• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.355-369
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• 2021

Shape optimization of tall buildings is an efficient approach to mitigate wind-induced effects. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of shape modifications to improve the building's aerodynamic properties. On the other hand, it is well-known that the cross-section geometry has a direct impact in the floor area availability and subsequently in the building's profitability. Hence, it is of interest for the designers to find the balance between these two design criteria that may require contradictory design strategies. This study proposes a surrogate-based multi-objective optimization framework to tackle this design problem. Closed-form equations provided by the Eurocode are used to obtain the wind-induced responses for several wind directions, seeking to develop an industry-oriented approach. CFD-based surrogates emulate the aerodynamic response of the building cross-section, using as input parameters the cross-section geometry and the wind angle of attack. The definition of the building's modified plan shapes is done adopting the reduced basis approach, advancing the current strategies currently adopted in aerodynamic optimization of civil engineering structures. The multi-objective optimization problem is solved with both the classical weighted Sum Method and the Weighted Min-Max approach, which enables obtaining the complete Pareto front in both convex and non-convex regions. Two application examples are presented in this study to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed strategy, which permits the identification of Pareto optima from which the designer can choose the most adequate design balancing profitability and occupant comfort.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.361-376
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• 2008

This paper considers internal pressure fluctuations for a range of building volumes and dominant wall opening areas. The study recognizes that the air flow in and out of the dominant opening in the envelope generates Helmholtz resonance, which can amplify the internal pressure fluctuations compared to the external pressure, at the opening. Numerical methods were used to estimate fluctuating standard deviation and peak (i.e. design) internal pressures from full-scale measured external pressures. The ratios of standard deviation and peak internal pressures to the external pressures at a dominant windward wall opening of area, AW are presented in terms of the non-dimensional opening size to volume parameter, $S^*=(a_s/\bar{U}_h)^2(A_W^{3/2}/V_{Ie})$ where $a_s$ is the speed of sound, $\bar{U}_h$ is the mean wind speed at the top of the building and $V_{Ie}$ is the effective internal volume. The standard deviation of internal pressure exceeds the external pressures at the opening, for $S^*$ greater than about 0.75, showing increasing amplification with increasing $S^*$. The peak internal pressure can be expected to exceed the peak external pressure at the opening by 10% to 50%, for $S^*$ greater than about 5. A dominant leeward wall opening also produces similar fluctuating internal pressure characteristics.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.459-477
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• 2007

A bi-directional tuned mass damper (BTMD) in which a mass connected by two translational springs and two viscous dampers in two orthogonal directions has been introduced to control coupled lateral and torsional vibrations of asymmetric building. An efficient control strategy has been presented in this context to control displacements as well as acceleration responses of asymmetric buildings having asymmetry in both plan and elevation. The building is idealized as a simplified 3D model with two translational and a rotational degrees of freedom for each floor. The principles of rigid body transformation have been incorporated to account for eccentricity between center of mass and center of rigidity. The effective and robust design of BTMD for controlling the vibrations in structures has been presented. The redundancy of optimum design has been checked. Non dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA) has been used for tuning optimum stages and locations of BTMDs and its parameters for control of vibration of seismically excited buildings. The optimal locations have been observed to be reasonably compact and practically implementable.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2017

One of the important phases of probabilistic performance-based methodology is establishing appropriate probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs). These demand models relate ground motion intensity measures (IMs) to demand measures (DMs). The objective of this paper is selection of the optimal IMs in probabilistic seismic demand analysis (PSDA) of the RC high-rise buildings. In selection process features such as: efficiency, practically, proficiency and sufficiency are considered. RC high-rise buildings with core wall structural system are selected as a case study building class with the three characteristic heights: 20-storey, 30-storey and 40-storey. In order to determine the most optimal IMs, 720 nonlinear time-history analyses are conducted for 60 ground motion records with a wide range of magnitudes and distances to source, and for various soil types, thus taking into account uncertainties during ground motion selection. The non-linear 3D models of the case study buildings are constructed. A detailed regression analysis and statistical processing of results are performed and appropriate PSDMs for the RC high-rise building are derived. Analyzing a large number of results it are adopted conclusions on the optimality of individual ground motion IMs for the RC high-rise building.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1323-1343
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• 2016

This paper presents the results of an extensive numerical analysis program devoted to the investigation of the mechanical behaviour of bolted ball-cylinder joints. The analysis program is developed by means of finite element (FE) models implemented in the non-linear code ABAQUS. The FE models have been accurately calibrated on the basis of available experimental results. It is indicated that the FE models could be used effectively to describe the mechanical performance of bolted ball-cylinder joints, including failure modes, stress distributions and load-displacement curves. Therefore, the proposed FE models could be regarded as an efficient and accurate tool to investigate the mechanical behavior of bolted ball-cylinder joints. In addition, to develop a further investigation, parametric studies were performed, varying the dimensions of hollow cylinders, rectangular tubes, convex washers and ribbed stiffener. It is found that the dimensions of hollow cylinders, rectangular tubes and ribbed stiffener influenced the mechanical behaviour of bolted ball-cylinder joints significantly. On the contrary, the effects of the dimensions of convex washers were negligible.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2014

For a building with a dominant windward wall opening, the wind-induced internal pressure response can be described by a second-order non-linear differential equation. However, there are two ill-defined parameters in the governing equation: the inertial coefficient $C_I$ and the loss coefficient $C_L$. Lack of knowledge of these two parameters restricts the practical use of the governing equation. This study was primarily focused on finding an accurate reference value for $C_I$, and the paper presents a systematic investigation of the factors influencing the inertial coefficient for a wind-tunnel model building including: opening configuration and location, wind speed and direction, approaching flow turbulence, the model material, and the installation method. A numerical model was used to simulate the volume deformation under internal pressure, and to predict the bulk modulus of an experimental model. In considering the structural flexibility, an alternative approach was proposed to ensure accurate internal volume distortions, so that similarity of internal pressure responses between model-scale and full-scale building was maintained. The research showed 0.8 to be a reasonable standard value for the inertial coefficient.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2013

The wind-induced transient response of internal pressure following the creation of a sudden dominant opening during the occurrence of high external pressure, in low-rise residential and industrial buildings was numerically investigated. The values of the ill-defined parameters namely the flow contraction coefficient, loss coefficient and the effective slug length were calibrated by matching the analytical response with the computational fluid dynamics predictions. The effect of a sudden i.e., "instantaneously created" windward opening in the Texas Technical University (TTU) test building envelope was studied for two different envelope flexibility-leakage combinations namely: (1) a quasi-statically flexible and non-porous envelope and (2) a quasi-statically flexible and porous envelope. The responses forced by creating the openings at different time leads/lags with respect to the occurrence of the peak external pressure showed that for cases where the openings are created in close temporal proximity to the peak pressure, the transient overshoot values of internal pressure could be higher than the peak values of internal pressure in the pre-sequent or subsequent resonant response. In addition, the influence of time taken for opening creation on the level of overshoot was also investigated for the TTU building for the two different envelope characteristics. Non-dimensional overshoot factors are presented for a variety of cavity volume-opening area combinations for (1) buildings with rigid/quasi-statically flexible non-porous envelope, and (2) buildings with rigid/quasi-statically flexible and porous envelope (representing most low rise residential and industrial buildings). While the factors appear slightly on the high side due to conservative assumptions made in the analysis, a careful consideration regarding the implication of the timing and magnitude of such overshoots during strong gusts, in relation to the steady state internal pressure response in cyclonic regions, is warranted.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.3 s.55
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• pp.11-21
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• 2007

Potential damage and losses associated with structural systems caused by earthquake can be reduced by application of seismic design to the structures. Because the building cost required for seismic design is generally higher than the cost for non-seismic design, the application of seismic design must be justified considering both seismic performance and cost. This paper presents a risk-based fiamework for evaluation and comparison of seismic performance of structures such that necessary data can be supplied for decision making on seismic design. Seismic fragility curve is utilized for seismic risk assessment of structures, and the process for decision analysis on adaptation of seismic design is presented based on the equivalent cost model.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2003

This study aims to provide basic data that can be applied to construct real structures. For this, an experimental structure was manufactured to identify durability according to age of fiber-reinforced concrete which contains fiber reinforcement materials (polypropylene fiber, steel fiber, cellulose fiber) and structural property about flexural behavior and destruction of reinforced concrete beam, and a relation between load and deflection, crack and destruction according to increase of load and ductility capacity was examined. Fiber-reinforced concrete materials and other constructional materials were experimented and the result is presented as follows: The results obtained through material test of concrete and static experiment of members usings 1. The experiment shows that compressive strength of fiber-reinforced concrete was lower than that of non-reinforced concrete. 2. As a result of strength experiment according to different kinds of fiber, compressive strength of an experimented structure that contains cellulose fiber was the highest when age was 28. 3. When deflection of reinforced concrete beam was examined, it was reported that ductility capacity of the experimented structure that contains fiber-reinforced concrete was raise than that of non-reinforced concrete.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.27-35
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• 1998

Steel structures with added viscoelastic dampers are analysed to investigat their behavior under earthquake excitation. The direct integration method, which produces exact solution for the non-proportional or non-classical damping system, is used throughout the analysis. The results from modal strain energy method are also provided for comparison. Then a new analytical a, pp.oach, based on the rigid floor diaphragm assumption and matrix condensation technique, is introduced, and the results are compared with those obtained from direct integration method and modal strain energy method. The well known phenomenon, that the effectiveness of the viscoelastic dampers depends greatly on the location of the dampers, is once again confirmed in the analysis. It is also found that the modal strain energy method generaly underestimates the responses obtained from the direct integration method, especially when the dampers are placed in only a part of the building. The proposed method turns out to be very efficient with considerable saving in computation this and reasonably accurate considering the reduced degrees of freedom.