• Architectural research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2018

Countermeasures against earthquake disasters such as the seismic capacity evaluation and/or retrofit schemes of buildings, especially existing low-rise reinforced concrete buildings, have not been fully performed since Korea had not experienced many destructive earthquakes in the past. However, due to more than 1200 earthquakes with low or moderate intensity in the off-coastal and inland of Korea during the past 20 years, and due to the recent moderate earthquakes in Korea, such as the 2016 Gyeongju Earthquake with M=5.8 and the 2017 Pohang Earthquake with M=5.4, the importance of the future earthquake preparedness measures is highly recognized in Korea. The main objective of this study is to provide the basic information regarding seismic capacities of existing low-rise reinforced concrete buildings in Korea. In this paper, seismic capacities of 14 existing low-rise reinforced concrete public buildings in Korea are evaluated based on the Japanese Standard for Evaluation of Seismic Capacity of Existing Reinforced Concrete Buildings. Seismic capacities between existing buildings in Korea and those in Japan is compared, and the relationship of seismic vulnerability of Korean buildings and Japanese buildings damaged due to severe earthquakes are also discussed. Results indicated that Korean existing low-rise reinforced concrete buildings have a narrow distribution of seismic capacities and they are relatively lower than Japanese buildings, and are also expected to have severe damage under the earthquake intensity level experienced in Japan. It should be noted from the research results that the high ductility in Korean existing low-rise buildings obtained from the Japanese Standard may be overestimated, because most buildings investigated herein have the hoop spacing wider than 30 cm. In the future, the modification of strength and ductility indices in the Japanese Standard to propose the seismic capacity evaluation method of Korean buildings is most needed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.479-494
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• 2012

This study explores a coefficient-based seismic capacity assessment method with a special emphasis on low-rise masonry in-filled (MI) reinforced concrete (RC) buildings subjected to earthquake motion. The coefficient-based method without requiring any complicated finite element analysis is a simplified procedure to assess the maximum spectral acceleration capacity of buildings. This paper first compares the fundamental periods of MI RC structures obtained, respectively, from experimental period data and empirical period-height formulas. The coefficient-based method for low-rise masonry buildings is then calibrated by the published experimental results obtained from shaking table tests. The comparison of the experimental and estimated results indicates that the simplified coefficient-based method can provide good approximations of the maximum spectral accelerations at peak loads of the low-rise masonry reinforced concrete buildings if a proper set of drift factors and initial fundamental vibration periods of structures are used.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2023

This study investigates the effectiveness of tuned mass dampers (TMDs) in controlling vibrations in low-rise reinforced concrete buildings. It examines both linear and nonlinear behaviors of concrete structures subjected to strong ground motions from the PEER database. The research follows the ASCE 7-16 provisions to model structural nonlinearity. Additionally, the study explores the effect of varying TMD mass ratios on the performance of these systems in real-world conditions. The findings emphasize the importance of accounting for structural nonlinearity in low-rise buildings, highlighting its significant influence on the controlled response under severe seismic excitations. The study suggests including nonlinear analysis in seismic design practices and recommends customizing TMD designs to optimize vibration control. These recommendations have practical implications for enhancing the safety and effectiveness of seismic design practices for low-rise buildings.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.3 no.1 s.7
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• pp.47-55
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• 2003

This paper is concerned with the dynamic characteristics of buildings, especially with the measurement of the natural frequencies(natural periods) and the damping. Process of ambient vibration and synchronized human excitation tests for natural period and damping are given. Data from measurement on 16 reinforced concrete buildings in Seoul and Seoul national university of technology are given. 16 Low-rise Reinforced concrete buildings are measured for ambient vibration to obtain the vibrations characteristics. The natural periods obtained by ambient vibration measurements are compared with those of forecast model suggested by standards and foreign researchers. The natural periods show a clear dependence on building height. On the other hand, the damping ration scatter under the influence of various factors, for example, building height and natural frequency.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.483-503
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• 2016

This study aims to evaluate seismic performance of existing low and mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings by comparing their displacement capacities and displacement demands under selected ground motions experienced in Turkey as well as demand spectrum provided in 2007 Turkish Earthquake Code for design earthquake with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years for soil class Z3. It should be noted that typical residential buildings are designed according to demand spectrum of 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. Three RC building sets as 2-, 4- and 7-story, are selected to represent reference low-and mid-rise buildings located in the high seismicity region of Turkey. The selected buildings are typical beam-column RC frame buildings with no shear walls. The outcomes of detailed field and archive investigation including approximately 500 real residential RC buildings established building models to reflect existing building stock. Total of 72 3-D building models are constructed from the reference buildings to include the effects of some properties such as structural irregularities, concrete strength, seismic codes, structural deficiencies, transverse reinforcement detailing, and number of story on seismic performance of low and mid-rise RC buildings. Capacity curves of building sets are obtained by nonlinear static analyses conducted in two principal directions, resulting in 144 models. The inelastic dynamic characteristics are represented by "equivalent" Single-Degree-of- Freedom (ESDOF) systems using obtained capacity curves of buildings. Nonlinear time history analysis is used to estimate displacement demands of representative building models idealized with (ESDOF) systems subjected to the selected ground motion records from past earthquakes in Turkey. The results show that the significant number of pre-modern code 4- and 7-story buildings exceeds LS performance level while the modern code 4- and 7-story buildings have better performances. The findings obviously indicate the existence of destructive earthquakes especially for 4- and 7-story buildings. Significant improvements in the performance of the buildings per modern code are also obvious in the study. Almost one third of pre-modern code buildings is exceeding LS level during records in the past earthquakes. This observation also supports the building damages experienced in the past earthquake events in Turkey.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.5
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• pp.563-576
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• 2019

According to The Concrete Centre, in the UK shear walls have become an inseparable part of almost every reinforced concrete frame building. Recently, the construction industry has questioned the need for shear walls in low to mid-rise RC frame buildings. This study tried to address the issue in two stages: The first stage, the feasibility of removing shear walls in an existing design for a residential building where ETABS and CONCEPT software were used to investigate the structural performance and cost-effectiveness respectively. The second stage, the same structure was examined in various locations in the UK to investigate regional effects. This study demonstrated that the building without shear wall could provide adequate serviceability and strength within the safe range defined by Eurocodes. As a result, construction time, overall cost and required concrete volume are reduced which in turn enhance the sustainability of concrete construction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.4_2
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• pp.611-619
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• 2022

In this study, the seismic performance of low - rise piloti buildings with concentric core (shear wall) position is analysed and reviewed based on KDS 41. The prototype is selected among the constructed low - rise piloti buildings with concentric core designed based on KBC 2005 which was used for many low - rise piloti buildings construction. The seismic performance of the building shows plastic behavior in X-direction and elastic behavior in Y-direction. The inter-story drift is lager than that of concentric core case and is under the maximum allowed drift ratio. The displacement ratio of first story is much lager the that of upper stories, and the frame structure in the first story is evaluated as vulnerable to lateral force. Therefore, low - rise piloti buildings with concentric core need the diminishment of lateral displacement and reinforcement of lateral resistance capacity in seismic design and seismic retrofit.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.293-311
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• 2016

A parametric study on the nonlinear seismic response of isolated reinforced concrete structural frame is presented. Three prototype frames designed according to the 1954 Hellenic seismic code, with number of floor ranging from 1 to 3 were considered. These low rise frames are representative of many existing reinforced concrete buildings in Greece. The efficacy of the implementation of both lead rubber bearings (LRB) and friction pendulum isolators (FPI) base isolation systems were examined. The selection of the isolation devices was made according to the ratio $T_{is}/T_{fb}$, where Tis is the period of the base isolation system and $T_{bf}$ is the period of the fixed-base building. The main purpose of this comprehensive study is to investigate the effect of the isolation system period on the seismic response of inadequately designed low rise buildings. Thus, the implementation of isolation systems which correspond to the ratio $T_{is}/T_{fb}$ that values from 3 to 5 is studied. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed to investigate the response of the isolated structures using a set of three natural seismic ground motions. The evaluation of each retrofitting case was made in terms of storey drift and storey shear force while in view of serviceability it was made in terms of storey acceleration. Finally, the maximum developed displacements and the residual displacements of the isolation systems are presented.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2015

A new SRCF (Steel Reinforced Concrete Frame) external connection method for seismic strengthening of medium-and low-rise reinforced concrete buildings is reported in this paper. The SRCF method, proposed in this study, is capable of carrying out the seismic retrofitting construction while residents can live inside building. The method is one of the strength design approach by retrofit which can easily increase the ultimate lateral load capacity of concrete buildings controlled by shear. The pseudo-dynamic test, designed using a existing school building in Korea, was carried out in order to verify the seismic strengthening effects of the proposed method in terms of the maximum load carrying capacity and deformation. Test results revealed that the proposed SRCF strengthening method installed in RC frame enhanced conspicuously the strength and deformation capacities, and the method can resist markedly under the large scaled earthquake intensity level.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.467-485
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• 2015

This paper presents a comprehensive work on determination of yield base shear coefficient and displacement ductility factor of three to eight story actual reinforced concrete buildings, instead of using generic frames. The building data is provided by a walkdown survey in different locations of the pilot areas. Very detailed three dimensional models of the selected buildings are generated by using the data provided in architectural and reinforcement projects. Capacity curves of the buildings are obtained from nonlinear static pushover analyses and each capacity curve is approximated with a bilinear curve. Characteristic points of capacity curve, the yield base shear capacity, the yield displacement and the ultimate displacement capacity, are determined. The calculated values of the yield base shear coefficients and the displacement ductility factors for directions into consideration are compared by those expected values given in different versions of Turkish Seismic Design Code. Although having sufficient lateral strength capacities, the deformation capacities of these typical mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings are found to be considerably low.