• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.637-640
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• 2017

The adoption of cladding panels as dissipation device is a sort of passive control "ante litteram" for residential and commercial buildings. This paper gives details on the current technology outlining the difference between buffer panels and cladding panels. The discussion of robustness and resilience of the resulting system is afforded. It is shown that the strength of such solution, originally related to economy and light weight, is mainly associated with the respect of the main robustness requisites, as well as the short time it requires for removal and replacement (resilience).

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.81-95
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• 2019

The unexpected seismic interaction of dry-assembled precast concrete frame structures typical of the European heritage with their precast cladding panels brought to extensive failures of the panels during recent earthquakes due to the inadequateness of their connection systems. Following this recognition, an experimental campaign of cyclic and pseudo-dynamic tests has been performed at ELSA laboratory of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission on a full-scale prototype of precast structure with vertical and horizontal cladding panels within the framework of the Safecladding project. The panels were connected to the frame structure by means of innovative arrangements of fastening systems including isostatic, integrated and dissipative. Many of the investigated configurations involved a strong frame-cladding interaction, modifying the structural behaviour of the frame turning it into highly non-linear since small deformation. In such cases, properly modelling the connections becomes fundamental in the framework of a design by non-linear dynamic analysis. This paper presents the peculiarities of the numerical models of precast frame structures equipped with the various cladding connection systems which have been set to predict and simulate the experimental results from pseudo-dynamic tests. The comparison allows to validate the structural models and to derive recommendations for a proper modelling of the different types of existing and innovative cladding connection systems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.587-608
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• 2009

Modern earthquake-resistant design aims to isolate architectural precast concrete panels from the structural system so as to reduce the interaction with the supporting structure and hence minimize damage. The present study seeks to maximize the cladding-structure interaction by developing an energy-dissipating cladding system (EDCS) that is capable of functioning both as a structural brace, as well as a source of energy dissipation. The EDCS is designed to provide added stiffness and damping to buildings with steel moment resisting frames with the goal of favorably modifying the building response to earthquake-induced forces without demanding any inelastic action and ductility from the basic lateral force resisting system. Because many modern building facades typically have continuous and large openings on top of the precast cladding panels at each floor level for window system, the present study focuses on spandrel type precast concrete cladding panel. The preliminary design of the EDCS was based on existing guidelines and research data on architectural precast concrete cladding and supplemental energy dissipation devices. For the component-level study, the preliminary design was validated and further refined based on the results of nonlinear finite element analyses. The stiffness and strength characteristics of the EDCS were established from a series of nonlinear finite element analyses and are discussed in detail in this paper.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the seismic performance of both exterior precast concrete cladding panels and their connections on steel frame, when these cladding systems are considered as the structural components. The degrees of their participation of lateral stiffness to the main building are evaluated in terms of different heights of the cladding panels. Considering the cladding system as an integrated building provides additional lateral stiffness, as well as a mechanism for energy dissipation and this system can be used as one of an advanced passive seismic control system. Hysteresis behaviors of connectors are modeled and integrated into a nonlinear finite element analysis program, ABAQUS. The results show that connections play the most important role in structural cladding system and they improve seismic performance of overall building response.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.237-259
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• 2014

Wind-induced failure around screwed connections has been documented in roof and wall cladding systems made with steel sheet cold-formed panels during high wind events. Previous research has found that low cycle fatigue caused by stress concentration and fluctuating wind loads is responsible for most such failures. A dynamic load protocol was employed in this work to represent fatigue under wind effects. A finite element model and fatigue criteria were implemented and compared with laboratory experiments in order to predict the fatigue failure associated with fluctuating wind loads. Results are used to develop an analytical model which can be employed for the fatigue analysis of steel cold-formed cladding systems. Existing three dimensional fatigue criteria are implemented and correlated with fatigue damage observed on steel claddings. Parametric studies are used to formulate suitable yet simple fatigue criteria. Fatigue failure is predicted in different configurations of loads, types of connections, and thicknesses of steel folded plate cladding. The analytical model, which correlated with experimental results reported in a companion paper, was validated for the fatigue life prediction and failure mechanism of different connection types and thicknesses of cold-formed steel cladding.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.41-60
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• 2023

The effect of cladding panel size on the size reduction factor (SRF) of extreme area-averaging wind pressure (EAWP) on the facades of a high-rise building is often ignored in previous studies. Based on wind tunnel tests, this study investigated the horizontal and vertical correlations of wind pressure on the facade claddings of square-section high-rise buildings. Then, the influencing parameters on the SRF of the EAWP on the cladding panels were analyzed, which were the panel area, panel width, panel length and building width. The results show clear regional distinctions in the correlation of wind pressures on the building facades and the rules of the horizontal and vertical correlations are remarkably different, which causes the cladding size ratio to impact the SRF significantly. Therefore, this study suggests the use of the non-dimensional comprehensive size parameter b^𝜶h^1-𝜶/B (𝜶 is the fitting parameter) determined by the cladding panel horizontal size b, cladding panel vertical size h and the building width B rather than the cladding panel area to describe the variation of the EAWP. Finally, some empirical formula for the SRF of the EAWP on the cladding of a high-rise building is proposed with the nondimensional comprehensive size parameter.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.299-310
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• 2021

External fire spread has the potential to breach vertical compartmentation and violate the fire safety strategy of a building. The traditional design solution to this has been the use of non-combustible materials and spandrel panels but recent audits show that combustible materials are widespread and included in highly complex systems. Furthermore, most jurisdictions no longer require detailing of spandrel panels under many different circumstances. These buildings require rapid investigation using rational scientific methods to be able to adequately classify the fire risk. In this work, we use an extensive experimental campaign of material-scale data to explore the critical parameters driving upward flame spread. Two criteria are outlined using two different approaches. The first evaluates the time to ignition and the time to burnout to assess the ability for a fire to spread, and can be easily determined using traditional means. The second evaluates the preheated flame length as the critical parameter driving flame spread. A wide range of cladding materials are ranked according to these criteria to show their potential propensity to flame spread. From this, designers can use conservative approaches to perform fire risk assessments for buildings with combustible materials or can be used to aid decision-making. Precise estimates of flame spread rates within complex façade systems are not achievable with the current level of knowledge and will require a substantial amount of work to make progress.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2017

Recent seismic events occurred in Italy (Emilia-Romagna 2012, Abruzzo 2009) and worldwide (New Zealand 2010 and 2011) highlighted some of the weaknesses of precast concrete industrial buildings, especially those related to the connecting systems traditionally employed to fasten the cladding panels to the internal framing. In fact, one of the most commons fails it is possible to observe in such structural typologies is related to the out-of-plane collapse of the external walls due to the unsatisfactory behaviour of the connectors used to join the panels to the perimeter beams. In this work, the strengthening of a traditional industrial building, assumed as a case study, made by precast reinforced concrete is proposed by the adoption of a dual system allowing the reinforcement of the structure by acting both internally; by pendular columns and, externally, on the walls. In particular, traditional connections at the top of the walls are substituted by devices able to work as a slider with vertical axis while, the bottom of the walls is equipped with two or more hysteretic dampers working on the uplift of the cladding panels occurring under seismic actions. By means of this approach, the structure is stiffened; obtaining a reduction of the lateral drifts under serviceability limit states. In addition, its seismic behaviour is improved due to the additional source of energy dissipation represented by the dampers located at the base of the walls. The effectiveness of the suggested retrofitting approach has been checked by comparing the performance of the retrofitted structure with those of the structure unreinforced by means of both pushover and Incremental Dynamic Analyses (IDA) in terms of behaviour factor, assumed as a measure of the ductility capacity of the structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.62-63
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• 2017

According to the rapid development of digital technology, the free formed buildings with complex and various curved surfaces are being constructed. Most of the external cladding of free formed buildings have been applied materials such as metal, glass, FRP, GFRC, etc. However, these materials have many disadvantages such as a complicated manufacturing process for realizing 3D irregular shape and an increase in production period and cost. Therefore, the studies for UHPC which is an optimized material for overcoming this problem for a long time in overseas. This study reviewed the remodeling construction of Samsung-dong KEB Hana Bank appling the exterior curved UHPC panel for the first time in Korea. As a result, we confirmed the possibility of UHPC panels with various free formed shapes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2000

It is inevitable that every space truss structure would be under some form of direct member loading. At least the structure self weight certainly affects the members directly, and in structures involving top concrete slabs or cladding, their weight is also likely to apply some lateral pressure on the members. In spite of that, direct member loading is usually ignored in space truss designs and assumed to lead only to a negligible effect on truss performance. This study is intended to explore this point and identify the actual effects that can arise from direct member loading, and eventually provide an answer to the question of whether the current design practice is satisfactory or certain modifications would be needed. After presenting two analytical techniques to allow the study of space trusses with laterally loaded members, the paper describes a wide parametric study involving practical-size space trusses with different configurations, aspect ratios, boundary conditions and number of chord panels.