, V. and Plevris, V.}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{TaddeiReindlParketal.2011, author = {Taddei, Francesca and Reindl, Lukas and Park, Jin and Butenweg, Christoph and Karadogan, Faruk}, title = {Numerical investigation of AAC wall panels based on the damage plasticity constitutive law}, series = {Cement, Wapno, Beton ; 2011, 7, Special issue: 5th International Conference on Autoclaved Aerated Concrete 'Securing a sustainable future' to be held at Bydgoszcz to celebrate 60 years of AAC experience in Poland, Bydgoszcz, September 14-17, 2011}, booktitle = {Cement, Wapno, Beton ; 2011, 7, Special issue: 5th International Conference on Autoclaved Aerated Concrete 'Securing a sustainable future' to be held at Bydgoszcz to celebrate 60 years of AAC experience in Poland, Bydgoszcz, September 14-17, 2011}, publisher = {Stowarzyszenie Producent{\´o}w Cementu i Wapna}, address = {Krakow}, organization = {International Conference on Autoclaved Aerated Concrete 'Securing a sustainable future' <5, 2011, Bydgoszcz>}, issn = {1425-8129}, pages = {86 -- 91}, year = {2011}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{TomicPennaDeJongetal.2020, author = {Tomic, Igor and Penna, Andrea and DeJong, Matthew and Butenweg, Christoph and Senaldi, Ilaria and Guerrini, Gabriele and Malomo, Daniele and Beyer, Katrin}, title = {Blind predictions of shake table testing of aggregate masonry buildings}, series = {17th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Sendai, Japan, September 27 to October 2, 2021.}, booktitle = {17th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Sendai, Japan, September 27 to October 2, 2021.}, year = {2020}, abstract = {In many historical centers in Europe, stone masonry is part of building aggregates, which developed when the layout of the city or village was densified. The analysis of such building aggregates is very challenging and modelling guidelines missing. Advances in the development of analysis methods have been impeded by the lack of experimental data on the seismic response of such aggregates. The SERA project AIMS (Seismic Testing of Adjacent Interacting Masonry Structures) provides such experimental data by testing an aggregate of two buildings under two horizontal components of dynamic excitation. With the aim to advance the modelling of unreinforced masonry aggregates, a blind prediction competition is organized before the experimental campaign. Each group has been provided a complete set of construction drawings, material properties, testing sequence and the list of measurements to be reported. The applied modelling approaches span from equivalent frame models to Finite Element models using shell elements and discrete element models with solid elements. This paper compares the first entries, regarding the modelling approaches, results in terms of base shear, roof displacements, interface openings, and the failure modes.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{TomićPennaDeJongetal.2020, author = {Tomić, Igor and Penna, Andrea and DeJong, Matthew and Butenweg, Christoph and Correia, Ant{\´o}nio A. and Candeias, Paulo X. and Senaldi, Ilaria and Guerrini, Gabriele and Malomo, Daniele and Beyer, Katrin}, title = {Seismic testing of adjacent interacting masonry structures}, series = {12th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC 2020)}, booktitle = {12th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC 2020)}, doi = {10.23967/sahc.2021.234}, pages = {1 -- 12}, year = {2020}, abstract = {In many historical centres in Europe, stone masonry buildings are part of building aggregates, which developed when the layout of the city or village was densified. In these aggregates, adjacent buildings share structural walls to support floors and roofs. Meanwhile, the masonry walls of the fa{\c{c}}ades of adjacent buildings are often connected by dry joints since adjacent buildings were constructed at different times. Observations after for example the recent Central Italy earthquakes showed that the dry joints between the building units were often the first elements to be damaged. As a result, the joints opened up leading to pounding between the building units and a complicated interaction at floor and roof beam supports. The analysis of such building aggregates is very challenging and modelling guidelines do not exist. Advances in the development of analysis methods have been impeded by the lack of experimental data on the seismic response of such aggregates. The objective of the project AIMS (Seismic Testing of Adjacent Interacting Masonry Structures), included in the H2020 project SERA, is to provide such experimental data by testing an aggregate of two buildings under two horizontal components of dynamic excitation. The test unit is built at half-scale, with a two-storey building and a one-storey building. The buildings share one common wall while the fa{\c{c}}ade walls are connected by dry joints. The floors are at different heights leading to a complex dynamic response of this smallest possible building aggregate. The shake table test is conducted at the LNEC seismic testing facility. The testing sequence comprises four levels of shaking: 25\%, 50\%, 75\% and 100\% of nominal shaking table capacity. Extensive instrumentation, including accelerometers, displacement transducers and optical measurement systems, provides detailed information on the building aggregate response. Special attention is paid to the interface opening, the globa}, language = {en} } @article{VerschitzButenweg2014, author = {Verschitz, Daniel and Butenweg, Christoph}, title = {Standsicherheitsnachweis von Beh{\"a}ltern f{\"u}r Kleinkl{\"a}ranlagen}, series = {ACWA aktuell}, journal = {ACWA aktuell}, number = {12 - 9/2014}, publisher = {RWTH Aachen}, address = {Aachen}, pages = {10}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Die PIA GmbH pr{\"u}ft seit fast 8 Jahren die Standsicherheit von Beh{\"a}ltern f{\"u}r Kleinkl{\"a}ranlagen. Diese bestehen in der Regel aus Kunststoff oder Beton und m{\"u}ssen {\"u}ber ihre gesamte Lebensdauer den Beanspruchungen aus Handhabung, Einbau und Betrieb standhalten. Die Standsicherheit kann nach EN 12566 wahlweise durch einen rechnerischen Nachweis oder durch einen praktischen Nachweis wie die Bruchlastpr{\"u}fung oder die Pr{\"u}fung in der Grube erfolgen.}, language = {de} }