• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.165-172
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• 2002

Generally, the steel rigid frame has been analyzed using finite element analysis tools. While many efforts have been poured into the understanding and accurate prediction for the nonlinear behavior of the columns and beam-columns connections, the base of the columns are modeled as simply hinged or fixed. However, the base of the steel columns practically is neither fixed not hinged. It behaves as semi-rigid. In this paper, the supports of the columns we modeled as semi-rigid and the importance of such approach in moment-resisting columns is evaluated. Two typical buildings designed by the US specification are modeled and analyzed by the finite element based on stiffness method and flexibility method. The column bases of three-story buildings are modeled as rotational springs with a varying degree of stiffness and strength that simulates the semi-rigidity of the base. Depending on the degree of stiffness and strength, the semi-rigidity varies from the hinged to the fixed. Buildings with semi-rigid column bases behaves similarly to the building with fixed bases. It has been numerically observed through the pushover and nonlinear time history analyses that the decrease of the stiffness of the column base induces the rotational demand on the int air beams. an increase of rotation demands on the first store connections and lead to a soft-story mechanists Due often to the construction and environmental effects, undesired reduction of column base stiffness may cause an increase of rotation demands on the first store connections and lead to a soft-story mechanism.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.269-284
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• 1994

The analysis and tests of thin-walled channel frames including nonlinear flexible or semi-rigid connection behaviour is presented. The semi-rigid connection behaviour is modelled using a mathematical approximation of the connection flexibility-moment relationship. Local instability such as local buckling and torsional flexural buckling of the member are included in the analysis. The full response of the frame, up to the collapse load, can be predicted. Experimental investigation was carried out on a series of simple double storey symmetrical frames with the purpose of verifying the accuracy and validity of the analysis. Agreement between the theoretical and experimental results is acceptable. The investigation also shows that connection flexibility and local instability such as local buckling and torsional flexural buckling can affect the behaviour and strength of thin-walled frames significantly. The results can also provide further insight into the advanced study of practical structures where interaction between flexible connections and phenomenon associated with thin-walled members are present.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.535-544
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• 2017

Box sections are symmetrical sections and they have high moment of inertia in both directions, therefore they are good members in tall building structures. For the rigid connection in structures with box column continuity plates are used on level of beam flanges in column. Assembly of the continuity plates is a difficult and unreliable work due to lack of weld or high welding and cutting in the fourth side of column in panel zone, so the use of experimental stiffeners have been considered by researchers. This paper presented an experimental investigation on connection in box columns. The proposed connection has been investigated in four cases which contain connection without internal and external stiffeners(C-0-00), connection with continuity plates(C-I-CP), connection with external vase shape stiffener (C-E-VP) and connection with surrounding plates(C-E-SP). The results show that the connections with vase plates and surrounding plates can respectively increase the ultimate strength of the connection up to 366% and 518% than the connection without stiffeners, in case connection with the continuity plates this parameter increases about 39%. In addition, the proposed C-E-VP and C-E-SP connection provide a rigid and safe connection to acquire rigidity of 95% and 98% respectively. But C-I-CP connection is classified as semi-rigid connections.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.701-721
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• 2016

Base isolation is a well-established passive strategy for seismic response control of buildings. In this paper, an efficient framework is proposed for reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of isolated buildings subjected to uncertain earthquakes. The framework uses reduced function evaluations method, as an efficient tool for structural reliability analysis, and an efficient optimization algorithm for optimal structural design. The probability of failure is calculated considering excessive base displacement, superstructure inter-storey drifts, member stress ratios and absolute accelerations of floors of the isolated building as failure events. The behavior of rubber bearing isolators is modeled using nonlinear hysteretic model and the variability of future earthquakes is modeled by applying a probabilistic approach. The effects of pulse component of stochastic near-fault ground motions, fixity-factor of semi-rigid beam-to-column connections, values of isolator parameters, earthquake magnitude and epicentral distance on the performance and safety of semi-rigidly connected base-isolated steel framed buildings are studied. Suitable RBDO examples are solved to illustrate the results of investigations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.707-716
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• 2006

The optimization of the direct design system of semi-rigid steel frames using advanced analysis and genetic algorithm was presented. Advanced analysis can predict the combined nonlinear effects of connection, geometry, and material on the behavior and strength of semi-rigid frames. Geometric nonlinearity was determined using stability functions. On the other hand, material nonlinearity was determined using the Column Research Council (CRC) tangent modulus and parabolic function. The Kishi-Chen power model was used to describe the nonlinear behavior of semi-rigid connections. The genetic algorithm was used as the optimization technique. The objective function was assumed as the weight of the steel frame, with the constraint functions accounting for load-carrying capacities, deflections, inter-story drifts and ductility requirement. Member sizes determined by the proposed method were compared with those derived using the conventional method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.489-500
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• 2010

The rigid connections of I-beams to Rectangular Hollow Sections (RHS) in steel structures usually behave as semi-rigid connection. This behavior is directly related to the column face deformation. The deformation in the wall of RHS column in the connection zone causes a relative rotation between beam end and column axis, which consequently reduces the rigidity of beam-column connection. In the present paper, the percentages of connection rigidity reduction for serviceability conditions are evaluated by using the finite element analysis. Such percentages for RHS columns without internal stiffeners are considerable, and can be calculated from presented graphs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.143-154
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• 2014

An improved method for evaluating effective buckling length of semi-rigid frame with inelastic behavior is newly proposed. Also, generalized exact tangential stiffness matrix with rotationally semi-rigid connections is adopted in previous studies. Therefore, the system buckling load of structure with inelastic behaviors can be exactly obtained by only one element per one straight member for inelastic problems. And the linearized elastic stiffness matrix and the geometric stiffness matrix of semi-rigid frame are utilized by taking into account 4th terms of taylor series from the exact tangent stiffness matrix. On the other hands, two inelastic analysis programs(M1, M2) are newly formulated. Where, M1 based on exact tangent stiffness matrix is programmed by iterative determinant search method and M2 is using linear algorithm with elastic and geometric matrices. Finally, in order to verify this present theory, various numerical examples are introduced and the effective buckling length of semi-rigid frames with inelastic materials are investigated.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.503-515
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• 2022

Global or partial damage to a structure due to the failure of gravity or lateral load-bearing elements is called progressive collapse. In the present study, the alternate load path (ALP) method introduced by GSA and UFC 4-023-03 guidelines is used to evaluate the progressive collapse in special steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) buildings. It was assumed that the progressive collapse is due to the earthquake force and its effects after the removal of the elements still remain on the structures. Therefore, nonlinear dynamic time history analysis employing 7 earthquake records is used to investigate this phenomenon. Internal and external column removal scenarios are investigated and the stiffness of the connections is changed from semi-rigid to rigid. The results of the analysis performed in the OpenSees program show that the loss of the bearing capacity of an exterior column due to a seismic event and the occurrence of progressive collapse can increase the inter-story drift of the structure with semi-rigid connections by more than 50% and make the structure unable to satisfy the life safety performance level. Furthermore, connection stiffness severely affects the redistribution of forces and moments in the adjacent elements of the removed column.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.159-170
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• 2001

The Millennium Tower is situated to the north of the center of Vienna. With a height of 202 m it is the highest building in Austria. Realization was improved by new methods. The tower is a typical example of mixed building technology, combining composite frames with a concrete core. Special attention has been paid to the moment connections between the slim floors and the column tubes resulting in a drastically reduced construction time and thin slabs. The semi-continuity has been considered in the design at ultimate and serviceability limit states.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.765-784
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• 2015

Connections are usually designed either as pinned usually associated with simple construction or rigid normally is associated with continuous construction. However, the actual behaviour falls in between these two extreme cases. The use of partial strength or semi-rigid connections has been encouraged by Euro-code 3 and studies on semi-continuous construction have shown substantial savings in steel weight of the overall construction. Composite connections are proposed in this paper as partial or full strength connections. Standardized connection tables are developed based on checking on all possible failure modes as suggested by "component method" for beam-to-column composite connection on major axis. Four experimental tests were carried out to validate the proposed standardised connection table. The test results showed good agreement between experimental and theoretical values with the ratio in the range between 1.06 to 1.50. All tested specimens of the composite connections showed ductile type of failure with the formation of cracks occurred on concrete slab at maximum load. No failure occurred on the Trapezoidal Web Profiled Steel Section as beam and on the British Section as column.