From the preface: This volume is a collection of papers presented at the U.S. - Japan Joint Seminar on Stochastic Approaches in Earthquake Engineering held on May 6 and 7, 1987. The general theme of the two-day program was the application of probability and statistics to engineering problems related to strong ground motion. Within this general theme a great variety of subject matters were covered, including earthquake cataloging, ground motion modeling, system identification, failure mechanisms, response and reliability analyses, numerical techniques, and active control. The engineering systems considered included buildings, bridges and life-line networks.

After the March 11, 2011, earthquake in Japan, there is overwhelming interest in worst-case analysis, including the critical excitation method. Nowadays, seismic design of structures performed by any seismic code is based on resisting previous natural earthquakes. Critical Excitation Methods in Earthquake Engineering, Second Edition, develops a new framework for modeling design earthquake loads for inelastic structures. The Second Edition, includes three new chapters covering the critical excitation problem for multi-component input ground motions, and that for elastic-plastic structures in a more direct way are incorporated and discussed in more depth. Finally, the problem of earthquake resilience of super high-rise buildings is discussed from broader viewpoints. - Solves problems of earthquake resilience of super high-rise buildings - Three new chapters on critical excitation problem for multi-component input ground motions - Includes numerical examples of one and two-story models

The increasing industrial demand for reliable quantification and management of uncertainty in product performance forces engineers to employ probabilistic models in analysis and design, a fact that has occasioned considerable research and development activities in the field. Notes on Stochastics eventually address the topic of computational stochastic mechanics. The single volume uniquely presents tutorials on essential probabilistics and statistics, recent finite element methods for stochastic analysis by Taylor series expansion as well as Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Design improvement and robust optimisation represent key issues as does reliability assessment. The subject is developed for solids and structures of elastic and elasto-plastic material, large displacements and material deformation processes; principles are transferable to various disciplines. A chapter is devoted to the statistical comparison of systems exhibiting random scatter. Where appropriate examples illustrate the theory, problems to solve appear instructive; applications are presented with relevance to engineering practice. The book, emanating from a university course, includes research and development in the field of computational stochastic analysis and optimization. It is intended for advanced students in engineering and for professionals who wish to extend their knowledge and skills in computational mechanics to the domain of stochastics. Contents: Introduction, Randomness, Structural analysis by Taylor series expansion, Design optimization, Robustness, Monte Carlo techniques for system response and design improvement, Reliability, Time variant phenomena, Material deformation processes, Analysis and comparison of data sets, Probability distribution of test functions.

In Stochastic Dynamics of Structures, Li and Chen present a unified view of the theory and techniques for stochastic dynamics analysis, prediction of reliability, and system control of structures within the innovative theoretical framework of physical stochastic systems. The authors outline the fundamental concepts of random variables, stochastic process and random field, and orthogonal expansion of random functions. Readers will gain insight into core concepts such as stochastic process models for typical dynamic excitations of structures, stochastic finite element, and random vibration analysis. Li and Chen also cover advanced topics, including the theory of and elaborate numerical methods for probability density evolution analysis of stochastic dynamical systems, reliability-based design, and performance control of structures. Stochastic Dynamics of Structures presents techniques for researchers and graduate students in a wide variety of engineering fields: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace and aeronautics, marine and offshore engineering, ship engineering, and applied mechanics. Practicing engineers will benefit from the concise review of random vibration theory and the new methods introduced in the later chapters. "The book is a valuable contribution to the continuing development of the field of stochastic structural dynamics, including the recent discoveries and developments by the authors of the probability density evolution method (PDEM) and its applications to the assessment of the dynamic reliability and control of complex structures through the equivalent extreme-value distribution." —A. H-S. Ang, NAE, Hon. Mem. ASCE, Research Professor, University of California, Irvine, USA "The authors have made a concerted effort to present a responsible and even holistic account of modern stochastic dynamics. Beyond the traditional concepts, they also discuss theoretical tools of recent currency such as the Karhunen-Loeve expansion, evolutionary power spectra, etc. The theoretical developments are properly supplemented by examples from earthquake, wind, and ocean engineering. The book is integrated by also comprising several useful appendices, and an exhaustive list of references; it will be an indispensable tool for students, researchers, and practitioners endeavoring in its thematic field." —Pol Spanos, NAE, Ryon Chair in Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA

Throughout the past few years, there has been extensive research done on structural design in terms of optimization methods or problem formulation. But, much of this attention has been on the linear elastic structural behavior, under static loading condition. Such a focus has left researchers scratching their heads as it has led to vulnerable structural configurations. What researchers have left out of the equation is the element of seismic loading. It is essential for researchers to take this into account in order to develop earthquake resistant real-world structures. Structural Seismic Design Optimization and Earthquake Engineering: Formulations and Applications focuses on the research around earthquake engineering, in particular, the field of implementation of optimization algorithms in earthquake engineering problems. Topics discussed within this book include, but are not limited to, simulation issues for the accurate prediction of the seismic response of structures, design optimization procedures, soft computing applications, and other important advancements in seismic analysis and design where optimization algorithms can be implemented. Readers will discover that this book provides relevant theoretical frameworks in order to enhance their learning on earthquake engineering as it deals with the latest research findings and their practical implementations, as well as new formulations and solutions.

Despite advances in the field of geotechnical earthquake engineering, earthquakes continue to cause loss of life and property in one part of the world or another. The Third International Conference on Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, 22nd to 24th June 1987, provided an opportunity for participants from all over the world to share their expertise to enhance the role of mechanics and other disciplines as they relate to earthquake engineering. The edited proceedings of the conference are published in four volumes. This volume covers: Structures, Dams, Retaining Walls and Slopes, Underground Structures, and Stochastic Methods. Together with its companion volumes, it is hoped that it will contribute to the further development of techniques, methods and innovative approaches in soil dynamics and earthquake engineering.