• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.497-510
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• 2014

Seismic and wind load performances of buildings are commonly improved by using bracing systems. In practice, standard bracing systems, such as X, Y, V, and K types are used. To determine the appropriate bracing type, the designer uses trial & error method among the standard bracings to obtain better results. However, using topology optimization yields more efficient bracing systems or new bracing can be developed depending on building and loading types. Determination of optimum bracing type for minimum deformation on a building under the effect of wind load is given in this study. A new bracing system is developed by using topology optimization. Element removal method is used to determine and remove the comparatively inefficient materials. Optimized bracing is compared with proposed bracing types available in the related literature. Maximum deformation value of building is used as performance indicator to compare effectiveness of different bracings to resist wind loads. The proposed bracing, yielded 99%, deformation reduction compared to the unbraced building.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.97-102
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• 2013

This paper presents a new strengthening method of underground box structures against seismic loads for anti-seismic capacity improvement. A threaded steel member with pressure devices(so called 'I-bracing pressure system') is used to improve seismic capacity of the RC box structure. The I-bracing pressure system is fixed the corner of opening after chemical anchor was installed by drilling hole on the box structure. The structural performance was evaluated analytically. Two bracing types of strengthening methods were used; conventional bracing method and improved I-bracing pressure system. For the performance evaluation, seismic analyses were performed on moment and shear resisting structures with and without I-bracing pressure system. Numerical results confirmed that the proposed I-bracing pressure system can enhance the seismic capacity of the underground RC box structures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.445-464
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• 2012

In order to evaluate the dynamic behavior of passive energy dissipation system, two steps need to be considered for prediction of structural response in the presence of ductile element in an off-centre bracing system. The first is a detailed analysis of the proposed ductile element and the second is the effect of this ductile element on an off-centre bracing system. The use of ductile bracing system is expanding in steel structures in order to increase the force reduction factor. Therefore, regarding the nonlinear behavior of steel material used in an off-centre bracing systems and using ductile element in OBS bracing systems, the seismic evaluation of the mentioned systems seems to be necessary. This paper aims to study linear and nonlinear behavior of steel frames with off-centre bracing system and ductile element, in order to get the best position of these bracing elements. To achieve this purpose, the modeling has been done with ANSYS software. The optimum eccentricity has been obtained by modeling three steel frames with different eccentricities and evaluating the results of them. The analytical results showed that the model OBS-C with 0.3 eccentricities has higher performance among the models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.173-193
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• 2013

In this paper, influence of geometric configurations of multi-story bracing on shear lag behaviour of braced tube structures is investigated. The shear lag of 24-, 36- and 72-story braced tube structures are assessed considering all possible configurations of overall X and Chevron bracing types. Based on the analytical results, empirical equations, useful for the preliminary design phase, are proposed to provide the optimum number of stories that braced, in order to exert minimum shear lag on structures. Studying the interaction behaviour of a tube and different bracing types along with paying attention to the shear lag behaviour, a better explanation about the reasons behind the efficiency of a specific bracing module in decreasing the shear lag is developed. The analytical results show that there are distinct differences between the anatomy of braced tube structures with X and Chevron bracing regarding the shear lag behaviour.

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

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.6-15
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• 2020

This study examined the structural behaviors and ultimate loads of assembled system scaffolds by load tests. Considering the number of bay and bracing installation, four specimens were tested. The bays were divided into 1 bay and 2 bays, with and without the bracing member installed. Failure modes and horizontal displacements show that the whole column buckled without showing no point of inflection in the column, regardless of whether or not braces were installed. Thus, the current design method of selecting the vertical spacing between the horizontal members of the system scaffold as the effective buckling length underestimates the effective buckling length. In case of 1 bay specimens, the ultimate loads between specimens with and with bracing members are similar. However, in case of 2 bay specimens, the specimen with bracing members shows the increased ultimate load of 36% compared with that without bracing members. In addition, as the number of bays in the system scaffold increases, the ultimate load of the unit vertical column increases in case of the specimen with bracing installation. However, in the specimen without bracing members, the ultimate load of the unit column reduces with the increment of the number of bays due to the torsional buckling. Therefore, it is essential to install bracing members to increase the whole strength of system scaffolds and the ultimate load of the unit column.

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

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.777-790
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frames strengthened by profiled steel sheet bracing which takes the influence of infill walls into consideration. One-bay, two-story, 1/3 scale two specimens shared same feature of dimensions, one specimen consists only beams and columns; the other one is reinforced by profiled steel sheet bracing with infill walls. Hysteretic curves, envelope curves, stiffness degradation curves and energy dissipation capacities are presented based on test data. Test results indicate that the ultimate load of strengthened specimen has been improved by 225%. The stiffness of reinforced by profiled steel sheet bracing has been increased by 108%. This demonstrates that infill walls and profiled steel sheet bracing enhanced the strength and stiffness distinctly. Energy dissipation has an obvious increase after 12 cycles. This shows that the reinforced specimen is able to bear the lateral load effectively and absorb lots of seismic energy.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.17-34
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• 2018

Tall buildings are categorized as important structures because of the large number of occupants and high construction costs. The choice of competent lateral load resisting systems in tall buildings is of crucial importance. Bracing systems have long been an economic and effective method for resisting lateral loads in steel structures. However, there are some potential adverse aspects to bracing systems such as the limitations they inflict on architectural plans, uplift forces and poor performances in compression. in order to eliminate the mentioned problems and for cost optimization, in this paper, six 20-story steel buildings and frames with different types of bracing, i.e., conventional, mega-scale and buckling-restrained bracing (BRB) were analyzed. Linear and modal push-over analyses were carried out. The results pointed out that Mega-Scale Bracing (MSB) system has significant superiority over the conventional bracing type. The MSB system is 25% more economic. Some other advantages of MSB include: up to 63% less drift ratio, up to 38% better performance in lateral displacement, up to 100% stiffer stories, and about 50% smaller uplift forces. Moreover, MSB equipped with BRB attests even a better seismic behavior in the aforementioned parameters.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2012

In this study, a new structural bracing system named 'Hat Knee Bracing' (HKB) is presented. In this structural system, a special form of diagonal braces, which is connected to the knee elements instead of beam-column joints, is investigated. The diagonal elements provide lateral stiffness during moderate earthquakes. However the knee elements, which is a fuse-like component, is designed to have one plastic joint in the knee elements for dissipation of the energy caused by strong earthquake. First, a suitable shape for brace and knee elements is proposed through elastic studying of the system and several practical parameters are established. Afterward, by developing applicable and highly accurate models in Drain-2DX, the inelastic behavior of the system is carefully considered. In addition, with inelastic study of the new bracing system and comparison with the prevalent Knee Bracing Frame system (KBF model) in nonlinear static and dynamic analysis, the seismic behavior of the new bracing system is reasonably evaluated.