• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.667-674
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• 2013

Improving the earthquake resistance of buildings through seismic retrofitting using steel braces can result in brittle failure at the connection between the brace and the building, as well as buckling failure of the braces. This paper proposes a new seismic retrofit methodology combined with glass fiber sheet (GFS) and non-compression X-brace system using carbon fiber (CFXB) for reinforced concrete buildings damaged in earthquakes. The GFS is used to improve the ductility of columns damaged in earthquake. The CFXB consists of carbon fiber bracing and anchors, to replace the conventional steel bracing and bolt connection. This paper reports the seismic resistance of a reinforced concrete frame strengthened using the GFS-CFXB system. Cyclic loading tests were carried out, and the hysteresis of the lateral load-drift relations as well as ductility capacities were investigated. Carbon fiber is less rigid than the conventional materials used for seismic retrofitting, resulting in some significant advantages: the strength of the structure increased markedly with the use of CF X-bracing, and no buckling failure of the bracing was observed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.519-530
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• 2013

Cyclic tests on modular building units for low-rise buildings composed of stud panels and a light-weight steel perimeter frame, were performed to evaluate the earthquake resistance such as stiffness, load-carrying capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation per load cycle. The strap-braced and sheeted stud panels were used as the primary lateral load-resistant element of the modular building units. Test results showed that the modular building units using the strap-braced and sheeted stud panels exhibited excellent post-yield ductile behaviors. The maximum drift ratios were greater than 5.37% and the displacement ductility ratios were greater than 5.76. However, the energy dissipation per load cycle was poor due to severe pinching during cyclic loading. Nominal strength, stiffness, and yield displacement of the modular building units were predicted based on plastic mechanisms. The predictions reasonably and conservatively correlated with the test results. However, the elastic stiffness of the strap-braced stud panel was significantly overestimated. For conservative design, the elastic stiffness of the strap-braced stud panel needs be decreased to 50% of the nominal value.