• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.97-107
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• 2006

This study is structural analysis and continuous, discrete optimum design of braced steel frame structures under earthquake loads considering soil condition. The program which is able to perform simultaneously structural analysis and continuous, discrete optimum design, it is applied steel frame structures using unbraced, Z-braced, and X-braced types and analyze the program about static loads and seismic loads. The purpose of this study is to present proper braced type for seismic effects by comparing and analyzing results of analytic method about various cases using specially Newmark-Hall design spectrum, ATC design spectrum and ATC equivalent static analysis and finding minimum weight and design variables which satisfy the ultimate strength requirements of AISC-ASD specifications, the serviceability requirements and allowable story drift requirements of ATC-3-06 and various constraints.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.343-365
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• 2011

Structural system identification (SSI) is an inverse problem of difficult solution. Currently, difficulties lie in the development of algorithms which can cater to large size problems. In this paper, a parameter estimation technique based on evolutionary strategy is presented to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in using the traditional system identification methods in terms of convergence. In this paper, a non-traditional form of system identification technique employing evolutionary algorithms is proposed. In order to improve the convergence characteristics, it is proposed to employ immune algorithms which are proved to be built with superior diversification mechanism than the conventional evolutionary algorithms and are being used for several practical complex optimisation problems. In order to reduce the number of design variables, domain decomposition methods are used, where the identification process of the entire structure is carried out in multiple stages rather than in single step. The domain decomposition based methods also help in limiting the number of sensors to be employed during dynamic testing of the structure to be identified, as the process of system identification is carried out in multiple stages. A fifteen storey framed structure, truss bridge and 40 m tall microwave tower are considered as a numerical examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of the domain decomposition based structural system identification technique using immune algorithm.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.675-693
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• 2003

In order to consider the modified seismic response of framed structures in the presence of masonry infills, proper models have to be formulated. Because of the complexity of the problem, a careful definition of a diagonal pin-jointed strut, able to represent the horizontal force-interstorey displacement cyclic law of the actual infill, may be a solution. In this connection the present paper shows a generalized criterion for the determination of the ideal cross-section of the strut mentioned before. The procedure is based on the equivalence between the lateral stiffness of the actual infilled frame scheme during the conventional elastic stage of the response and the lateral stiffness of the same frame stiffened by a strut at the same stage. Unlike the usual empirical approaches available in the literature, the proposed technique involves the axial stiffness of the columns of the frame more than their flexural stiffness. Further, the influence of the bidimensional behaviour of the infill is stressed and, consequently, the dependence of the dimensions of the equivalent pin-jointed strut on the Poisson ratio of the material constituting the infill is also shown. The proposed approach is extended to the case of infills with openings, which is very common in practical applications.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2017

In this study, two geometrically identical multi-storey steel buildings with different lateral load resisting systems are structurally analyzed under same earthquake conditions and they are compared with respect to their construction costs of their structural systems. One of the systems is a steel structure with eccentrically steel braced frames. The other one is a RC wall-steel frame system, that is a steel framed structure in combination with a reinforced concrete core and shear walls of minimum thickness that the national code allows. As earthquake resisting systems, steel braced frames and reinforced concrete shear walls, for both cases are located on identical places in either building. Floors of both buildings will be of reinforced concrete slabs of same thickness resting on composite beams. The façades are assumed to be covered identically with light-weight aluminum cladding with insulation. Purpose of use for both buildings is an office building of eight stories. When two systems are structurally analyzed by FEM (finite element method) and dimensionally compared, the dual one comes up with almost 34% less cost of construction with respect to their structural systems. This in turn means that, by using a dual system in earthquake zones such as Turkey, for multi-storey steel buildings with RC floors, more economical solutions can be achieved. In addition, slender steel columns and beams will add to that and consequently more space in rooms is achieved.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.439-455
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• 2018

Within a probabilistic framework, this paper addresses the determination of the static structural response of beams and frames with partially restrained (semi-rigid) connections. The flexibility of the nodal connections is incorporated via an idealized linear-elastic behavior of the beam constraints through the use of rotational springs, which are here considered uncertain for taking into account the largely scattered results observed in experimental findings. The analysis is conducted via the Probabilistic Transformation Method, by modelling the spring stiffness terms (or equivalently, the fixity factors of the beam) as uniformly distributed random variables. The limit values of the Eurocode 3 fixity factors for steel semi-rigid connections are assumed. The exact probability density function of a few indicators of the structural response is derived and discussed in order to identify to what extent the uncertainty of the beam constraints affects the resulting beam response. Some design considerations arise which point out the paramount importance of probability-based approaches whenever a comprehensive experimental background regarding the stiffness of the beam connection is lacking, for example in steel frames with semi-rigid connections or in precast reinforced concrete framed structures. Indeed, it is demonstrated that resorting to deterministic approaches may lead to misleading (and in some cases non-conservative) outcomes from a design viewpoint.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.9 no.spc
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• pp.79-98
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• 2003

This article reports that a testee's content schemata have detrimental effects on the validity of standardized reading comprehension tests. in case that the reading passages constitute his prior background knowledge framed by regular academic pursuits focused on a major field of study. The empirical research findings on such a reliability issue have shown that the Korean subjects' familiarity with the content domain of the reading materials may substantially enhance their test performance, operated as unfair advantages over the other participants at the same level of English proficiency who do not possess technical knowledge closely related to the contents of the test passages. Based on these results, it may be argued that the reading text should be composed of maximally neutral contents to every testee to avoid the possible overlapping between a test-taker's content schemata and the content domain of the materials. Therefore, this article claims that the tenets of schema theory with its long-standing foundation on culturally predetermined content and formal schemata need to be expanded to cover professional knowledge structures, like those acquired by higher education, as the hard-wired framework of an individual's original culture-specific background knowledge.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 1989

철근콘크리트 뼈대구조와 같이 설계변수가 과다하고, 제약조건식이 복잡한 구조물의 최적화를 위하여는 구조물을 여러개의 부분구조물로 분할하여 최적해를 구하는 분할법이 많이 사용되고 있다. 그러나 기존의 분할법에 의한 최적화는 구조해석과정과 고정된 부재력에대한 단면설계변수의 부분최적화 과정만으로 이루어지기 때문에, 최적해를 구하려면 반복적인 재해석과정만을 수행하지 않으면 안된다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 다단계분할법에 의하여 철근콘크리트 뼈대구조의 최적화 문제를 3단계로 형성하고, 분할된 부분최적화문제의 최적화시 전체구조의 강성 및 부재력 변화가 반영되어 부분 구조물의 결합을 유지시킬 수 있는 최적화 알고리즘을 제안하였다. 최적화 문제에서 설계변수로는 단면의 크기, 철근량, 모멘트 재분배율등을 취하고,목적함수는 경비함수, 제약조건으로는 강도설계법에 의한 부재강도, 시방서의 요구사항등을 고려하여 문제를 형성하였다. 본 연구에서 개발한 다단계 최적화과정의 첫째 단계에서는 탄성해석에 의하여 재분배모멘트의 설계공간을 형성한다. 이 때 부재력변화량추정(forece approximation technique)에 의하여 단면치수의 변화에 따른 부재력의 변화를 제약조건식 내에 포함시킬 수 있도록 하였다. 둘째 단면에서는 첫째 단계에서 구한 부재력변화량추정이 포함된 제약조건식 내에서 무제약최소화기법에 의하여 단면치수를 최적화하도록 하였다. 셋째 단계에서는 재분배 모멘트를 최적화하였으며, 이 때 재분배모멘트의 변화에 따른 단면설계 변수의 변화는 둘째 단계에서 구한 설계민감도(design sensitivity)를 이용하여 반영시키도록 하였다. 제안된 알고리즘을 1층 2경간 및 2층 1경간 뼈대구조에 적용하여 알고리즘의 타당성과 효율성을 입증하였다. 따라서 본 연구의 알고리즘은 철근 콘크리트 뼈대구조의 최적설계에 안정성있게 적용할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-27
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• 2015

In this paper Fragility Curves (FCs) relevant to existing RC framed building types representative of the Italian building population designed only to vertical load and regular in-plan have been derived from an extensive campaign of non-linear dynamic analyses. In the generation of the FCs, damage states according to the EMS98 scale have been considered while the intensity measure has been defined by adopting an integral parameter, such as the Housner intensity. FCs have been generated by varying different parameters, including building age, number of storeys, presence and position of infill panels, plan dimensions, external beams stiffness and concrete strength. In order to verify the effectiveness of the damage prediction, comparisons were made between the results obtained from the proposed FCs with those deriving from both prominent fragility studies available in the technical literature and damage distributions observed in past earthquakes. Results show that damage grades obtained by adopting the proposed FCs are generally lower than those provided by the other approaches considered. A comparison with real damage data, shows that the proposed FCs generally estimate more severe damage distributions than those observed in past earthquakes, although they give lower differences with respect to the other approaches.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.701-721
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• 2016

Base isolation is a well-established passive strategy for seismic response control of buildings. In this paper, an efficient framework is proposed for reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of isolated buildings subjected to uncertain earthquakes. The framework uses reduced function evaluations method, as an efficient tool for structural reliability analysis, and an efficient optimization algorithm for optimal structural design. The probability of failure is calculated considering excessive base displacement, superstructure inter-storey drifts, member stress ratios and absolute accelerations of floors of the isolated building as failure events. The behavior of rubber bearing isolators is modeled using nonlinear hysteretic model and the variability of future earthquakes is modeled by applying a probabilistic approach. The effects of pulse component of stochastic near-fault ground motions, fixity-factor of semi-rigid beam-to-column connections, values of isolator parameters, earthquake magnitude and epicentral distance on the performance and safety of semi-rigidly connected base-isolated steel framed buildings are studied. Suitable RBDO examples are solved to illustrate the results of investigations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.423-442
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• 2018

In this paper, masonry infilled reinforced concrete (RC) frames are analyzed through a probabilistic approach. A macro-modeling technique, based on an equivalent diagonal pin-jointed strut, has been resorted to for modelling the stiffening contribution of the masonry panels. Since it is quite difficult to decide which mechanical characteristics to assume for the diagonal struts in such simplified model, the strut width is here considered as a random variable, whose stochastic characterization stems from a wide set of empirical expressions proposed in the literature. The stochastic analysis of the masonry infilled RC frame is conducted via the Probabilistic Transformation Method by employing a set of space transformation laws of random vectors to determine the probability density function (PDF) of the system response in a direct manner. The knowledge of the PDF of a set of response indicators, including displacements, bending moments, shear forces, interstory drifts, opens an interesting discussion about the influence of the uncertainty of the masonry infills and the resulting implications in a design process.