• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.323-342
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• 2016

To study the effect of collar-plate reinforcement on the static strength of tubular T-joints under axial loading, fundamental research work is carried out from both experimental test and finite element (FE) simulation. Through experimental tests on 7 collar-plate reinforced and 7 corresponding un-reinforced tubular T-joints under axial loading, the reinforcing efficiency is investigated. Thereafter, the static strengths of the above 14 models are analyzed by using FE method, and it is found that the numerical results agree reasonably well with the experimental data to prove the accuracy of the presented FE model. Additionally, a parametric study is conducted to analyze the effect of some geometrical parameters, i.e., the brace-to-chord diameter ratio ${\beta}$, the chord diameter-to-chord wall thickness ratio $2{\gamma}$, collar-plate thickness to chord wall thickness ratio ${\tau}_c$, and collar-plate length to brace diameter ratio $l_c/d_1$, on the static strength of a tubular T-joint. The parametric study shows that the static strength can be greatly improved by increasing the collar-plate thickness to chord wall thickness ratio ${\tau}_c$ and the collar-plate length to brace diameter ratio $l_c/d_1$. Based on the numerical results, parametric equations are obtained from curving fitting technique to estimate the static strength of a tubular T-joint with collar-plate reinforcement under axial loading, and the accuracy of these equations is also evaluated from error analysis.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.137-144
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• 2017

The cyclic behavior of braces is complex due to their asymmetric properties in tension and compression. For accurately simulating the cyclic curves of braces, it is important to predict the major parameters such as cyclic brace growth, cyclic buckling load, incidence local buckling and fracture with good precision. For a given brace, the most accurate values of these parameters can be estimated throughout experiments. However, it is almost impossible to conduct experiments whenever an analytical model has to be established for many braces in building structures due to enormous cost and time. For avoid such difficulties, empirical equations for predicting constituent parameters are proposed from regression analyses based on test results of various braces. This study focuses on rectangular hollow structural section(HSS) steel braces, which have been popularly used in construction practice owing to its sectional efficiency.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.285-302
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• 2017

Buckling-restrained braced frames (BRBFs) are commonly used as the lateral force-resisting systems in building structures in the seismic regions. The nearly-symmetric hysteretic response and the delayed brace core fracture of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) under the axial cyclic loading provide the adequate lateral force and deformation capacity to BRBFs under the earthquake excitation. However, the smaller axial stiffness of BRBs result in the undesirable higher residual drift response of BRBFs in the post-earthquake scenario. Two alternative approaches are investigated in this study to improve the elastic axial stiffness of BRBs, namely, (i) by shortening the yielding cores of BRBs; and (ii) by reducing the BRB assemblies and adding the elastic brace segments in series. In order to obtain the limiting yielding core lengths of BRBs, a modified approach based on Coffin-Manson relationship and the higher mode compression buckling criteria has been proposed in this study. Both non-linear static and dynamic analyses are carried out to analytically evaluate the seismic response of BRBFs fitted with short-core BRBs of two medium-rise building frames. Analysis results showed that the proposed brace systems are effective in reducing the inter-story and residual drift response of braced frames without any significant change in the story shear and the displacement ductility demands.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.149-167
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• 2004

Offshore platforms have to serve in harsh environments and hence are likely to be damaged due to wave induced fatigue and environmental corrosion. Welded tubular joints in offshore platforms are most vulnerable to fatigue damage. Such damages endanger the integrity of the structure. Therefore it is all the more essential to assess the capacity of damaged structure from the point of view of its safety. Eight internally ring stiffened fatigue damaged tubular joints with nominal chord and brace diameter of 324 mm and 219 mm respectively and thickness 12 mm and 8 mm respectively were tested under axial brace compression loading to evaluate the reserve capacity of the joints. These joints had earlier been tested under fatigue loading under corrosive environments of synthetic sea water and hence they have been cracked. The extent of the damage varied from 35 to 50 per cent. One stiffened joint was also tested under axial brace tension loading. The residual strength of fatigue damaged stiffened joint tested under tension loading was observed to be less than one fourth of that tested under compression loading. It was observed in this experimental investigation that in the damaged condition, the joints possessed an in-built load-transfer mechanism. A bi-linear stress-strain model was developed in this investigation to predict the reserve capacity of the joint. This model considered the strain hardening effect. Close agreement was observed between the experimental and predicted results. The paper presents in detail the experimental investigation and the development of the analytical model to predict the reserve capacity of internally ring stiffened joints.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 1994

In designing, the strength of tubular joint has been an important problem for integrity of steel structures in which many tubular members are used. This paper presents the results of FEM analysis on stress concentration and fatigue crack initiation life for two types of tubular joints. One is circular and rectangular T type joints which consist of circular brace and rectangular chord. Another is circular and circular T type joints which consist of circular brace and circular chord. FEM analyses were performed under the axial load and in-plane bending moment. The fatigue crack initiation life can be estimated by using $\varepsilon$-N curve and by applying the Palmgren-Miner linear damage rule. According to the results, the stress concentration factor(SCF) of circular and rectangular joints is higher than that of circular and circular joints. The fatigue crack initiation lives of circular-circular joints and circular-rectangular joints were calculated.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 2003

This paper highlights research being conducted to identify ground motion and structural characteristics that control the response of concentrically braced frames using hysteretic damper, unbonded brace, and to identify improved design procedures and code provisions. The focus of this paper is on the seismic response of six story concentrically braced frames utilizing hysteretic damper. A brief discussion is provided regarding the mechanical properties of such braces and the benefit of their use. Results of detailed nonlinear dynamic analyses are then examined for specific cases to characterize the effect on key response parameters of structural configurations and proportions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.147-161
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• 2022

The Brace-Type Shear Fuse (BSF) device is a newly proposed steel damper with excellent cumulative ductility and stable energy dissipation. In consideration of the current situation where there are not many alternatives for transversal seismic devices used in long-span three-tower self-anchored bridges (TSSBs), this paper implements improved BSFs into the world's longest TSSB, named Jinan Fenghuang Yellow River Bridge. The new details of the BSF are developed for the TSSB, and the force-displacement hysteretic curves of the BSFs are obtained using finite element (FE) simulations. A three-dimensional refined finite element model for the research TSSB was established in SAP2000, and the effects of BSFs on dynamic characteristics and seismic response of the TSSB under different site conditions were investigated by the numerical simulation method. The results show that remarkable controlling effects of BSFs on seismic response of TSSBs under different site conditions were obtained. Compared with the case without BSFs, the TSSB installed with BSFs has mitigation ratios of the tower top displacement, lateral girder displacement, tower bending moment and tower shear force exceeding 95%, 78%, 330% and 346%, respectively. Meanwhile, BSFs have a sufficient restoring force mechanism with a minor post-earthquake residual displacement. The proposed BSFs exhibit good application prospects in long-span TSSBs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.4 s.65
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• pp.447-456
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• 2003

In this study, the proper shape of dampers was determined when the outside frame formed a rectangle. The proper shape of dampers is rectangular, having the same ratio as the outside frame. The design was based on the impact energy dissipated by the seismic performance of the mainly rectangular dampers. This study sought to compare both strength and energy dissipation between nonlinear analysis data and experimental data through load-displacement curves. The use of the ANSYS FEM software was suggested to analyze the nonlinear behavior of rectangular dampers subjected to cyclic loading. The target of this study was to determine what shape was efficient for rectangular tensile brace dampers. The safety of the developed rectangular dampers was also checked for better fabrication.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1581-1598
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• 2015

A concentric braced steel frame is a very efficient structural system because it requires relatively smaller amount of materials to resist lateral forces. However, primarily developed as a structural system to resist wind loads based on an assumption that the structure behaves elastically, a concentric braced frame possibly experiences the deterioration in energy dissipation after brace buckling and the brittle failure of braces and connections when earthquake loads cause inelastic behavior. Consequently, plastic deformation is concentrated in the floor where brace buckling occurs first, which can lead to the rupture of the structure. This study suggests reinforcing H-shaped braces with non-welded cold-formed stiffeners to restrain flexure and buckling and resist tensile force and compressive force equally. Weak-axis reinforcing members (2 pieces) developed from those suggested in previous studies (4 pieces) were used to reinforce the H-shaped braces in an inverted V-type braced frame. Monotonic loading tests, finite element analysis and cyclic loading tests were carried out to evaluate the structural performance of the reinforced braces and frames. The reinforced braces satisfied the AISC requirement. The reinforcement suggested in this study is expected to prevent the rupture of beams caused by the unbalanced resistance of the braces.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.7_spc
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• pp.553-560
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• 2016

After an earthquake occurred in the Gyeongju, 2016, many low-story buildings have been questioned in terms of the seismic performance since mostly they have been exempted from the seismic design requirement since 1988. In this study, a 3-story moment resisting frame (MRF) building was analyzed and evaluated the seismic performance. Due to the insufficient seismic performance required for the seismic performance levels, three different seismic retrofit schemes were proposed and their seismic performances were re-evaluated. While steel brace and open shear wall retrofit systems mainly focused on the strength retrofit, the VES damper retrofit system is mainly to enhance the energy dissipation capacity of the system and resultes in the increased ductility. The original building and 3 retrofitted buildings were evaluated using the nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses and suggestions were proposed. Through the analysis of nonlinear time history and push-over using MIDAS/Gen program, damages of the building in terms of top story and average story drift and effect of reinforcement were analyzed.