• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.863-882
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• 2016

This study aims to introduce a new bracing system by which even super-wide frames with large openings can be braced. The proposed system, hereafter called Cable-Pulley Brace (CPB), is a tension-only bracing system with a rectilinear configuration. In CPB, a wire rope passes through a rectilinear path around the opening(s) and connects the lower corner of the frame to its opposite upper one. CPB is a secondary load resisting system with a nonlinear-elastic hysteretic behavior due to its initial pre-tension load. As a result, the required energy dissipation would be provided by the MRF itself, and the main intention of using CPB is to contribute to the initial and post-yield stiffness of the whole system. Using a stiffness calibration technique, optimum placement of the CPBs is discussed to yield a uniform displacement demand along the height of the structure. A displacement-based design procedure is proposed by which the MRF with CPB can be designed to achieve a uniform distribution of inter-story drifts with predefined values. Obtained results indicated that CPB leads to significant reductions in maximum and residual deformations of the MRF at the expense of minor increase in the maximum base shear and developed axial force demands in the columns. In the case of a typical 5-story residential building, compared to SMRF system, CPB system reduces maximum amounts of inter-story and residual drifts by 35% and 70%, respectively. Moreover, openings of the frame are not interrupted by the CPB. This is the most appealing feature of the proposed bracing system from architectural point of view.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제59권2호
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• pp.327-341
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• 2016

This study addresses the effect of pre-stressed cables on a pre-stressed mega-braced steel frame through employing static analysis and pushover analysis. The performances of a pre-stressed mega-braced steel frame and a pure steel frame without mega-braces are compared in terms of base shear, ductility, and failure mode. The influence of the cable parameters is also analyzed. Numerical results show that cable braces can effectively improve the lateral stiffness of a pure frame. However, it reduces structural ductility and degenerates structural pre-failure lateral stiffness greatly. Furthermore, it is found that 20% fluctuation in the cable pretension has little effect on structural ultimate bearing capacity and lateral stiffness. As comparison, 20% fluctuation in the cable diameter has much greater impact.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.573-582
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• 2018

This study develops and numerically verifies an innovative seismically resilient bracing system. The proposed self-centering tension-only brace (SC-TOB) is composed of a tensioning system to provide a self-centering response, a frictional device for energy dissipation, and a high-strength steel cable as a bracing element. It is considered to be an improvement over the traditional self-centering braces in terms of lightness, high bearing capacity, load relief, and double-elongation capacity. In this paper, the mechanics of the system are first described. Governing equations deduced from the developed analytical model to predict the behavior of the system are then provided. The results from a finite element validation confirm that the SC-TOB performs as analytically predicted. Key parameters including the activation displacement and load, the self-centering parameter, and equivalent viscous damping are investigated, and their influences on the system behavior are discussed. Finally, a design procedure considering controlled softening behavior is developed and illustrated through a design example.

• 한국구조물진단유지관리공학회 논문집
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

본 연구에서는 기존 강재브레이스 내진보강법이 가지는 좌굴문제 등 단점을 극복할 수 있는 중 저층 철근콘크리트 건축물에 효과적으로 적용할 수 있는 새로운 내진보강법을 개발하였다. Carbon Fiber Composite Cable (CFCC)을 이용하여 건축물 골조 외부에 X자 형태로 내진보강을 실시하고, 상부 및 하부 보 양 단부에 CFCC X-브레이싱을 고정하기 위해서 평판 및 돌출형 나사식 접합으로 내진보강을 실시하는 내진보강법으로서, 반복하중 실험을 통하여 내진보강 효과를 규명하였다. 실험체는 비교용 비보강 골조, 평판형 및 돌출형 CFCC X-브레이싱 내진보강 골조 실험체 총 3개를 제작하였다. 실험결과, 본 연구에서 개발한 CFCC 내진보강법은 강도증진형 내진보강법으로 드러났으며, 기존 강재브레이스 보강법 대비 중량증가가 거의 없으며, 재료자체가 압축에 대한 좌굴이 없으며, 경량이므로 시공성이 매우 우수하고 중량 및 체적대비 우수한 강도가 발휘될 뿐만 아니라 특히, CFCC의 직경을 변경함으로서 내진보강 목적 (강도 보강량)에 대응하여 내진성능을 쉽게 변화시킬 수 있는 장점이 있다.