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In spite of the names of “building attachments” and “secondary elements” usually given to nonstructural components and equipment, they are far from being secondary in importance. In the worst case of critical facilities, the failure of equipment strongly impacts on the postearthquake functionality, causing the loss of essential services or businesses. Such considerations highlight the need for a seismic qualification of equipment as the essential means to demonstrate its adequacy to perform the required function during the expected earthquake event. In this paper, the authors deal with a new approach to the problem of seismic qualification, in which the seismic demand posed to the component is defined in terms of equipment seismic levels (ESLs), whereas its inherent seismic capacity is classified in terms of equipment qualification categories. The determination of the ESL, which is the subject of this paper, has to satisfy the requirements prescribed by the codes for the seismic design of equipment. A comparative study of the current seismic codes in the USA and in Europe is hence carried out in order to critically assess their provisions and to develop a methodology that can be implemented straightforwardly also by designers not having expertise in the field of earthquake engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper discusses historical and technical events in the U.S. and Europe over the last few years that are aimed at modernizing the electric power grid. The U.S. federal government has ratified the “smart grid initiative” as the official policy for modernizing the electricity grid including unprecedented provisions for timely information and control options to consumers and deployment of “smart” technologies. European countries are unified in researching and developing related technologies through various structures supported by the European Union. This paper presents the development of smart grids and an analysis of the methodologies, milestones, and expected evolutions of grid technologies that will transform society in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a comparative study of induction motor testing standards IEEE 112 and newly published IEC 60034-2-1, primarily used in the United States and Europe, respectively. IEC 60034-2-1 has been refined from its earlier version IEC 60034-2 with reference to the IEEE 112. Six induction motors are tested following the two standards and the results are compared with regard to their instrumental accuracy and testing procedures. Power loss results are validated by the calorimetric method. A quantitative method is devised to evaluate the measurement uncertainty that can be interpreted into an efficiency deviation by quadrature addition. This paper is aimed to provide a guideline on interpreting the measured machine efficiency values using these standards and to validate the new IEC standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The USA and Europe use different standards to provide electrical safety for employee workplaces. This paper examines the two standards NFPA70E and EN 50110, shows some of the similarities and differences, and looks at the possibilities for a gradual harmonization between the two systems. The paper would contribute to improve the electrical safety continuity in the worldwide globalization efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]