Seismic Reliability of Flow and Communication Networks

Abstract

An efficient method for seismic reliability assessment of lifeline networks is developed. Lifeline component failures resulting from ground shaking and fault differental movement are analyzed using performance functions given in terms of earthquake variables. An improved fault-rupture model which considers the ruptured area produced by an earthquake on the fault plane is utilized. A new, polynomially bounded method for computing lifeline network reliability is developed. It is shown that for a fixed earthquake magnitude on a fult, the network will take on at most 2n states where n is the number of network components. Computing the seismic realibility of large networks becomes feasible using these new techniques. A water distribution system is analyzed using newly developed computer programs.