Department of Earthquake Engineering

Chief Yury A. Berzhinsky, Can. Sci. (Geol.-Min.)

The staff consists of six persons, among which are three candidates of sciences.

The Applied-Research Laboratory of Earthquake Engineering was organized in 1990 by joint order of “Vostoksibstroi” Enterprise of the former Ministry of Construction in the eastern regions of the RSFSR and Irkutsk Scientific Center SB AS USSR.

Main directions in applied research:

  1. Experimental-theoretical study of earthquake resistance of regional buildings under high dynamic load.
  2. Parametric description of buildings in seismic areas.
  3. Regional scaling of seismic intensity for Pribaikalye.
  4. Investigation of the effects of felt earthquakes in Pribaikalye and Trans-Baikal area.

Seismic risk assessment for housing facilities. Experimental design and implementation.

In cooperation with research, design and building organizations the Laboratory performed full-scale vibration tests for some experimental objects that yielded a number of new scientific-technological data.

The studies were conducted with the reaching of limit state for a full-size girderless-frame structure fragment. The experimentally found differentiated coefficients of allowable damage in some of constructive elements were compared with the recommendations available. A relationship was found between fractal dimension of plane-strain concrete fracture surface and degrees of damage according to the classification of seismic scale. A generalized quantitative factor was proposed as fractal dimension of the fracture surface of concrete subjected to seismic-type loading.

Reliability and longevity testing was performed for the first housing with regard to physical deterioration, including that of gas-ash concrete outer walls. Seismic resistance and life of these houses were predicted to decrease according to structural evaluation.

Seismic risk and vulnerability assessments have been obtained for the largest settlements of Pribaikalye and the region in accordance with GSM-97 maps. Use has been made of one of the most severe seismic risk scenario that implies a magnitude-8 event epicentered in the Main Sayan fault zone.

Elaboration of a territorial-standard scale of seismic intensity has been performed for Pribaikalye.

About Us

1949 and USSR Academy of Sciences Presidium Decree, dated February 24, 1949 as a response to the foundation of the Branch. It was renamed into the East-Siberian Geological Institute in 1957; since 1962, it had been known as the Institute of the Earth’s Crust SB AS USSR and obtained its current name in 1992.

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