NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Facilities Manual.
- File
- PB290356.pdf
- Author(s)
- McCann, M. W.; Mills, R. S.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Applied Science and Research Applications., March 1978, 40 p.
- Abstract
- The central computer system located in the Data Processing Laboratory of the John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center can perform the following functions: (1) Digitization of strong motion accelerograms obtained either from earthquakes or from tests of buildings can be performed. The accelerographs are traced on the digitizing table, which automatically records X and Y coordinates of points on the accelerograms. The coordinates are sent to the main computer, where the earthquake record is analyzed. (2) The computer controls the operation of the dynamic testing equipment and the shake table. The shake table can be vibrated to simulate any past earthquake or postulated future earthquake. (3) Measurements obtained dynamically from experiments run on the shake table or on the dynamic testing equipment are converted automatically from analog to digital form. The data is stored on disk or magnetic tape for further analysis. Signal generation and data acquisition can operate simultaneously. (4) The computer combined with the disk and magnetic tape allows for large programming capabilities. Earthquake records are analyzed routinely by programs which compute response spectra, RMS values, and response time histories. Static and dynamic structural analyses also can be performed. Test data or calculated results can be displayed graphically on a Calcomp plotter, a Tektronix graphics terminal, or a hard copy unit.
- Keywords
- Data processing equipment; Digital techniques; Computerized simulation; Calcomp plotters; Fourier analysis; Facilities management; Data acquisition; Laboratories; Earthquake engineering; Vibrators (Machinery); Shake tables; Laboratory equipment; Earthquakes