• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.37-44
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• 2017

Due to structural characteristics, construction costs and duration of a modular system would be saved by minimizing the schedule on the job site. As such, it is crucial to develop a connection that can guarantee stiffness while allowing for simple assembling. Particularly, the mid- to high-rise construction of the modular system necessitates the securing of the structural stability and seismic performance of multi-unit frames and connections, and thus, the stiffness of unit-assembled structures needs to be re-evaluated and designed. However, evaluating a frame consisting of slender members and reinforcing materials is a complicated process. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the structural characteristics of a modular unit connection based a method for reinforcing connection brackets and hinges while minimizing the loss of the cross section. Toward this end, the study modeled the beam-to-column connection of a modular system with the proposed connection, and produced a specimen which was used to perform a cycling loading test. The study compared the initial stiffness, the attributes of the hysteretic behavior, and the maximum flexural moment, and observed whether the model acquired the seismic performance, compared to the flexural strength of the steel moment frame connection that is required by the Korean Building Code. The test results showed that the proposed connection produced a similar initial stiffness value to that of the theoretical equation, and its maximum strength exceeded the theoretical strength. Furthermore, the model with a larger ceiling bracket showed higher seismic performance, which was further increased by the reinforcement of the plate.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.17 no.5 s.78
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• pp.569-580
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• 2005

The postbeam joint connection of the existing steel structure moment flexible frame system did not produce sufficient seismic resistance during the earthquakes in Northridge and Kobe, and it sustained brittle fracturing on the joint connection. This study was performed to execute the high-tensile bolt share connection of H-beams web and the full-scale experiment as a parameter of the existing reinforcement of H-flange rib, by making the shape of the existing joint connection. This experiment was performed to determine the extent of the decrease of the number of high-tensile bolts and how to improve workability of the two-phase shear connection of web beam. In addition, this study was performed to enhance the seismic resistant capacity through the enforcement of rib plates. As a result of the experiment of two-phase shear connection of H-beam web and of joint connection to be reinforced by rib plates, the results of this study showed that the initial stiffness, energy-dissipation capacity, and rotational capacity of plasticity was higher than the existing joint connection. As to the rate of increasing the strength and deformation capacity, there were differences between the tension side and compression side because of the position of shear tap. However, as a whole, they have shown excellent seismic resistant capacity. Also, all the test subjects exceeded 4% (rate of delamination), about 0.029 rad (total plastic capacity), and about 130% (maximum strength of joint connection) of fully plastic moment for the original section. Accordingly, this study was considered as it would be available in the design more than the intermediate-level of moment flexible frame.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2017

In this study, cyclic loading analysis was conducted in order to understand the behavior of self-centering connections based on the number of PT(posttensioning) strands and initial posttensioning force. The initial posttensioning force needs to be above the yield moment of an angle for obtaining noticeable self-centering effect and it is proper that decompression moment ratio needs to be below 0.35 to minimize the residual displacement of major elements. As the number of PT strands increased, self-centering capacity also improved since initial posttensiong force in each PT strand has been decreased. It is also appropriate that initial posttensiong force needs to be less than or equal to 75% of yield strength of PT strands.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.19-28
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• 2018

Key factors that ensure competitiveness of modular unit include consistent high quality and connection condition that ensures high structural performance while minimizing the overall scale of the on-site process. However, it is difficult to evaluate the structural performance of the connection of modular unit, and its structural analysis and design method can be different depending on the connection to its development, which affects the seismic performance of its final design. In particular, securing the seismic performance is the key to designing modular systems of mid-to-high-rise structure. In this paper, therefore, the seismic performance of the modular system with bracket-typed fully restrained moment connections according to stiffness and the shapes of various connection members was evaluated through experimental and analytical methods. To verify the seismic performance, a cyclic loading test of the connection joint of the proposed modular system was conducted. As a result of this study, theoretical values and experimental results were compared with the initial stiffness, hysteresis behavior and maximum bending moment of the modular system. Also, the connection joint was modeled, using the commercial program ANSYS, which was then followed by finite element analysis of the system. According to the results of the experiment, the maximum resisting force of the proposed connection exceeded the theoretical parameters, which indicated that a rigid joint structural performance could be secured. These results almost satisfied the criteria for connection bending strength of special moment frame listed on KBC2016.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2009

To improve braced frame performance, the connection strength, stiffness, and ductility must be directly considered in the frame design. The resistance of the connection must be designed to resist seismic loads and to help provide the required system ductility. In addition, the connection stiffness affects the dynamic response and the deformation demands on the structural members and connections. In this paper, current design models for gusset plate connections are reviewed and evaluated usingthe results of past experiments. Current models are still not sufficient to provide adequate connection design guidelines and the actual stress and strain states in the gusset plate are very nonlinear and highly complex. Design engineers want simple models with beam and column elements to make an approximate estimation of system and connection performance. The simplified design models are developed and evaluated to predict connection stiffness and system behavior. These models produce reasonably accurate and reliable estimation of connection stiffness.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.16 no.5 s.72
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• pp.629-639
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• 2004

A steel frame is one of the most commonly used structural systems due to its resistance to various types of applied loads. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of several parameters, such as connection flexibility, the boundary condition of each support, and beam-to-column stiffness ratio, on the characteristic behavior of a frame. Based on the results of these studies, several design methods have been proposed. This research focused on the number of bolts on the rotational stiffness of a double-angle connection, and its effect on the story drift of a frame. To achieve these purposes, a simplified analytical model was proposed. Several experimental tests were also conducted to obtain the rotational connection stiffness of each double-angle connection.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to propose frame analysis method for flat plate slabs having edge beam under lateral loads. Flat plate system is defined as the system only with slab of uniform thickness and column. However, the slab system generally incorporate edge beams at exterior connection in actual design. ACI 318 (2005) allows three methods for conducting flat plate system analysis subjected to lateral loads. There are the finite element method (FEM), the equivalent frame method (EFM), and the effective beam width method (EBWM). Among methods, the EBWM enables us to analyze practically by substituting the actual slab to beam element. In this model, the beam element has a thickness equal to that of the slab, and effective beam width equal to some fraction of the slab transverse width. However, the established EBWM was generally proposed for variables of geometry or stiffness reduction factor and seldom proposed for the effect of edge beams. This study verifies that, in the case of flat plate system having edge beams at exterior connections, the lateral stiffness is considerably larger than without edge beams. Therefore it need to analysis method for considered the effect of edge beams. In this study, an analysis model is proposed for the flat plate system having edge beams under lateral loads by considering the effect of edge beams. To verify the accuracy of proposed model, this study compared results of the proposed EBWM with results of FEM of flat plate systems having edge beams under lateral loads. Also, the proposed approach is compared with experimental results of former research.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.423-434
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• 2017

In this paper a systematic numerical analysis is performed to obtain the hysteresis behavior of partially restrained top and seat angle connections subjected to cyclic loading. This connection includes superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) angles and rods in order to secure the recentering capacities as well as proper energy dissipation effects of a CFT composite frame. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are constructed to investigate the rotational stiffness, bending moment capacity and failure modes. A wide scope of additional structural behaviors explain the different influences of the connection's parameters, such as the various thickness of connection angles and the gage distance of steel and SMA rods.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.191-204
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• 2014

In this paper a systematic numerical analysis is performed to obtain the bending moment resisting capacity of a top and seat angle connection, which is a type of partially restrained connection, for a CFT composite frame subjected to cyclic loading. This partially restrained composite CFT connections are fabricated using high strength steel connection bar. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are constructed to investigate the rotational stiffness, bending moment capacity, and failure modes. A wide scope of additional structural behaviors explain the different influences of the top and seat angle connection's parameters, such as the different thickness of connection angles and the gage distances of the high strength steel bar. The moment-rotation angle relationships obtained from the finite element analysis are compared with those from Richard's theoretical equation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.51-69
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• 2016

A large number of welded steel moment-resisting framed (SMRF) structures failed due to brittle fracture induced by ductile fracture at beam-to-column connections during 1994 Northridge earthquake and 1995 Kobe (Hyogoken-Nanbu) earthquake. Extensive research efforts have been devoted to clarifying the mechanism of the observed failures and corresponding countermeasures to ensure more ductile design of welded SMRF structures, while limited research on the failure analysis of the ductile cracking was conducted due to lack of computational capacity and proper theoretical models. As the first step to solve this complicated problem, this paper aims to establish a straightforward procedure to simulate ductile cracking of welded joints under monotonic tension. There are two difficulties in achieving the aim of this study, including measurement of true stress-true strain data and ductile fracture parameters of different subzones in a welded joint, such as weld deposit, heat affected zone and the boundary between the two. Butt joints are employed in this study for their simple configuration. Both experimental and numerical studies on two types of butt joints are conducted. The validity of the proposed procedure is proved by comparison between the experimental and numerical results.