• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.369-385
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• 2002

Ductility capacity is comprehensively studied for steel moment-resisting frames. Local, story and global ductility are being considered. An appropriate measure of global ductility is suggested. A time domain nonlinear seismic response algorithm is used to evaluate several definitions of ductility. It is observed that for one-story structures, resembling a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system, all definitions of global ductility seem to give reasonable values. However, for complex structures it may give unreasonable values. It indicates that using SDOF systems to estimate the ductility capacity may be a very crude approximation. For multi degree of freedom (MDOF) systems some definitions may not be appropriate, even though they are used in the profession. Results also indicate that the structural global ductility of 4, commonly used for moment-resisting steel frames, cannot be justified based on this study. The ductility of MDOF structural systems and the corresponding equivalent SDOF systems is studied. The global ductility values are very different for the two representations. The ductility reduction factor $F_{\mu}$ is also estimated. For a given frame, the values of the $F_{\mu}$ parameter significantly vary from one earthquake to another, even though the maximum deformation in terms of the interstory displacement is roughly the same for all earthquakes. This is because the $F_{\mu}$ values depend on the amount of dissipated energy, which in turn depends on the plastic mechanism, formed in the frames as well as on the loading, unloading and reloading process at plastic hinges. Based on the results of this study, the Newmark and Hall procedure to relate the ductility reduction factor and the ductility parameter cannot be justified. The reason for this is that SDOF systems were used to model real frames in these studies. Higher mode effects were neglected and energy dissipation was not explicitly considered. In addition, it is not possible to observe the formation of a collapse mechanism in the equivalent SDOF systems. Therefore, the ductility parameter and the force reduction factor should be estimated by using the MDOF representation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

The objective of this paper is to examine the structural performance of steel moment-resisting frames on the various connection details of Seismic Wide-flanged Beam-to-Rectangular Steel Tube Column connections. Although compared to an H-shaped steel tube, a rectangular steel tube has many advantages and is more efficient, its application is limited due to the lack of experience in using it and the connection details. Existing steel moment connections using the rectangular steel tube are mainly used through plate diaphragms. The processing of construction of the rectangular steel tube is so complicated that it is hard to apply it in the field. In this study, the structural performance and the earthquake capacity of the connection details that do not cut the rectangular steel tube column were investigated. A comparative analysis of the strength, rigidity, and energy absorption capacity of the welded connection details using an end-plate and a haunch was also performed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.231-242
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• 2016

Earthquake resistance of RC column-steel beam (RCS) joints with simplified details were studied. Simplified details are necessary for large columns to improve the productivity and constructability. To strengthen the beam-column joint, the effects of transverse beams, studs, and U-cross ties were used. Four 2/3 scale interior RCS connections were tested under cyclic lateral loading. The specimens generally exhibited good deformation capacity exceeding 4.0% story drift ratio after yielding of both beam and beam-column joint. Ultimately, the specimens failed by shear mechanism of the joint panel. The test strengths were compared with the predictions of existing design methods.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.263-272
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• 2003

Scaled model tests were carried out to investigate a seismic behavior of reinforced concrete piers with hollow-rectangular section that were not detailed for seismic load. Additional lateral reinforcing bars were not provided that might be required for confinement against earthquake load. Two kinds of reinforcement details were considered for the longitudinal reinforcing bars: lap-spliced and continuous. In the lap-spliced model all longitudinal bars were lapped at the same height in a bottom plastic hinge zone. In the other model all longitudinal bars extended continuously throughout the height. The constructed models were subjected to quasi-static cyclic lateral loading in the presence of the constant vertical load. Limited ductile behavior was observed in the test of lap-spliced model and more ductile behavior was observed in the test of a continuous longitudinal reinforcement model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.881-898
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• 2013

This paper describes analytical investigation into a new dual function system including a couple of shear links which are connected in series using chevron bracing capable to correlate its performance with magnitude of earthquakes. In this proposed system, called Chevron Knee-Vertical Link Beam braced system (CK-VLB), the inherent hysteretic damping of vertical link beam placed above chevron bracing is exclusively utilized to dissipate the energy of moderate earthquakes through web plastic shear distortion while the rest of the structural elements are in elastic range. Under strong earthquakes, plastic deformation of VLB will be halted via restraining it by Stopper Device (SD) and further imposed displacement subsequently causes yielding of the knee elements located at the bottom of chevron bracing to significantly increase the energy dissipation capacity level. In this paper first by studying the knee yielding mode, a suitable shape and angle for diagonal-knee bracing is proposed. Then finite elements models are developed. Monotonic and cyclic analyses have been conducted to compare dissipation capacities on three individual models of passive systems (CK-VLB, knee braced system and SPS system) by General-purpose finite element program ABAQUS in which a bilinear kinematic hardening model is incorporated to trace the material nonlinearity. Also quasi-static cyclic loading based on the guidelines presented in ATC-24 has been imposed to different models of CK-VLB with changing of vertical link beam section in order to find prime effectiveness on structural frames. Results show that CK-VLB system exhibits stable behavior and is capable of dissipating a significant amount of energy in two separate levels of lateral forces due to different probable earthquakes.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.233-267
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• 2018

Conventional seismic design of concentrically braced frame (CBF) structures suggests that the gusset plate connecting a steel brace to beams and/or columns should be designed as non-dissipative in earthquakes, while the steel brace members should be designed as dissipative elements. These design intentions lead to thicker and larger gusset plates in design on one hand and a potentially under-rated contribution of gusset plates in design, on the other hand. In contrast, research has shown that compact and thinner gusset plates designed in accordance with the elliptical clearance method rather than the conventional standard linear clearance method can enhance system ductility and energy dissipation capacity in concentrically braced steel frames. In order to assess the two design methods, six cyclic push-over tests on full scale models of concentric braced steel frame structures were conducted. Furthermore, a 3D finite element (FE) shell model, incorporating state-of-the-art tools and techniques in numerical simulation, was developed that successfully replicates the response of gusset plate and bracing members under fully reversed cyclic axial loading. Direct measurements from strain gauges applied to the physical models were used primarily to validate FE models, while comparisons of hysteresis load-displacement loops from physical and numerical models were used to highlight the overall performance of the FE models. The study shows the two design methods attain structural response as per the design intentions; however, the elliptical clearance method has a superiority over the standard linear method as a fact of improving detailing of the gusset plates, enhancing resisting capacity and improving deformability of a CBF structure. Considerations were proposed for improvement of guidelines for detailing gusset plates and bracing members in CBF structures.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.887-897
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• 2018

3D time history analysis was performed on vertical shaft-tunnel connection to provide insight into the dynamic stress-strain behavior of the connection considering the effects of soil layers, periodic characteristics and wave direction of earthquakes. MIDAS GTS NX based on FEM (Finite Element Method) was used for this study. From this study, it is revealed that the maximum displacement occurred at the upper part of the connection when the long period seismic waves propagate through the tunnel direction in soft ground. Also, stress concentration occurs due to different behaviors of vertical shaft and tunnel, and the stress concentration could be influence for safety on the connection. The results of this study could be useful for the seismic performance design of vertical shaft-tunnel connection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.75 no.5
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• pp.529-540
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• 2020

The mechanical properties of timber construction have drawn more attention after the 2013 Lushan earthquake. A strong desire to preserve this ancient architectural styles has sprung up in recent years, especially for residential buildings of the mountainous areas. In the column-and-tie timber construction, continuous-tenon joints are the most common structural form to connect the chuanfang (similar to the beam in conventional structures) and the column. To study the cyclic performance of the continuous-tenon joints in column-and-tie timber construction, the reversed lateral cyclic loading tests were carried out on three 3/4 scale specimens with different section heights of the chuanfang. The mechanical behavior was assessed by studying the ultimate bending capacity, deformation ductility and energy dissipation capacity. Test results showed that the slippage of chuanfang occurred when the specimens entered the plastic stage, and the slippage degree increased with the increase of the section height of chuanfang. An obvious plastic deformation of the chuanfang occurred due to the mutual squeezing between the column and chuanfang. A significant pinching was observed on the bending moment-rotation curves, and it was more pronounced as the section height of chuanfang increased. The further numerical investigations showed that the flexural capacity and initial stiffness of the continuous-tenon joints increased with the increase of friction coefficient between the chuanfang and the column, and a more obvious increasing of bending moment occurred after the material yielding. The compressive strength perpendicular to grain of the material played a more significant role in the ultimate bending capacity of continuous-tenon joints than the compressive strength parallel to grain.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

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. In this study, a non-compression cross-bracing system using the Carbon Fiber Composite Cable (CFCC), which consists of CFCC bracing and bolt connection was proposed to replace the conventional steel bracing. This paper presented the seismic resistance of a reinforced concrete frame strengthened using CFCC X-bracing. Cyclic loading tests were carried out, and the maximum load carrying capacity and ductility were investigated, together with hysteresis of the lateral load-drift relations. Test results revealed that the CFCC X-bracing system installed RC frames enhanced markedly the strength capacity and no buckling failure of the bracing was observed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1167-1184
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• 2015

Despite considerable life casualty and financial loss resulting from past earthquakes, many existing steel buildings are still seismically vulnerable as they have no lateral resistance or at least need some sort of retrofitting. Passive control methods with decreasing seismic demand and increasing ductility reduce rate of vulnerability of structures against earthquakes. One of the most effective and practical passive control methods is to use a shear panel system working as a ductile fuse in the structure. The shear Panel System, SPS, is located vertically between apex of two chevron braces and the flange of the floor beam. Seismic energy is highly dissipated through shear yielding of shear panel web while other elements of the structure remain almost elastic. In this paper, lateral behavior and related benefits of this system with narrow-flange link beams is experimentally investigated in chevron braced simple steel frames. For this purpose, five specimens with IPE (narrow-flange I section) shear panels were examined. All of the specimens showed high ductility and dissipated almost all input energy imposed to the structure. For example, maximum SPS shear distortion of 0.128-0.156 rad, overall ductility of 5.3-7.2, response modification factor of 7.1-11.2, and finally maximum equivalent viscous damping ratio of 35.5-40.2% in the last loading cycle corresponding to an average damping ratio of 26.7-30.6% were obtained. It was also shown that the beam, columns and braces remained elastic as expected. Considering this fact, by just changing the probably damaged shear panel pieces after earthquake, the structure can still be continuously used as another benefit of this proposed retrofitting system without the need to change the floor beam.