• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.193-199
• /
• 2020

This study examines a method for identifying stiffness reductions in structures subjected to seismic loads and retrofitting effects using a combination of the finite element method and an advanced genetic algorithm. The novelty of this study is the application of seismic loading and its response to anomalies in the tested structure. The technique described in this study may enable not only detection of damaged elements but also the identification of their locations and the extent of damage due to seismic loading. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, the advanced genetic algorithm is applied to frame and truss bridge structures subjected to El Centro and Pohang seismic loads. The results reveal the excellent computational efficiency of the method and its ability to prevent severe damage from earthquakes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.481-501
• /
• 2015

Current design codes and technical recommendations often provide rough indications on how to assess effective stiffness of Reinforced Concrete (R/C) frames subjected to seismic loads, which is a key factor when a linear analysis is performed. The Italian design code (NTC-2008), Eurocode 8 and ACI 318 do not take into account all the structural parameters affecting the effective stiffness and this may not be on the safe side when second-order $P-{\Delta}$ effects may occur. This paper presents a study on the factors influencing the effective stiffness of R/C beams, columns and walls under seismic forces. Five different approaches are adopted and analyzed in order to evaluate the effective stiffness of R/C members, in accordance with the scientific literature and the international design codes. Furthermore, the paper discusses the outcomes of a parametric analysis performed on an actual R/C building and analyses the main variables, namely reinforcement ratio, axial load ratio, concrete compressive strength, and type of shallow beams. The second-order effects are investigated and the resulting displacements related to the Damage Limit State (DLS) under seismic loads are discussed. Although the effective stiffness increases with steel ratio, the analytical results show that the limit of 50% of the initial stiffness turns out to be the upper bound for small values of axial-load ratio, rather than a lower bound as indicated by both Italian NTC-2008 and EC8. As a result, in some cases the current Italian and European provisions tend to underestimate second-order $P-{\Delta}$ effects, when the DLS is investigated under seismic loading.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.31-41
• /
• 2024

This study aims to investigate the seismic response of a large span thin shell structures and assess their displacement under seismic loads. The study employs finite element analysis to model a thin shell structure subjected to seismic excitation. The analysis includes eigenvalue analysis and time history analysis to evaluate the natural frequencies and displacement response of the structure under seismic loads. The findings show that the seismic response of the large span thin shell structure is highly dependent on the frequency content of the seismic excitation. The eigenvalue analysis reveals that the tenth mode of vibration of the structure corresponds to a large-span mode. The time history analysis further demonstrates, with 5% damping, that the displacement response of the structure at the critical node number 4920 increases with increasing seismic intensity, reaching a maximum displacement of 49.87mm at 3.615 seconds. Nevertheless, the maximum displacement is well below the allowable limit of the thin shell. The results of this study provide insight into the behaviour of complex large span thin shell structures as elevated foundations for buildings under seismic excitation, based on the displacement contours on different modes of eigenvalues. The findings suggest that the displacement response of the structure is significant for this new application of thin shell, and it is recommended to enhance the critical displacement area in the next design phase to align with the findings of this study to resist the seismic impact.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.81 no.3
• /
• pp.281-292
• /
• 2022

This study aimed to analyze the dynamic punching shear performance of slab-column joints under cyclic loads with the use of double-hooked end (5D) steel fibers. Structural systems such as slab-column joints are widely found in infrastructures. The susceptibility to collapse of such structures when submitted to seismic loads is highly dependent on the structural performance of the slab-column connections. For this reason, the punching capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) structures has been the subject of a great number of studies. Steel fibers are used to achieve a certain degree of ductility under seismic loads. In this context, 5D steel hooked fibers provide high levels of fiber anchoring, tensile strength and ductility. However, only limited research has been carried out on the performance under cyclic loads of concrete structural members containing steel fibers. This study covers this gap with experimental testing of five different full-scale subassemblies of RC slab-column joints: one without punching reinforcement, one with conventional punching reinforcement and three with 5D steel fibers. The subassemblies were tested under cyclic loading, which consisted of applying increasing lateral displacement cycles, such as in seismic situations, with a constant axial load on the column. This set of cycles was repeated for increasing axial loads on the column until failure. The results showed that 5D steel fiber subassemblies: i) had a greater capacity to dissipate energy, ii) improved punching shear strength and stiffness degradation under cyclic loads; and iii) increased cyclic loading capacity.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.68 no.2
• /
• pp.193-201
• /
• 2018

This paper describes an experimental study on the seismic performance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) T-shaped columns. The lateral loads were applied along the web of the column with different loading histories, such as monotonic loading, mixed loading of variable amplitude cyclic loading and monotonic loading, constant amplitude cyclic loading and variable amplitude cyclic loading. The failure modes, load-displacement curves, characteristic loads and displacements, ductility, strength and stiffness degradations and energy dissipation capacity of the column were analyzed. The effects of loading history on the seismic performance were focused on. The test results show that the specimens behaved differently in the aspects of the failure mode subject to different loading history, although all the failure modes can be summarized as flexural failure. The hysteretic loops of specimens are plump, and minimum values of the failure drift angles and ductility coefficients are 1/24 and 4.64, respectively, which reflect good seismic performance of SRC T-shaped column. With the increasing numbers of loading cycles, the column reveals lower bearing capacity and ductility. The strength and stiffness of the column with variable amplitude cyclic loading degrades more rapidly than that with constant amplitude cyclic loading, and the total cumulative dissipated energy of the former is less.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.123-132
• /
• 2018

In this paper the strain energy density (SED) model is used to analyze the seismic behavior of suspen-domes and a new criterion is established for judging the seismic failure based on a characteristic point in the SED model. Firstly, a nonlinear time-history response analysis was carried out using the finite-element package ANSYS for typical suspen-domes subjected to different ground motions. The seismic responses including nodal displacements, ratios of yielding members, strain energy density and structural maximum deformation energy were extracted corresponding to the increasing peak ground acceleration (A). Secondly, the SED sum ($I_d$) was calculated which revealed that the $I_d-A$ curve exhibited a relatively large change (called a characteristic point) at a certain value of A with a very small load increment after the structures entered the elastic-plastic state. Thirdly, a SED criterion is proposed to judge the seismic failure load based on the characteristic point. Subsequently, the case study verifies the characteristic point and the proposed SED criterion. Finally, this paper describes the unity and application of the SED criterion. The SED method may open a new way for structural appraisal and the SED criterion might give a unified criterion for predicting the failure loads of various structures subjected to dynamic loads.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2018

The seismic response, the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of an offshore wind turbine with twisted tripod substructure subject to various pile-ground interactions are discussed in this paper. The acceleration responses of the tower head by four historical earthquakes are presented as the seismic response, while the other loads are assumed as ambient loads. For the pile-ground interactions, the fixed, linear and nonlinear models are employed to simulate the interactions and the p-y, t-z and Q-z curves are utilized for the linear and nonlinear models. The curves are designed for stiff, medium and soft clays, and thus, the seven types of the pile-ground interactions are used to compare the seismic response, the acceleration of the tower head. The mode shapes are similar to each other for all types of pile-ground interactions. The natural frequencies, however, are almost same for the three clay types of the linear model, while the natural frequency of the fixed support model is quite different from that of the linear interaction model. The wind turbine with the fixed support model has the biggest magnitude of acceleration. In addition, the nonlinear model is more sensitive to the stiffness of clay than the linear pile-ground interaction model.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.83-96
• /
• 2020

The main structural elements of historical masonry arch bridges are arches, spandrel walls, piers and foundations. The most vulnerable structural elements of masonry arch bridges under transverse seismic loads, particularly in the case of out-of-plane actions, are spandrel wall. The vulnerability of spandrel walls under transverse loads increases with the increasing of their length and height. This paper computationally investigates the out-of-plane nonlinear seismic response of spandrel walls of long-span and high masonry stone arch bridges. The Malabadi Bridge with a main arch span of 40.86m and rise of 23.45m built in 1147 in Diyarbakır, Turkey, is selected as an example. The Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) material model adjusted to masonry structures, and cohesive interface interaction between the infill and the spandrel walls and the arch are considered in the 3D finite element model of the selected bridge. Firstly, mode shapes with and without cohesive interfaces are evaluated, and then out-of-plane seismic failure responses of the spandrel walls with and without the cohesive interfaces are determined and compared with respect to the displacements, strains and stresses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.1-24
• /
• 2012

A reinforced concrete (RC) framed structure detailed according to non-seismic detailing provisions as per Indian Standard was tested on shake table under dynamic loads. The structure had 3 main storeys and an additional storey to simulate the footing to plinth level. In plan the structure was symmetric with 2 bays in each direction. In order to optimize the information obtained from the tests, tests were planned in three different stages. In the first stage, tests were done with masonry infill panels in one direction to obtain information on the stiffness increase due to addition of infill panels. In second stage, the infills were removed and tests were conducted on the structure without and with tuned liquid dampers (TLD) on the roof of the structure to investigate the effect of TLD on seismic response of the structure. In the third stage, tests were conducted on bare frame structure under biaxial time histories with gradually increasing peak ground acceleration (PGA) till failure. The simulated earthquakes represented low, moderate and severe seismic ground motions. The effects of masonry infill panels on dynamic characteristics of the structure, effectiveness of TLD in reducing the seismic response of structure and the failure patterns of non-seismically detailed structures, are clearly brought out. Details of design and similitude are also discussed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.441-453
• /
• 2017

In Y-shaped eccentrically braced frame fabricated with high strength steel (Y-HSS-EBF), link uses conventional steel while other structural members use high strength steel. Cyclic test for a 1:2 length scaled one-bay and one-story Y-HSS-EBF specimen and shake table test for a 1:2 length scaled three-story Y-HSS-EBF specimen were carried out to research the seismic performance of Y-HSS-EBF. These include the failure mode, load-bearing capacity, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, dynamic properties, acceleration responses, displacement responses, and dynamic strain responses. The test results indicated that the one-bay and one-story Y-HSS-EBF specimen had good load-bearing capacity and ductility capacity. The three-story specimen cumulative structural damage and deformation increased, while its stiffness decreased. There was no plastic deformation observed in the braces, beams, or columns in the three-story Y-HSS-EBF specimen, and there was no danger of collapse during the seismic loads. The designed shear link dissipated the energy via shear deformation during the seismic loads. When the specimen was fractured, the maximum link plastic rotation angle was higher than 0.08 rad for the shear link in AISC341-10. The Y-HSS-EBF is a safe dual system with reliable hysteretic behaviors and seismic performance.