• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.16 no.5 s.72
• /
• pp.683-694
• /
• 2004

Advanced analysis and optimal design of semi-rigid space steel frames were presented. The advanced analysis can predict the combined nonlinear effects of connection, geometry, and material on the behavior and strength of semi-rigid frames. The Kishi-Chen power model was used to describe the nonlinear behavior of semi-rigid connections. Geometric nonlinearity was determined using stability functions. Material nonlinearity was determined using the Column Research Council (CRC) tangent modulus and the parabolic function. The direct search method proposed by Choi and Kim was used as optimization technique. One by one, the member with the largest unit value evaluated using the LRFD interaction equation were placed adjacent to a larger member selected from the database. The objective function was assumed to be the weight of steel frame, while the constraint functions were load-carrying capacities, deflections, inter-story drifts, and the ductility requirements. The member sizes determined using the proposed method were compared to those derived from the conventional LRFD method.