Kyoko Hirata profile

Affiliation

Associate Professor
Department of Housing and Architecture, Faculty of Home Economics
Japan Women's University

Education

2002 Ph. D., Japan Women's University
1988-1990  M. of Home Economics., Division of Housing and Architecture,
Graduate School of Home Economics, Japan Womenfs University
1983-1987

B. of Home Economics, Dept. of Housing and Architecture
Tokyo, JAPAN
Faculty of Home Economics, Japan Womenfs University
Tokyo, JAPAN

Experience

Apr.2004-Mar.2005 Visiting Associate Professor, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
1998-Present Department of Housing and Architecture, Faculty of Home Economics, Japan Women's University
Associate Professor
1994-1998 Shokei Women's Junior College
Associate Professor
1990-1993

Dept. of Housing and Architecture, Japan Women's University Research Associate
And Lecture working as a part-time lecturer at the other Junior Colleges

1987-1988

Obayashi Corporation, Tokyo   (It is a general contractors)
Engineer of Structural Design

Degree

2002
Ph.D.
Doctor Thesis: Probabilistic Evaluation of
Target Seismic Safety Level of
Buildings Derived from Social Needs

Awards and Citations

2003 Encouragement Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan
http://www.aij.or.jp/eng/prizes/prize/prize03.html

International Conference

2009 International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability(ICOSSAR2009), Osaka, Japan
2005 9th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability, Rome, Italy
2004 13th World Conference on Earthquake EngineeringCVancouverCCanada
1997 7th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability, Kyoko, Japan
1996 18th International Federation for Home EconomicsCBangkok, Thailand

Professional Memberships

Architectural Institute of Japan, Associations of Urban Housing Sciences, Japan Society of Home Economics

Publications

Books
Kyoko Hirata et al.: Dwelling and Home, Asakura Shoten publisher, 2003
Refereed Principal Journals
1. Establishment of Risk Communication with Owners in Structural Design Stage- Meeting owners' needs aimed at decision making with regard to structural performance by consensus with engineers -Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 2009, 644, 1705-1713.
2. Probabilistic Evaluation of Target Earthquake-resistant Level Derived from Requirements of Users - For better indication of performance reflecting user's needs - Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 2001, 543, 23-29.
3. Proposed Probabilistic Method for Determining Target Level of Earthquake-resistance Reflecting Userfs Needs, Journal of Structural Engineering, 2001, Vol.47B, 637-645.
4.   Target Safety Level Using Probability of Building Collapses and DeathsCStructural Safety and Reliability, The 7th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability, Kyoto, JAPAN, 1997, Vol.2, 1123-1127.
5. Trial Calculation of Reliability Index and Acceptable Probability of Failure of Buildings to Clarify the Level of Structural Safety in Consideration of Social Background,  JCOSSAR'95, 1995, 51-B, 325-328.
6. Historical Changes of Provisions and Those Bases since Temporary Japan Engineering Standard -A study on evaluation of live load Part 2-, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1993, 443, 43-52.
7. Historical Changes of Provisions and Those Bases to the Urban Building Law  - A study on evaluation of live load Part 1 -, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1992, 436, 43-51.
8. Study on the Change and Background of Numerical Formulas in Regulations for Structural Calculation from the Drafts of Tokyo City Building Ordinance Planned by Members of A.I.J. to the Urban Building Law Enforcement Regulations, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1990, 415, 21-29.
9. Study on the Change and Foundation of Numerical Values in Regulations for Structural Calculation from the Drafts of Tokyo City Building Ordinance Planned by Members of A.I.J. to the Urban Building Law Enforcement Regulations, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1990, 412, 19-29.
10. Study on the Structural Regulations Drafting Process and Characteristics from the Draft Bills of Tokyo City Building Ordinance Planned by Members of A.I.J. to the Urban Building Law Enforcement Regulations, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1989, 406, 13-23.
11. Study on the Structural Regulations in the Draft Bills of Tokyo City Building Ordinance planned by Dr. Tsumaki, Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering of AIJ, 1989, 397, 32-41.

Research Theme in Progress

Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Focusing on Mutual Assistance, House Performance and Its Indication, Probabilistic Evaluation of Desirable Target Seismic Level Derived from Requirements of Users, House Information

Outline of My Research

Japan is well-known as an earthquake prone country. The safety level of Japanese buildings is determined by their seismic performance. Buildings also have value as social property, so that Japanese society expects a certain seismic safety level. However, no socially explicit consensus has yet been determined on a standard of seismic safety.
However since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, building usersf voices have become louder in expressing their desire for a clear indication of a seismic safety level that expresses a building expected seismic performance. This study was carried out to evaluate probabilistically a desirable target seismic level from user questionnaires using a structural reliability theory.
This study attempts a quantitative evaluation based on social needs of users for target seismic safety level. The results of this study show how users' requirement levels can be indicated as a reliability index beta. Answers on required reliability obtained from about six hundred questionnaires of users were analyzed, and then a target level was calculated. Users request higher levels of safety than are available at present. Engineers have never seen such user needs for social target level of building safety, but this new method enables a socially desirable level to be evaluated quantitatively.  

Keywords

reliability index derived from social needs

seismic safety
performance-based design
chidori