• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.519-536
• /
• 2013

This paper presents a mixed formulation frame element with the assumptions of the Timoshenko shear beam theory for displacement field and that accounts for interaction between shear and normal stress at material level. Nonlinear response of the element is obtained by integration of section response, which in turn is obtained by integration of material response. Satisfaction of transverse equilibrium equations at section includes the interaction between concrete and transverse reinforcing steel. A 3d plastic damage model is implemented to describe the hysteretic behavior of concrete. Comparisons with available experimental data on RC structural walls confirm the accuracy of proposed method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.77-91
• /
• 2011

This study experimentally evaluated the seismic performance of steel knee braced frame structures with energy dissipation mechanism. A series of cyclic load tests were conducted on the steel moment resisting frames and the proposed knee braced frames. Test results validated that the demand in the beam-to-column connection designs was alleviated by the proposed design method. Test results also showed that the strength and stiffness of the proposed design were effectively enhanced. Comparisons in energy dissipation between the steel moment resisting frames and the steel knee braced frames further justified the applicability of the proposed method.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.79-87
• /
• 2023

Special moment resisting steel frame structures are now being used commonly in highly seismic regions as seismically reliable structures. However, a very important parameter describing the dynamics of steel structures during earthquake loading, Soil Structure Interaction (SSI), is generally neglected. In this study, the significance of consideration of flexibility of soil in being able to obtain a result closer to reality is asserted. The current paper focuses on calculation of seismic fragility curves special moment resisting steel frame structures under different earthquake loadings for fixed-base and SSI models. The observation of obtained fragility curves lead to the conclusion that the SSI has a considerable effect on component fragility for the steel structures, with its effects decreasing for higher peak ground acceleration. The results show that the structures when considered SSI have a higher probability of exceeding a damage limit state. This observation attests the role of SSI in the accurate study of structural performance.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.85-108
• /
• 2013

The research presented in this paper deals with the seismic protection of existing frame structures by means of passive energy dissipation. A displacement-based procedure to design dissipative bracings for the seismic protection of frame structures is proposed and some applications are discussed. The procedure is based on the displacement based design using the capacity spectrum method, no dynamic non linear analyses are needed. Two performance objective have been considered developing the procedure: protect the structure against structural damage or collapse and avoid non-structural damage as well as excessive base shear. The compliance is obtained dimensioning dissipative braces to limit global displacements and interstorey drifts. Reference is made to BRB braces, but the procedure can easily be extended to any typology of dissipative brace. The procedure has been validated through a comparison with nonlinear dynamic response of two 2D r.c. frames, one bare and one infilled. Finally a real application, on an existing 3D building where dissipative braces available on market are used, is discussed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.279-288
• /
• 2017

Magnetorheological damper has received significant attention in recent years due to the reason that it can offer adaptability of active control devices without requiring the associated large power sources. In this paper, performance tests on a MR damper are carried out under different currents, excitation amplitudes and frequencies, the damping characteristics and energy dissipation capacity of the MR damper are analyzed. Elasto-plastic dynamic analysis on a space frame structure incorporated with MR dampers is conducted, and numerical analysis results show that MR dampers can significantly mitigate the structural vibration responses. Finally, the genetic algorithm with the improved binary crossover and mutation technique is adopted to optimize the arrangement of MR dampers. Numerical results show that dynamic responses of the optimal controlled structure are mitigated more effectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.1-21
• /
• 2010

As an alternative for conventional structures for tall buildings, a hybrid lateral load resisting structure has been designed, enabling the assembly of tall buildings directly from a truck. It consists of steel frames with discretely connected precast concrete infill panels provided with window openings. Besides the stiffening and strengthening effect of the infill panels on the frame structure, economical benefits may be derived from saving costs on materials and labour, and from reducing construction time. In order to develop design rules for this type of structure, the hybrid infilled frame has recently been subjected to experimental and numerical analyses. Ten full-scale tests were performed on one-storey, one-bay, 3 by 3 m infilled frame structures, having different window opening geometries. Subsequently, the response of the full-scale experiments was simulated with the finite element program DIANA. The finite element simulations were performed taking into account non-linear material characteristics and geometrical non-linearity. The experiments show that discretely connected precast concrete panels provided with a window opening, can significantly improve the performance of steel frames. A comparison between the full-scale experiments and simulations shows that the finite element models enable simulating the elastic and plastic behaviour of the hybrid infilled frame.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.917-937
• /
• 2015

During a seismic event, a considerable amount of energy is input into a structure. The law of energy conservation imposes the restriction that energy must either be absorbed or dissipated by the structure. Recent earthquakes have shown that the use of concentric bracing system with their low ductility and low energy dissipation capacity, causes permanent damage to structures during intense earthquakes. Hence, engineers are looking at bracing system with higher ductility, such as chevron and eccentric braces. However, braced frame would not be easily repaired if serious damage has occured during a strong earthquake. In order to solve this problem, a new bracing system an off-centre bracing system with higher ductility and higher energy dissipation capacity, is considered. In this paper, some numerical studies have been performed using ANSYS software on a frame with off-centre bracing system with optimum eccentricity and circular element created, called OBS_C_O model. In addition, other steel frame with diagonal bracing system and the same circular element is created, called DBS_C model. Furthermore, linear and nonlinear behavior of these steel frames are compared in order to introduce a new way of optimum performance for these dissipating elements. The obtained results revealed that using a ductile element or circular dissipater for increasing the ductility of off-centre bracing system and centric bracing system is useful. Finally, higher ductility and more energy dissipation led to more appropriate behavior in the OBS_C_O model compared to DBS_C model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.157-181
• /
• 2012

The paper presents a review of the application of the newly proposed mixed finite element model for seismic simulation of different types of composite frame structures. To evaluate the performance of the element, a comparison with displacement-based and force-based models is conducted. The study revealed that the mixed model is superior to the others in terms of both speed of convergence and numerical stability, and is therefore considered the most practical approach for modeling of composite structures. In this model, the element is derived using independent force and displacement shape functions. The nonlinear response of the frame element is based on the section discretization into fibers with uniaxial material models. The interfacial behavior is modeled using an inelastic interface element. Numerical examples to clarify the advantages of the model are presented for the following structural applications: anchored reinforcing bar problems, composite steel-concrete girders with deformable shear connectors, beam on elastic foundation elements, R/C girders strengthened with FRP sheets, R/C beam-columns with bond-slip, and prestressed concrete girders. These studies confirmed that the model represents a major advancement over existing elements in simulating the inelastic behavior of composite structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.699-712
• /
• 2015

Bracing structures with off-centre bracing system is one of the new resistant systems that frequently used in the frame with pin connections. High ductility, high-energy dissipation and decrease of base shear are advantages of this bracing system. However, beside these advantages, reconstruction and hard repair of off-centre bracing system cause inappropriate performance in the earthquake. Therefore, in this paper, the goal is investigating the behavior of this type of bracing system with ductile element (circular dissipater), in order to providing replacement of damaged member without needing repair or reconstruction of the general system. To achieve this purpose, some numerical studies have been performed using ANSYS software, a frame with off-centre bracing system and optimum eccentricity (OBS-C-O) and another frame with the same identifications without ductile element (OBS) has been created. In order to investigate precisely on the optimum placement of circular elements under monotonic load again three steal frames were modeled. Furthermore, the behavior of this general system investigated for the first time, linear and nonlinear behavior of these two steel frames compared to each other, to achieve the benefit of using the circular element in an off-centre bracing system. Eventually, the analytical results revealed that the performance of steel ring at the end of off-centre braces system illustrating as a first defensive line and buckling fuse in the off-centre bracing system.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.141-161
• /
• 2016

In seismic fragility and risk analysis, the definition of structural limit state (LS) capacities is of crucial importance. Traditionally, LS capacities are defined according to design code provisions or using deterministic pushover analysis without considering the inherent randomness of structural parameters. To assess the effects of structural randomness on LS capacities, ten structural parameters that include material strengths and gravity loads are considered as random variables, and a probabilistic pushover method based on a correlation-controlled Latin hypercube sampling technique is used to estimate the uncertainties in LS capacities for four typical reinforced concrete frame buildings. A series of ten LSs are identified from the pushover curves based on the design-code-given thresholds and the available damage-controlled criteria. The obtained LS capacities are further represented by a lognormal model with the median $m_C$ and the dispersion ${\beta}_C$. The results show that structural uncertainties have limited influence on $m_C$ for the LSs other than that near collapse. The commonly used assumption of ${\beta}_C$ between 0.25 and 0.30 overestimates the uncertainties in LS capacities for each individual building, but they are suitable for a building group with moderate damages. A low uncertainty as ${\beta}_C=0.1{\sim}0.15$ is adequate for the LSs associated with slight damages of structures, while a large uncertainty as ${\beta}_C=0.40{\sim}0.45$ is suggested for the LSs near collapse.