• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.5
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• pp.679-691
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• 2023

Many codes allow designers to use the bending moment diagram computed by elastic analysis and modify it by a certain amount of moment redistribution (MR) to account for plastic behaviour of continuous beams. However, several researchers indicated that the MR at the ultimate limit state (𝛽_u) for some beams deviate significantly from the specified values of various codes. This paper examines the applicability of the provisions on 𝛽_u in ACI 318-19 and Eurocode 2 through numerical investigations and comprehensively explores the influencing factors. The results show that some parameters not considered in those codes influence 𝛽_u to a certain extent, where the ratio of tensile reinforcement ratio at intermediate support to tensile reinforcement ratio at midspan (𝜌_s1/𝜌_s2) and load type are crucial parameters to consider. The specific combination of these two parameters may make the codes overestimate or significantly underestimate the 𝛽_u. On the other hand, the yield state of both critical sections is found to have an important influence on the influence degree of each parameter on 𝛽_u. The yield conditions are investigated, and an empirical judgment equation is proposed. In addition, the influence laws of the critical parameters on 𝛽_u have been further proved by theoretical derivation. Finally, due to 𝜀_t is found to have a better linear correlation with 𝛽_u than x_u/d, equations as a function of 𝜀_t for predicting the 𝛽_u of continuous beams under the two loads are proposed, respectively.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.222-230
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• 2008

This paper introduces a method of estimating the knee joint moment developed during MVC. By combining the Hill-type muscle model and analytic results on moment arm and musculotendon length change as a function of hip and knee joint angle, the knee joint moment at a specific knee joint angle during MVC is determined. Many differences between the estimated results and the experimental data are noted. It is believed that these differences originate from inaccurate information on the muscle-tendon parameters. The establishment of exact values for the subject's muscle parameters is almost impossible task. However, sensitivity analysis shows that the tendon slack length is the most critical parameter when applying the Hill-type muscle model. The effect of a change of this parameter on the muscle length force relationship is analyzed in detail.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.875-891
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• 2015

Earthquake can occur anywhere in the world and it is essential to design important members in special structures based on maximum possible forces that can be produced in them under severe earthquake. In addition, since the earthquake is an accidental phenomena and there are no similar earthquakes, therefore the possibility of strong earthquakes should be taken into account in earthquake-resistant design of important structures. Based on this viewpoint, finding the critical acceleration which maximizes internal forces is an essential factor in structural design. This paper proposes critical excitation method to compute the critical acceleration in design of important members in special structures. These critical accelerations are computed so that the columns' internal shear force at the base of the structure at each time step is maximized under constraints on ground motion. Among computed critical accelerations (of each time step), the one which produces maximum internal shear force is selected. A numerical example presents to show the efficiency of critical excitation method in determining the maximum internal shear force and base moment under variety of constraints. The results show that these method can be used to compute the resonant earthquake which have large enough effective duration of earthquake strong motion (between 12.86 sec to 13.38 sec) and produce the internal shear force and base moment for specific column greater than the same value for selected earthquakes in constructing the critical excitation (for different cases about 2.78 to 1.29 times the San Fernando earthquake). Therefore, a group of them can be utilized in developing the response spectrum for design of special structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.5
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• pp.621-632
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• 2018

Soft-story buildings have bottom stories much less rigid than the top stories and are susceptible to earthquake damage. Therefore, the seismic design specifications need strict design considerations in such cases. In this paper, a four-story building was investigated as a case study and the effects of X-braces elimination in its lower stories studied. In addition, the possibility of replacement of the X-braces in soft-stories with equivalent moment resisting frame inspected in two different phases. In first phase, the stiffness of X-braces and equivalent moment-resisting frames evaluated using classic equations. In final phase, diagonals removed from the lowest story to develop a soft-story and replaced with moment resisting frames. Then, the seismic stiffness variation of moment-resisting frame evaluated using nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. The results show that substitution of braced frames with an equivalent moment-resisting frame of the same stiffness increases story drift and reduces energy absorption capacity. However, it is enough to consider the needs of building codes, even using equivalent moment resisting frame instead of X-Braces, to avoid soft-story stiffness irregularity in seismic design of buildings. Besides, soft-story development in the second story may be more critical under strong ground excitations, because of interaction of adjacent stories.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1203-1219
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• 2015

'Distortional buckling' is one of the predominant buckling types that may occur in a steel-concrete composite box beam (SCCBB) under a negative moment. The key factors, which affect the buckling modes, are the torsional and lateral restraints of the bottom plate of a SCCBB. Therefore, this article investigates the equivalent lateral and torsional restraint rigidity of the bottom plate of a SCCBB under a negative moment; the results of which show a linear coupling relationship between the applied forces and the lateral and/or torsional restraint stiffness, which are not depended on the cross-sectional properties of a SCCBB completely. The mathematical formulas for calculating the lateral and torsional restraint rigidity of the bottom plate can be used to estimate: (1) the critical distortional buckling stress of SCCBBs under a negative moment; and (2) the critical distortional moment of SCCBBs. This article develops an improved calculation method for SCCBBs on an elastic foundation, which takes into account the coupling effect between the applied forces and the lateral and/or torsional restraint rigidity of the bottom plate. This article analyzes the accuracy of the following calculation methods by using 24 examples of SCCBBs: (1) the conventional energy method; (2) the improved calculation method, as it has been derived in this article; and (3) the ANSYS finite element method. The results verify that the improved calculation method, as it has been proved in this article, is more accurate and reliable than that of the current energy method, which has been noted in the references.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.773-791
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• 2023

Connections with damage concentrated to pre-selected components can enhance seismic resilience for moment resisting frames. These pre-selected components always yield early to dissipate energy, and their energy dissipation mechanisms vary from one to another, depending on their position in the connection, geometry configuration details, and mechanical characteristics. This paper presents behaviour insights on two types of beam-to-beam connections that the angles were designed as energy dissipation components, through the results of experimental study and finite element analysis. Firstly, an experimental programme was reviewed, and key responses concerning the working mechanism of the connections were presented, including strain distribution at the critical section, section force responses of essential components, and initial stiffness of test specimens. Subsequently, finite element models of three specimens were established to further interpret their behaviour and response that were not observable in the tests. The moment and shear force transfer paths of the composite connections were clarified through the test results and finite element analysis. It was observed that the bending moment is mainly resisted by axial forces from the components, and the dominant axial force is from the bottom angles; the shear force at the critical section is primarily taken by the slab and the components near the top flange. Lastly, based on the insights on the load transfer path of the composite connections, preliminary design recommendations are proposed. In particular, a resistance requirement, quantified by a moment capacity ratio, was placed on the connections. Design models and equations were also developed for predicting the yield moment resistance and the shear resistance of the connections. A flexible beam model was proposed to quantify the shear resistance of essential components.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-77
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• 2020

The code static eccentricity model for elastic torsional design of structures has two critical shortcomings: (1) the negation of the inertial torsional moment at the center of mass (CM), particularly for torsionally-unbalanced (TU) building structures, and (2) the confusion caused by the discrepancy in the definition of the design eccentricity in codes and the resistance eccentricity commonly used by engineers such as in FEMA454. To overcome these shortcomings, using the resistance eccentricity model that can accommodate the inertial torsional moment at the CM, interactive relations between shear and torsion are proposed as follows: (1) elastic responses of structures at instants of peak edge-frame drifts are given as functions of resistance eccentricity, and (2) elastic hysteretic relationships between shear and torsion in forces and deformations are bounded by ellipsoids constructed using two adjacent dominant modes. Comparison of demands estimated using these two interactive relations with those from shake-table tests of two TU building structures (a 1:5-scale five-story reinforced concrete (RC) building model and a 1:12-scale 17-story RC building model) under the service level earthquake (SLE) show that these relations match experimental results of models reasonably well. Concepts proposed in this study enable engineers to not only visualize the overall picture of torsional behavior including the relationship between shear and torsion with the range of forces and deformations, but also pinpoint easily the information about critical responses of structures such as the maximum edge-frame drifts and the corresponding shear force and torsion moment with the eccentricity.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.529-541
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• 2017

According to the definition, progressive collapse could occur due to the initial partial failure of the structural members which by spreading to the adjacent members, could result in partial or overall collapse of the structure. Up to now, most researchers have investigated the progressive collapse due to explosion, fire or impact loads. But new research has shown that the seismic load could also be a factor for initiation of the progressive collapse. In this research, the progressive collapse capacity for the 5 and 15-story steel special moment resisting frames using push-down nonlinear static analysis, and nonlinear dynamic analysis under the gravity loads specified in the GSA Guidelines, were studied. After identifying the critical members, in order to investigate the seismic progressive collapse, the 5-story steel special moment resisting frame was analyzed by the nonlinear time history analysis under the effect of earthquakes with different characteristics. In order to account for the initial damage, one of the critical columns was weakened at the initiation of the earthquake or its Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA). The results of progressive collapse analyses showed that the potential of progressive collapse is considerably dependent upon location of the removed column and the number of stories, also the results of seismic progressive collapse showed that the dynamic response of column removal under the seismic load is completely dependent on earthquake characteristics like Arias intensity, PGA and earthquake frequency contents.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.126-129
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• 2006

A bending moment $M_u$ transferred at slab-column connection is resisted at the slab critical section by flexure and shear. The ACI 318-05 Building Code(1) gives an empirical equation for the fraction ${\gamma}_{\upsilon}$ of the moment $M_u$ to be transferred by shear at the slab critical section at d/2 from the column face and also the effective wide(c+3h). The equation is based on tests of interior slab-column connections without shear reinforcement. In order to investigate the data eight test specimens were examined. The test shows that increased slab load substantially reduces both the unbalanced moment capacity and the lateral drift capacity of the connection. Especially, the specimens with the bottom reinforcement existence and nonexistence, appears remarkable differences. Studies also show that the code equation for ${\gamma}_{\upsilon}$ does not apply to all cases. The purpose of this study is to compare the test results with present ACI 318-05 Building Code provisions for design of slab-column connections and with the analysis of the experimental data for a new limitation of strength equation without shear reinforcement and bottom reinforcement.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 2016

The predominant type of buckling that I-steel concrete composite beams experience in the negative moment area is distortional buckling. The key factors that affect distortional buckling are the torsional and lateral restraints by the bottom flange. This study thoroughly investigates the equivalent lateral and torsional restraint stiffnesses of the bottom flange of an I-steel concrete composite beam under negative moments. The results show a coupling effect between the applied forces and the lateral and torsional restraint stiffnesses of the bottom flange. A formula is proposed to calculate the critical buckling stress of the I-steel concrete composite beams under negative moments by considering the lateral and torsional restraint stiffnesses of the bottom flange. The proposed method is shown to better predict the critical bending moment of the I-steel composite beams. This article introduces an improved method to calculate the elastic foundation beams, which takes into account the lateral and torsional restraint stiffnesses of the bottom flange and considers the coupling effect between them. The results show a close match in results from the calculation method proposed in this paper and the ANSYS finite element method, which validates the proposed calculation method. The proposed calculation method provides a theoretical basis for further research on distortional buckling and the ultimate resistance of I-steel concrete composite beams under a variable axial force.