• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: The multiple hop test is an active performance test that has been commonly used to assess individuals with functional ankle instability. Previous studies have suggested that insufficiency of dynamic postural stability and passive stability during dynamic activities can have an influence on performance in the multiple hop test. However, no study has investigated the effects of dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing on multiple hop test performance in individuals with functional ankle instability. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate effects of dynamic postural stability training versus ankle bracing in the performance of the multiple hop test for participants with functional ankle instability. Methods: Twenty-nine participants with functional ankle instability who scored below 24 in the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool were selected. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a dynamic postural stability training group (n1=14) and an ankle bracing control group ($n_2=15$). The multiple hop tests were performed before and after applying each intervention. Dynamic postural stability training was performed using visual-feedback-based balance-training equipment; participants in this group were asked to perform a heel raise in a standing position while watching the centering of their forefoot pressure to prevent excessive ankle inversion. Ankle bracing was applied in the control group. Results: When comparing the pre- and post-intervention period for both groups, both methods significantly improved the results of the multiple hop test (p<.05). However, no significant differences were shown between the dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing groups (p>.05). Conclusion: Both dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing showed significant improvement (2.85 seconds and 2.05 seconds, respectively) in test performance. Further study is needed to determine the long-term effects of dynamic postural stability training and to determine whether insufficient dynamic postural stability is a causative factor for functional ankle instability.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.407-420
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• 2005

This study presents the strength of braced and unbraced cold-formed steel wall frames consisting of several wall studs acting as columns, top and bottom tracks, and bracing members. The strength and the buckling mode of steel wall frames were found to be different due to the change of bracing type. In addition, the spacing of wall studs is a crucial factor to the strength of steel wall frames. The comparisons were made between the test results and the predictions computed based on AISI Code. The related specifications do not clearly provides the effective length factors for the member of cold-formed steel frame under compression. This paper proposes effective length factors for the steel wall frames based on the test results. A theoretical model is also derived to obtain the modulus of elastic support provided by the bracing at mid-height of steel wall frames in this research.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.571-587
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• 2020

In this article the seismic demand and performance of two recent braced steel frames named steel moment frames with the elliptic bracing (ELBRFs) are assessed through a laboratory program and numerical analyses of FEM. Here, one of the specimens is without connecting bracket from the corner of the frame to the elliptic brace (ELBRF-E), while the other is with the connecting brackets (ELBRF-B). In both the elliptic braced moment resisting frames (ELBRFs), in addition to not having any opening space problem in the bracing systems when installed in the surrounding frames, they improve structure's behavior. The experimental test is run on ½ scale single-story single-bay ELBRF specimens under cyclic quasi-static loading and compared with X-bracing and SMRF systems in one story base model. This system is of appropriate stiffness and a high ductility, with an increased response modification factor. Moreover, its energy dissipation is high. In the ELBRF bracing systems, there exists a great interval between relative deformation at the yield point and maximum relative deformation after entering the plastic region. In other words, the distance from the first plastic hinge to the collapse of the structure is fairly large. The experimental outcomes here, are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 2012

This paper presents a new strengthening method on concrete column against seismic loads for structural performance tests. An X-bracing using high performance carbon fiber threads called the "Carbon fiber anchor X-bracing system" is used to connect RC frames internally. The carbon fiber sheet is wrapped around the column to fix the top and bottom of the column after Super anchor was installed by drilling hole on the column. The structural performance was evaluated experimentally and analytically. Two types of columns specimens were made; flexure fracture scaled model and shear fracture scaled model. For the performance evaluation, cyclic loading tests were conducted on moment and shear resisting columns with and without X bracing. Test results confirmed that the bracing system installed on RC columns enhanced the strength capacity and provided adequate ductility.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.411-427
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• 2016

In this study, by using finite element non-linear static analysis and comparing it with experimental models, the buckling and post-buckling behavior of bracing gusset plates has been investigated. The effects of such parameters as dimension and thickness of the gusset plate and the influence of position of the bracing member on the behavior of gusset plate have been examined. The results of the analyses clearly suggest that capacity, buckling and post-buckling behaviors of gusset plates depend on the position of the bracing splice plate with respect to the free bending line as well as on the size and thickness of the gusset plate. Also, with respect to numerical analysis results, some practical graphs for the calculation of buckling capacity of gusset plate connections are presented. For steel structures, the proposed method is apparently more accurate than available code procedures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.21-38
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• 2011

This study examines the influence of curved, steel, I-girder bridge configuration on girder end reactions and cross frame member forces during seismic events. Simply-supported bridge finite element models were created and examined under seismic events mimicking what could be experienced in AASHTO Seismic Zone 2. Bridges were analyzed using practical ranges of: radius of curvature; girder and cross frame spacings; and lateral bracing configuration. Results from the study indicated that: (1) radius of curvature had the greatest influence on seismic response; (2) interior (lowest radius) girder reactions were heavily influenced by parameter variations and, in certain instances, uplift at their bearings could be a concern; (3) vertical excitation more heavily influenced bearing and cross frame seismic response; and (4) lateral bracing helped reduce seismic effects but using bracing along the entire span did not provide additional benefit over placing bracing only in bays adjacent to the supports.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2014

The friction damper can be used for improving the seismic resistance of existing buildings. The damper is often installed in bracing members. The energy dissipation capacity of the damping systems depends on the type of the structure, the configuration of the bracing members, and the property of dampers. In Korea, there are numerous low- to mid-rise reinforced concrete moment frames that were constructed considering only gravity loads. Those frames may be vulnerable for future earthquakes. To resolve the problem, this study developed a toggle bracing system with a high density friction damper. To investigate the improvement of reinforced concrete frames after retrofit using the developed damped system, experimental tests were conducted on frame specimens with and without the damped system. The results showed that the maximum strength, initial stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of the framed with the damped system were much larger than those of the frame without the damped system.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.915-935
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• 2016

Steel systems composed of Reinforced Concrete column to Steel beam connection (RCS) have been raised as a structural system in the past few years. The optimized combination of steel-concrete structural elements has the advantages of both systems. Through beam and through column connections are two main categories in RCS systems. This study includes finite-element analyses of mentioned connection to investigate the seismic performance of RCS connections. The finite element model using ABAQUS software has been verified with experimental results of a through beam type connection tested in Taiwan in 2005. According to verified finite element model a parametric study has been carried out on five RCS frames with different types of lateral restraint system. The main objective of this study is to investigate the forming of plastic hinges, distribution of stresses, ductility and stiffness of these models. The results of current research showed good performance of composite systems including concrete column-steel beam in combination with steel shear wall and bracing system, are very desirable. The results show that the linear stiffness of models with X bracing and steel shear wall increase remarkably and their ultimate strength increase about three times rather than other RCS frames.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2012

The researches related to active control systems utilizing superelastic shape memory alloys (SMA) have been recently conducted to reduce critical damage due to lateral deformation after severe earthquakes. Although Superelastic SMAs undergo considerable inelastic deformation, they can return to original conditions without heat treatment only after stress removal. We can expect the mitigation of residual deformation owing to inherent recentering characteristics when these smart materials are installed at the part where large deformation is likely to occur. Therefore, the primary purpose of this research is to develop concentrically braced frames (CBFs) with superelastic SMA bracing systems and to evaluate the seismic performance of such frame structures. In order to investigate the inter-story drift response of CBF structures, 3- and 6-story buildings were design according to current design specifications, and then nonlinear time-history analyses were performed on numerical 2D frame models. Based on the numerical analysis results, it can be comparatively verified that the CBFs with superelastic SMA bracing systems have more structural advantages in terms of energy dissipation and recentering behavior than those with conventional steel bracing systems.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.205-217
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• 2011

This article describes the research work involving the implementation of an Active Bracing System aimed at the modification of the initial dynamics of a laboratorial building structure to a new desired dynamics. By means of an adequate control force it is possible to assign an entirely new dynamics to a system by moving its natural frequencies and damping ratios to different values with the purpose of achieving a better overall structural response to external loads. In Civil Engineering applications, the most common procedures for controlling vibrations in structures include changing natural frequencies in order to avoid resonance phenomena and increasing the damping ratios of the critical vibration modes. In this study, the actual implementation of an active system is demonstrated, which is able to perform such modifications in a wide frequency range; to this end, a plane frame physical model with 4 degrees-of-freedom is used. The Active Bracing System developed is actuated by a linear motor controlled by an algorithm based on pole assignment strategy. The efficiency of this control system is verified experimentally by analyzing the control effect obtained with the modification of the initial dynamic parameters of the plane frame and observing the subsequent structural response.