9528057 Luco This project uses the extensive seismic response data recorded within the Hualien, Taiwan, 1/4-scale model of a nuclear containment structure to validate a set of mathematical models and computer codes. These mathematical models and computer codes are used to calculate the seismic response of important structures when the effects of the interaction between the structure and the surrounding soil are significant. The Hualien experiment is being conducted by a consortium of organizations including the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the U.S. and institutions from Taiwan, Japan, Korea and France. The first task of the project is to predict the seismic response of the containment model on the basis of ground motions recorded on the free-field ground surface away from the structure. In a second task, the predictions are compared with the observations to obtain an overall assessment of the current capability to model the seismic response of structures partially embedded in soils, when soil-structure interaction effects are important. Finally, identification techniques are used to infer from the recorded data some of the characteristics of the structure and the soil. ***
