Agenda

The final agenda will be provided shortly.

The program for the 9th Annual NEES/E-Defense Planning Meeting will consist of plenary and breakout sessions in addition to the opportunity to witness a major test on the E-Defense shaking table. This years test is part of the NEEStips (Keri Ryan, PI) and NEES Nonstructural (Manos Maragakas, PI) projects and E-Defense, and consists of a full scale steel moment resisting frame, outfitted with nonstructural elements and some furnishings, that will be tested in the fixed base condition as well as considering two types of isolation systems. More information on these tests and an associated workshop is provided below.

Tentative Agenda

Information about NEES/E-Defense Tests at time of 9th Planning Meeting

In a collaborative effort between the NEES TIPS project (NSF Grant No. CMMI 1113275), NEES Nonstructural (NSF Grant No. CMMI 0721399), and NIED in Japan, a 5-story steel moment frame building will be subjected to extreme earthquake loading at E-Defense, the world’s largest three-dimensional shaking table in Miki City. The seismic performance of the building will be assessed in three configurations: 1) with EPS triple pendulum isolators designed to provide damage free performance in an MCE, 2) with DIS lead rubber bearings designed for the performance objectives of a nuclear power plant in beyond design basis shaking, and 3) conventional base configuration.  Nonstructural components including interior walls, ceilings, piping system, and concrete cladding panels will be installed at the building’s 4th and 5th floors. The tests will take place during a 3 week time frame in August 2011, with 6 days of shaking anticipated.

Other Events Occurring at the Time of the 9th Planning Meeting

The Center for Urban Earthquake Engineering (CUEE) at the Tokyo Institute of Technology has announced a Blind Analysis Contest for this full-scale 5-story steel building experiment. Interested participants are expected to predict the responses before and after the test, and the closest predictions to the test results will receive awards.

The contest is divided into two categories: prediction of response of (1) triple pendulum isolated and (2) conventional configurations. Thus, two winners, one from each category, will be recognized. All participants, however, are required to submit predictions for both configurations to be considered for an award. Winners will be invited to and honored at the 9th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering, March 2012, held by CUEE in Tokyo, Japan. The winners’ travel expenses, accommodations, and registration will be covered by the contest sponsor.

Additional details and registration information can be found at: http://www.cuee.titech.ac.jp/contest All interested parties must register to participate before July 15, 2011. Due dates for submitting results of pre-test analysis and post-test analysis are August 20 and October 31, respectively.

The NEES TIPS project is pleased to host a Participant Workshop in conjunction with the NEE TIPS/E-Defense Full Scale Seismic Isolation Test Program. Workshop participants will have the unique experience of viewing the full scale tests of a seismic-isolated building in person at E-Defense, and participate in a variety of educational activities. It is expected that workshop participants will use the knowledge gained to advance seismic isolation practice in the U.S.

The participant workshop will take place in August 2011 in Kobe, Japan and at E-Defense. Organized activities will span three consecutive days, and selected participants are expected to attend the entire workshop. Participants may have the option to attend an additional day of tests. The workshop dates have not been set yet, but will take place either the week of August 15-19 or August 22-26. Workshop dates will be fixed by early July.

All members of the U.S. earthquake engineering community are invited to apply for travel assistance to attend the workshop, including researchers, practicing engineers, and students.

The application deadline is June 20, and attendees will be selected by early July.

More details about the workshop, including application information, is posted at the following website: http://www.unr.edu/engineering/cee/faculty/klryan/NEESTIPS/workshop.htm