• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.523-545
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• 2013

In this study, the effect of presence and distribution of masonry infill walls on the mid-rise steel frame structures having soft ground storey was evaluated by implementing finite element (FE) methods. Masonry infill walls were distributed randomly in the upper storey keeping the ground storey open without any infill walls, thus generating the worst case scenario for seismic events. It was observed from the analysis that there was an increase in the seismic design forces, moments and base shear in presence of randomly distributed masonry infill walls which underlines that these design values need to be amplified when designing a mid-rise soft ground storey steel frame with randomly distributed masonry infill. In addition, it was found that the overstrength related force modification factor increased and the ductility related force modification factor decreased with the increase in the amount of masonry infilled bays and panels. These must be accounted for in the design of mid-rise steel frames. Based on the FE analysis results on two mid-rise steel frames, design equations were proposed for determining the over strength and the ductility related force modification factors. However, it was recommended that these equations to be generalized for other steel frame structure systems based on an extensive analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.305-325
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• 2020

Beams of steel frame-tube structures (SFTSs) typically have span-to-depth ratios of less than five. This makes a flexural beam unsuitable for such an application because the plastic hinges at the beam-ends cannot be adequately developed. This leads to lower ductility and energy dissipation capacities of SFTSs. To address this, SFTSs with bolted web-connected replaceable shear links (SFTS-BWSLs) are proposed. In this structural system, a web-connected replaceable shear link with a back-to-back double channel section is placed at the mid-length of the deep beam to act as a ductile fuse. This allows energy from earthquakes to be dissipated through link shear deformation. SFTS and SFTS-BWSL buildings were examined in this study. Several sub-structures were selected from each designed building and finite element models were established to study their respective hysteretic performance. The seismic behavior of each designed building was observed through static and dynamic analyses. The results indicate that the SFTS-BWSL and SFTS have similar initial lateral stiffness and shear leg properties. The SFTS-BWSL had lower strength, but higher ductility and energy dissipation capacities. Compared to the SFTS, the SFTS-BWSL had lower interstory drift, base shear force, and story shear force during earthquakes. This design approach could concentrate plasticity on the shear link while maintaining the residual interstory drift at less than 0.5%. The SFTS-BWSL is a reliable resistant system that can be repaired by replacing shear links damaged due to earthquakes.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2010

After obtaining tensile and compressive stiffness as well as shear stiffness of elastomeric seismic isolator experimentally, those stiffness were modeled analytically using nonlinear computer program. To induce tensile stress due to overturning in the seismic isolators of an isolated frame for horizontal force, free vibration simulations generated by large initial displacement were conducted. Since elastomeric seismic isolator is weak for tensile stress, the axial stiffness of isolators shall be included properly in the analytical model to evaluate the uplift phenomenon of elastomeric seismic isolator.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.713-732
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• 2015

The application of the compressive force path method for the design of earthquake-resistant reinforced concrete structural walls with a shear span-to-depth ratio larger than 2.5 has been shown by experiment to lead to a significant reduction of the code specified transverse reinforcement within the critical lengths without compromising the code requirements for structural performance. The present work complements these findings with experimental results obtained from tests on structural walls with a shear span-to-depth ratio smaller than 2.5. The results show that the compressive force path method is capable of safeguarding the code performance requirements without the need of transverse reinforcement confining concrete within the critical lengths. Moreover, it is shown that ductility can be considerably increased by improving the strength of the two bottom edges of the walls through the use of structural steel elements extending to a small distance of the order of 100 mm from the wall base.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2009

Numerical analysis of shear walls governed by flexural behavior is conducted for the seismic control performance of proposed friction dampers installed at the center of coupling beams. Control effectiveness of shear walls connected by beams with the proposed dampers are compared for single shear wall with same flexural rigidity. Average responses of the shear walls with the dampers are found with seven scaled-downed earthquakes based on KEC 2005 design spectrum. Slip load is the most important design parameter. It is designed to be 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90% of total vertical shear force at damper location to prevent damper slip in specific stories. Nonlinear time-history analysis is conducted by using SeismoStruct analysis program. Seismic control performance of the dampers is evaluated for base shear, energy dissipation, curvature and top-floor displacement. Results show that the dampers are the most effective in reducing the responses when their total slip load is 30% of total vertical shear force.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.187-200
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• 2021

The main factor for the amplification of ground motions near the crest or the toe of a slope is the reflection of the incident waves. The effects of the slope topography on the surrounding lands over the crest or at the toe can amplify the seismic responses of buildings. This study investigates the seismic performance of the slope topography and three mid-rise buildings (five, ten, and fifteen-storey) located near the crest and toe of the slope by 3D numerical analysis. The nonlinear model was used to represent the real behavior of building and ground elements. The average results of seven records were used in the investigations. Based on the analysis, the amplification factor of acceleration near the crest and toe of the slope was the most effective at distances of 2.5 and 1.3 times the slope height, respectively. Accordingly, the seismic performance of buildings was studied at a distance equal to the height of the slope from the crest and toe. The seismic response results of buildings showed that the slope topography to have little impact on up to five-storey buildings located near the crest. Taking into account a topography-soil-structure interaction system increases the storey displacement and base shear in the building. Accordingly, in topography-soil-structure interaction analyses, the maximum lateral displacement was increased by 71% and 29% in ten and fifteen-storey buildings, respectively, compare to the soil-structure interaction system. Further, the base shear force was increased by 109% and 78% in these buildings relative to soil-structure interaction analyses.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.189-204
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• 2018

This paper examines the seismic responses of a reinforced concrete (RC) frame core-tube building with pre-pressed spring self-centering energy dissipation (PS-SCED) braces. The PS-SCED brace system consists of friction devices for energy dissipation, pre-pressed combination disc springs for self-centering and tube members as guiding elements. A constitutive model of self-centering flag-shaped hysteresis for PS-SCED brace is developed to better simulate the seismic responses of the RC frame core-tube building with PS-SCED braces, which is also verified by the tests of two braces under low cyclic reversed loading. Results indicate that the self-centering and energy dissipation capabilities are well predicted by the proposed constitutive model of the PS-SCED brace. The structure with PS-SCED braces presents similar peak story drift ratio, smaller peak acceleration, smaller base shear force and much smaller residual deformations as compared to the RC frame core-tube building with bucking-restrained braces (BRBs).

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.257-268
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• 2000

The seismic design recommendations of the Jordan Code for Loads and Forces (JC) are evaluated, based on comparisons with analytical studies and the Uniform Building Code. It was established that the overall safety ensured by the implementation of these recommendations is not consistent with the established seismic risk in Jordan and the intended objectives of the code. A new zoning map is proposed with effective peak ground acceleration values. The different period formulae of the code were studied and were found to grossly underestimate the fundamental period when compared with analytically derived values or other codes' formulae. Other factors including the dynamic, soil, importance and behavior factors are discussed. It was determined that the JC's lateral load distribution formulae clearly lead to smaller internal forces than both dynamic analysis and UBC loads, even when those loads are normalized to give the same base shear. The main reason for this is attributed to the limited allowance for a backlash force in the JC.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.411-419
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• 1999

A nonlinear model for time-step analysis of bridges subjected to two orthogonal horizontal components of earthquake motions was developed. The focus of the study was on elastomeric isolators with or without lead cores. The hysteretic behavior of the isolators, the columns, abutments, and shear keys was taken into account. The nonlinear analysis showed that, contrary to linear theory prediction, the use of isolators does not necessarily increase the displacement of the superstructure. Furthermore, it was shown that properly designed isolators can reduce the ductility demand in RC bridge columns substantially.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1107-1124
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• 2018

The structural behavior of reinforced concrete coupled shear wall structures is greatly influenced by the behavior of their coupling beams. This paper presents a process of the seismic analysis of reinforced concrete coupled shear wall-frame system linked by hysteretic dampers at each floor. The hysteretic dampers are located at the middle portion of the linked beams which most of the inelastic damage would be concentrated. This study concerned particularly with wall-frame structures that do not twist. The proposed method, which is based on the energy equilibrium method, offers an important design method by the result of increasing energy dissipation capacity and reducing damage to the wall's base. The optimum distribution of yield shear force coefficients is to evenly distribute the damage at dampers over the structural height based on the cumulative plastic deformation ratio of the dissipation device. Nonlinear dynamic analysis indicates that, with a proper set of damping parameters, the wall's dynamic responses can be well controlled. Finally, based on the total plastic strain energy and its trend through the height of the buildings, a prediction equation is suggested.