• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.459-480
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• 2001

The damage suffered by steel structures during the Northridge (1994) and Kobe (1995) earthquakes indicates that the fully restrained (FR) connections in steel frames did not behave as expected. Consequently, researchers began studying other possibilities, including making the connections more flexible, to reduce the risk of damage from seismic loading. Recent experimental and analytical investigations pointed out that the seismic response of steel frames with partially restrained (PR) connections might be superior to that of similar frames with FR connections since the energy dissipation at PR connections could be significant. This beneficial effect has not yet been fully quantified analytically. Thus, the dissipation of energy at PR connections needs to be considered in analytical evaluations, in addition to the dissipation of energy due to viscous damping and at plastic hinges (if they form). An algorithm is developed and verified by the authors to estimate the nonlinear time-domain dynamic response of steel frames with PR connections. The verified algorithm is then used to quantify the major sources of energy dissipation and their effect on the overall structural response in terms of the maximum base shear and the maximum top displacement. The results indicate that the dissipation of energy at PR connections is comparable to that dissipated by viscous damping and at plastic hinges. In general, the maximum total base shear significantly increases with an increase in the connection stiffness. On the other hand, the maximum top lateral displacement $U_{max}$ does not always increase as the connection stiffness decreases. Energy dissipation is considerably influenced by the stiffness of a connection, defined in terms of the T ratio, i.e., the ratio of the moment the connection would have to carry according to beam line theory (Disque 1964) and the fixed end moment of the girder. A connection with a T ratio of at least 0.9 is considered to be fully restrained. The energy dissipation behavior may be quite different for a frame with FR connections with a T ratio of 1.0 compared to when the T ratio is 0.9. Thus, for nonlinear seismic analysis, a T ratio of at least 0.9 should not be considered to be an FR connection. The study quantitatively confirms the general observations made in experimental results for frames with PR connections. Proper consideration of the PR connection stiffness and other dynamic properties are essential to predict dynamic behavior, no matter how difficult the analysis procedure becomes. Any simplified approach may need to be calibrated using this type of detailed analytical study.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.470-481
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• 2003

Exterior plate-column connection has an unsymmetrical critical section for eccentric shear of which perimeter is less than that of interior connection, and hence, around the connection, unbalanced moment and eccentric shear are developed by both gravity load and lateral loads. Therefore, exterior connection is susceptible to punching shear failure. Current design provision cannot accurately explain strength of existing experiments, partly due to the complexity in the behavior of exterior plate-column connection, or partly due to the theoretical deficiency of the strength analysis model adopted. In the present study, nonlinear finite element analyses were performed for exterior connections belonging to continuous flat plate. For each direction of lateral load, the behavior and strength of exterior plate-column connection were quite different. Based on the numerical result, strength prediction model for exterior connection was proposed for each direction of lateral load. Compared with existing experiments, the proposed method was verified.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.455-468
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• 2019

The behavior of pile-deck connections of pile-supported marginal wharfs subjected to earthquake loading is of key importance to ensure a good performance of this type of structures. Two precast-pretensioned pile-deck connections used in the construction of pile-supported marginal wharfs were tested under cyclic loading. The first is a connection with simple reinforcement details and light steel ratio developed for use where moderate pile-deck rotation demands are expected in the wharf. The second is specifically developed to sustain the large rotation, shear force and bending moment demands, as required for the shortest piles in a marginal wharf. Data obtained from the test program is used in the paper to calibrate an equivalent plastic hinge length that can be incorporated into nonlinear analysis models of these structures when prestressed pile-deck connections with duct embedded dowels are used.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.191-204
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• 2014

In this paper a systematic numerical analysis is performed to obtain the bending moment resisting capacity of a top and seat angle connection, which is a type of partially restrained connection, for a CFT composite frame subjected to cyclic loading. This partially restrained composite CFT connections are fabricated using high strength steel connection bar. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are constructed to investigate the rotational stiffness, bending moment capacity, and failure modes. A wide scope of additional structural behaviors explain the different influences of the top and seat angle connection's parameters, such as the different thickness of connection angles and the gage distances of the high strength steel bar. The moment-rotation angle relationships obtained from the finite element analysis are compared with those from Richard's theoretical equation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.213-228
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• 2020

Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are new materials used in various fields of science and engineering, one of which is civil engineering. Owing to their distinguished capabilities such as super elasticity, energy dissipation, and tolerating cyclic deformations, these materials have been of interest to engineers. On the other hand, the connections of a steel structure are of paramount importance because of their vulnerabilities during an earthquake. Therefore, it is indispensable to find approaches to augment the efficiency and safety of the connection. This research investigates the behavior of steel connections with extended end plates equipped hybridly with 8 rows of high strength bolts as well as Nitinol superelastic SMA bolts. The connections are studied using component method in dual form. In this method, the components affecting the connections behavior, such as beam flange, beam web, column web, extended end plate, and bolts are considered as parallel and series springs according to the Euro-Code3. Then, the nonlinear force- displacement response of the connection is presented in the form of moment-rotation curve. The results obtained from this survey demonstrate that the connection has ductility, in addition to its high strength, due to high ductility of SMA bolts.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 2006

This paper investigates the design equations and the strength behavior of the diaphragm for steel box beams and circular-column connections. The strength of the connection is decided by the strength of the diaphragm and the strength of the beam and the column, because the connection diaphragm supports the concentration forces from the box beam's lower flange. In previous researches, however, the calculation procedure of the diaphragm stress from the indeterminate curved-beam model is to complicated to apply in process of the equation. Moreover, no reasonable design has yet ben made because the diaphragm's effect on the strength of the connection has not ben considered. Therefore, through nonlinear FEM analysis of the connection diaphragm, this study examines the strength behavior of a connection with diaphragm details. In addition, a great difference is confirmed between the theoretical and analytic behaviors. Fi naly, considering the strength of the connection and the rigidity capacity of the diaphragm, the diaphragm design method is proposed.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.565-573
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• 1999

Hihg Tensile Steel enables to reduce the plate thickness comparing to the case when Mild Steel is used. From the economical view points this is very preferable since the reduction in the hull weight. however to use the High Tensile Steel effectively the plate thickness may become thin so that the occurrence of buckling is inevitable and design allowing plate buckling may be necessary. If the inplane stiffness of the plating decreases due to buckling the flexural rigidity of the cross sect6ion of a ship's hull also decreases. This may lead to excessive deflection of the hull girder under longitudinal bending. In these cases a precise estimation of plate's behavior after buckling is necessary and nonliner analysis of isolated and stiffened plates is required for structural sys-tem analysis. In this connection this paper discusses nonlinear behaviour of thin plate under thrust. Based on the analytical method elastic large deflection analysis of isolated plate is perform and simple expression are derived to evaluated the inplane rigidity of plates subjected to uniaxial compression.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.453-458
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• 2002

A recently developed Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) technique is applied to the detection of the damage locations of bridge structures. The HHT may be used to identify the locations of damages which exhibit nonlinear and non-stationary behavior, since the instantaneous frequency characteristics of the measured signal can be analyzed by the HHT. Numerical simulations were conducted on two bridge systems with damages using controlled excitations with sweeping frequency. Nonlinear plastic model using a gap element is employed to model the behavior of the cracked elements in the numerical simulations. The results indicate that the HHT method can reasonably identify the damage locations based on a limited number of acceleration sensors. Experimental study has been 실so carried out on a steel frame to confirm the applicability of the HHT to detect a structural connection with loosened bolts.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1215-1237
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• 2015

The majority of connections in moment resisting frames are considered as being fully-rigid. Consequently, the real behavior of the connection, which has some level of flexibility, is ignored. This may result in inaccurate predictions of structural response. This study investigates the influence of flexibility of the extended end-plate connections in the steel moment frames. This is done at two levels. First, the actual micro-behavior of extended end-plate moment connections is explored with respect to joint flexibility. Then, the macro-behavior of frames with end-plate moment connections is investigated using modal, nonlinear static pushover and incremental dynamic analyses. In all models, the P-Delta effects along with material and geometrical nonlinearities were included in the analyses. Results revealed considerable differences between the behavior of the structural frame with connections modeled as fully-rigid versus those when flexibility was incorporated, specifically difference occurred in the natural periods, strength, and maximum inter-story drift angle.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.12 no.1 s.44
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• pp.1-8
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• 2000

In this study, the effect of semi-rigid connections on the structural behavior of 20-story braced steel structure has been investigated utilizing the second-order elastic structural analysis program in which nonlinear behavior of beam-column connections and geometric nonlinearity have been considered. Global effects such as P-delta effect and sway at the top have been studied, as well as distribution of member force and combined stress in structural members as local effects. When the structure subjected to horizontal load and vertical load is equipped with lateral-load resisting system such as braces, replacement of shear connection with semi-rigid connection has not caused any problem in P-delta effect and top lateral displacement. Distribution of member forces resulted in reduction in member size for economic structural design.