R&D and Service Accomplishments(2018)

R&D and Service Accomplishments(2018)

NARLabs is dedicated to creating cutting-edge scientific R&D platforms to facilitate application of academic research outcomes in industry, government and humanitarian causes. NARLabs plays an integral role in the development and establishment of technical, expensive and large-scale facilities that are unable to support by a single university. NARLabs platforms provide technical services for academic research, and help users operate high-accuracy instruments, modeling and analytical software systems to conduct fundamental and advanced studies. Developing Seismic Assessment and Retrofitting Techniques for Soft- and Weak-Story Buildings Exploring the Impact of Near-Fault Earthquakes on Buildings Taiwan has identified as many as 33 active faults in the island. The areas within ten kilometers on both sides of these faults are subjected to the impact of near-fault effects where more than 8.6 million people and 2.5 million buildings will be affected. The situation is more dangerous for buildings as near-fault ground motion are characterized by their large velocity pulses and large fault displacements. To resolve the problem, the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) has been continuing to develop seismic assessment and retrofitting techniques for soft- and weak-story buildings by conducting a series of large-scale shaking table collapse experiments. The aim was to explore the effects of near-fault earthquakes on softand weak-story buildings and devise solutions to mitigate such effects, in order to secure public safety.