• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.339-355
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• 2006

A procedure to retrofit existing essential facilities subjected to seismic excitation is proposed. The main features of this procedure are to reduce maximum acceleration and associated forces in buildings subjected to seismic excitation by reducing their strength (weakening). The weakening retrofit, which is an opposite strategy to strengthening, is particularly suitable for buildings having overstressed components and foundation supports or having weak brittle components. However, by weakening the structure large deformations are expected. Supplementaldamping devices however can control the deformations within desirable limits. The structure retrofitted with this strategy will have, therefore, a reduction in the acceleration response and a reduction in the deformations, depending on the amount of additional damping introduced in the structure. An illustration of the above strategy is presented here through an evaluation of the inelastic response of the structure through a nonlinear dynamic analysis. The results are compared with different retrofit techniques. A parametric analysis has also been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the retrofitting method using different combination of the performance thresholds in accelerations and displacements through fragility analysis.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.133-148
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• 2021

The paper presents a simplified force-based seismic design procedure for the preliminary design of steel haunch retrofitting for the seismic upgrade of deficient RC frames. The procedure involved constructing a site-specific seismic design spectrum for the site, which is transformed into seismic base shear coefficient demand, using an applicable response modification factor, that defines base shear force for seismic analysis of the structure. Recent experimental campaign; involving shake table testing of ten (10), and quasi-static cyclic testing of two (02), 1:3 reduced scale RC frame models, carried out for the seismic performance assessment of both deficient and retrofitted structures has provided the basis to calculate retrofit-specific response modification factor Rretrofitted. The haunch retrofitting technique enhanced the structural stiffness, strength, and ductility, hence, increased the structural response modification factor, which is mainly dependent on the applied retrofit scheme. An additional retrofit effectiveness factor (ΩR) is proposed for the deficient structure's response modification factor Rdeficient, representing the retrofit effectiveness (ΩR=Rretrofitted /Rdeficient), to calculate components' moment and shear demands for the retrofitted structure. The experimental campaign revealed that regardless of the deficient structures' characteristics, the ΩR factor remains fairly the unchanged, which is encouraging to generalize the design procedure. Haunch configuration is finalized that avoid brittle hinging of beam-column joints and ensure ductile beam yielding. Example case study for the seismic retrofit designs of RC frames are presented, which were validated through equivalent lateral load analysis using elastic model and response history analysis of finite-element based inelastic model, showing reasonable performance of the proposed design procedure. The proposed design has the advantage to provide a seismic zone-specific design solution, and also, to suggest if any additional measure is required to enhance the strength/deformability of beams and columns.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.295-302
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• 2003

A quantitative approach for the retrofit prioritization of bridges is developed based on the damage risk of seismic vulnerable components. In the developed approach, seismic damage risk is estimated in the probabilistic perspectives with an analytical bridge model, which can consider various phenomena found in the seismic behaviors of girder-type bridges and damage models of various vulnerable components. Based on the total cost due to failure of structural components, weighting factors are proposed. Finally, the ranking index and retrofit priority of bridges are estimated from the overall damage risk and weighting factors of bridges. As a result, the retrofit priority of four PSC girder bridges is evaluated by using the proposed approach. The vulnerable components in need of seismic retrofit are selected accordingly. From simulated results, the validity of the proposed approach is verified by comparison with the existing approach. In addition, the proposed approach is found to be appropriate in evaluating the priority of existing bridges.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.645-664
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• 2021

There is a growing need of seismic retrofit of existing non-seismically designed structures in Korea after the 2016 Gyeongju and 2017 Pohang earthquakes, especially school buildings which experienced extensive damage during those two earthquakes. To this end, a steel multi-slit damper (MSD) was developed in this research which can be installed inside of partition walls of school buildings. Full-scale two-story RC frames were tested with and without the proposed dampers. The frames had structural details similar to school buildings constructed in the 1980s in Korea. The details of the experiments were described in detail, and the test results were validated using the analysis model. The developed seismic retrofit strategy was applied to a case study school building structure, and its seismic performance was evaluated before and after retrofit using the MSD. The results show that the developed retrofit strategy can improve the seismic performance of the structure to satisfy a given target performance level.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.393-408
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• 2007

This paper presents the findings of an experimental study to evaluate retrofit methods which address particular weaknesses that are often found in reinforced concrete structures, especially older structures, namely the lack of the required flexural and shear reinforcement within the columns and the lack of the required shear reinforcement within the joints. Thus, the use of a high-strength fiber jacket for cases of post-earthquake and pre-earthquake retrofitting of columns and beam-column joints was investigated experimentally. In this paper, the effectiveness of the two jacket styles was also compared.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.569-588
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• 2015

A comprehensive methodology is proposed for design of metallic dampers in seismic retrofit of earthquake-damaged frame structures. It is assumed that the metallic dampers remain elastic and only provide stiffness during frequent earthquake (i.e., earthquake with a 63% probability of exceedance in 50-year service period), while in precautionary earthquake (i.e., earthquake with a 10% probability of exceedance in 50-year service period), the metallic dampers yield before the main frame and dissipate most of the seismic energy to either prevent or minimize structural damages. Therefore by converting multi-story frame to an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom system, the added stiffness provided by metallic dampers is designed to control elastic story drifts within code-based demand under frequent earthquake, and the added damping with the combination of added stiffness influences is obtained to control structural stress within performance-based target under precautionary earthquake. With the equivalent added damping ratio, the expected damping forces provided by metallic dampers can be calculated to carry out the configuration and design of metallic dampers along with supporting braces. Based on a detailed example for retrofit of an earthquake-damaged reinforced concrete frame by using metallic dampers, the proposed design procedure is demonstrated to be simple and practical, which can not only meet current China's design codes but also be used in retrofit design of earthquake-damaged frame with metallic damper for reaching desirable performance objective.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.241-251
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• 2014

In this study, shaking table test was carried out to evaluate the seismic behavior and performance of low-rise reinforced concrete (RC) piloti structures with and without retrofit. The specimens were designed considering the characteristics of existing building with pilotis such as natural period, distribution factor of strength and stiffness between columns and core wall on the first soft story. The test for the non-retrofit specimen showed that damage was concentrated on the stiffer member on the same floor as the core wall failed by shear fracture whereas columns experienced slight flexural cracks. Considering the failure mode of the non-retrofit specimen, the retrofit method using steel rod damper was presented for improving the seismic performance of piloti structures. The results of the test for retrofit specimen revealed that the retrofit method was effective for controlling the damage as the main RC structural members were not destroyed and most of input energy was dissipated by hysteretic behavior of the damper.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2001

Five reinforced concrete frames were constructed and tested to study the structural performance of retrofitting effect reinforced concrete frame during and load revesals simultaneously. All specimens were modeling in one-third scale size. Experimental research was carried out to develop and evaluate the hysteretic behavior of reinforced concrete frame designed by high performance techniques, using carbon fiber plate, ALC panel, steel plate system with or without stiffener. Experimental programs wore carried to evaluate the structural performance of such test specimens, such as the hysteretic behavior, the maximum horizontal strength, crack propagation, and ductility etc. Specimens(RFCP, RFAR, RFSR, RFSR-S), designed by the improvement of earthquake-resistant performance, were attained more load-carrying capacity, energy dissipation capacity, and stable hysteretic behavior.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.325-330
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• 2008

In this study 3- and 6-story flat plate structures designed only for gravity load are retrofitted with steel plates and braces and their seismic performances are evaluated to verify the effect of seismic retrofit. According to the analysis results obtained from nonlinear static analysis both the strength and stiffness are significantly enhanced as a result of the seismic retrofit. When buckling-restrained braces are used instead of conventional braces, the structures show more ductile behavior, especially in the 3-story structure.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.427-439
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• 2003

A previous study evaluated the seismic response of typical multi-span simply supported (MSSS) and multi-span continuous (MSC) steel-girder bridges in the central and southeastern United States. The results showed that the bridges were vulnerable to damage resulting from impact between decks, and large ductility demands on nonductile columns. Furthermore, fixed and expansion bearings were likely to fail during strong ground motion. In this paper, several retrofit measures to improve the seismic performance of typical multi-span simply supported and multi-span continuous steel girder bridges are evaluated, including the use of elastomeric bearings, lead-rubber bearings, and restrainer cables. It is determined that lead-rubber bearings are the most effective retrofit measure for reducing the seismic vulnerability of typical bridges. While isolation provided by elastomeric bearings limits the forces into the columns, the added flexibility results in pounding between decks in the MSSS steel-girder bridge. Restrainer cables, which are becoming a common retrofit measure, are only moderately effective in reducing the seismic vulnerability of MSSS and MSC steel girder bridges.