• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.5
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• pp.621-632
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• 2018

Soft-story buildings have bottom stories much less rigid than the top stories and are susceptible to earthquake damage. Therefore, the seismic design specifications need strict design considerations in such cases. In this paper, a four-story building was investigated as a case study and the effects of X-braces elimination in its lower stories studied. In addition, the possibility of replacement of the X-braces in soft-stories with equivalent moment resisting frame inspected in two different phases. In first phase, the stiffness of X-braces and equivalent moment-resisting frames evaluated using classic equations. In final phase, diagonals removed from the lowest story to develop a soft-story and replaced with moment resisting frames. Then, the seismic stiffness variation of moment-resisting frame evaluated using nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. The results show that substitution of braced frames with an equivalent moment-resisting frame of the same stiffness increases story drift and reduces energy absorption capacity. However, it is enough to consider the needs of building codes, even using equivalent moment resisting frame instead of X-Braces, to avoid soft-story stiffness irregularity in seismic design of buildings. Besides, soft-story development in the second story may be more critical under strong ground excitations, because of interaction of adjacent stories.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.685-700
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• 2006

The effective length factor is a familiar concept for practicing engineers and has long been an approach for column stability evaluations. Neglecting the effects of axial force in the restraining members, in the case of sway prevented frames, is one of the simplifying assumptions which the Alignment Charts, the conventional nomographs for K-Factor determination, are based on. A survey on the problem reveals that the K-Factor of the columns may be significantly affected when the differences in axial forces are taken into account. In this paper a new iterative approach, with high convergence rate, based on the general principles of structural mechanics is developed and the patterns for detection of the critical member are presented and discussed in details. Such facilities are not available in the previously presented methods. A constructive methodology is outlined and the usefulness of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by numerical examples.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.349-356
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• 2002

Anticipating potential strong earthquakes, bracing dampers for better seismic performance are being developed in Korea, while similar ones are already developed in other countries. But, there are lack of relevant research on Slender Brace Dampers rather than hysteretic dampers, whose concept is also inappropriate for rehabilitation existed slender braced frame. For the development of Slender Brace Damper in slender braced frame, this research investigates Slender Brace Damper possessing various shapes of hyteretic damper through performing experimental test under cyclic loadings. As a result at this paper, Energy dissipation of test specimens (H35B20PS, H35B20TS, H20B60PS) are superior.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.4
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• pp.443-454
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• 2019

In order to reduce the residual drift of a structure in structural engineering field, a combined structural system (dual) consisting of steel buckling-restrained braced frame (BRBF) along with shear wall is proposed. In this paper, BRBFs are used with special reinforced concrete shear walls as combined systems. Some prototype models of the proposed combined systems as well as steel BRBF-only systems (without walls) are designed according to the code recommendations. Then, the nonlinear model of the systems is prepared using fiber elements for the reinforced concrete wall and appropriate elements for the BRBs. Seismic responses of the combined systems subjected to ground motions at maximum considered earthquake level are investigated and compared to those obtained from BRBFs. Results showed that the maximum residual inter-story drift from the combined systems is, on average, less than half of the corresponding value of the BRBFs. In this research, mean of absolute values of the maximum inter-story drift ratio demand obtained from combined systems is less than the 3% limitation, while this criterion has not been fulfilled by BRBF systems.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2010

Many researchers have studied on the optimal seismic design with the development of the computer. So far the application structure of most researches on the optimal seismic design was almost the moment resisting frame. Because the braced frames are the representative lateral load resisting system with the moment resisting frames, it is estimated that the effect on the practice will be great if it can is provided a design guideline through the development of optimal seismic design model for the braced frames. The purpose of this study is to propose the optimal seismic design model for the inverted V-type special concentrically braced frames considering the buckling of braces. The objective functions of this are to minimize the structural weight and maximize the total dissipated energy of the structure and the constraints of this are the strength conditions for the column, beam, brace and inter-story drifts condition. To verify the proposed model, it is applied to 2D steel concentrically braced frames of 3-story and 9-story.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.201-215
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• 2019

In this research, the behavior of tube-in-tube BRBs (TiTBRBs) has been investigated. In a typical TiTBRB, the yielding core tube is located inside the outer restraining one to dissipate energy through extensive plastic deformation, while the outer restraining tube remains essentially elastic. With the aid of FE analyses, the monotonic and cyclic behavior of the proposed TiTBRBs have been studied as individual brace elements. Subsequently, a detailed finite element model of a representative single span-single story frame equipped with such a TiTBRB has been constructed and both monotonic and cyclic behavior of the proposed TiTBRBs have been explored under the application of the AISC loading protocol at the braced frame level. With the aid of backbone curves derived from the FE analyses, a simplified frame model has been developed and verified through comparison with the results of the detailed FE model. It has been shown that, the simplified model is capable of predicting closely the cyclic behavior of the TiTBRB frame and hence can be used for design purposes. Considering type of connection detail used in a frame, the TiTBRB member which behave satisfactorily at the brace element level under cyclic loading conditions, may suffer global buckling due to the flexural demand exerted from the frame to the brace member at its ends. The proposed TiTBRB suit tubular members of offshore structures and the application of such TiTBRB in a typical offshore platform has been introduced and studied in a single frame level using detailed FE model.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.02b
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• pp.82-82
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• 2009

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.265-276
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• 2017

Structures are designed in such a way that they behave in a nonlinear manner when subject to strong ground motions. Energy concepts have been widely used to evaluate the structural performance for the last few decades. Energy based design can be expressed as the balance of energy input and the energy dissipation capacity of the structure. New research is needed for multi degree of freedom systems (MDOFs)-real structures- within the framework of the energy based design methodology. In this paper, energy parameters are evaluated for low-, medium- and high-rise steel special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) in terms of total energy input and hysteretic energy. Nonlinear dynamic time history analyses are carried out to assess the variation of energy terms along the height of the frames. A seismic energy demand spectrum is developed and hysteretic energy distributions within the frames are presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.855-870
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• 2015

In this paper the effects of fling-step and forward-directivity on the seismic performance of steel eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) are addressed. Four EBFs with various numbers of stories (4-, 8-, 12- and 15-story) were designed for an area with high seismic hazard. Fourteen near-fault ground motions including seven with forward-directivity and seven with fling-step effects are selected to carry out nonlinear time history (NTH) analyses of the frames. Furthermore, seven more far-field records were selected for comparison. Findings from the study reveal that the median maximum links rotation of the frames subjected to three set of ground motions are in acceptable range and the links completely satisfy the requirement stated in FEMA 356 for LS performance level. The arrival of the velocity pulse in a near-fault record causes few significant plastic deformations, while many reversed inelastic cycles result in low-cycle fatigue damage in far-fault records. Near-fault records in some cases are more destructive and the results of these records are so dispersed, especially the records having fling-step effects.

• 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.