• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.1A
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2010

Quasi-static tests were conducted to evaluate structural performance of precast piers prestressed by bonded prestressing steels. Combinations of prestressing bars and normal reinforcing bars, embedded steel tubes and prestressing strands were used as continuous steels crossing the joints of a precast pier. Main design parameters were steel ratio, magnitude of prestress force, and section details. Flexural strength and energy dissipation capacity of precast columns with higher steel ratio showed better performance due to continuous steels after opening of the joints. Precast piers with embedded members showed stable behavior after reaching maximum loads resulting in higher displacement ductility and energy dissipation capacity increased as the introduced prestress increased. Self-centering behavior at early stages and stress increase of confining reinforcements were observed from highly prestressed columns. Combination of prestressing steels and normal reinforcing bars should be used in design to prevent rapid strength degradation after reaching the maximum load.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.15-25
• /
• 2020

The seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) columns made from high-strength materials was investigated experimentally. Six high-strength concrete specimen columns (1:4 scale), which included three with high-strength stirrups (HSSs) and three with normal-strength stirrups (NSSs), were tested under a combination of high axial and reversed cyclic loads. The effects of stirrup strength and the ratio of transverse reinforcement on the cracking patterns, hysteretic response, strength, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation and strain of transverse reinforcement were studied. The results indicate that good seismic behaviour of an RC column subjected to high axial compression can be obtained by using a well-shaped stirrup. Stirrup strength had little effect on the lateral bearing capacity. However, the ductility was significantly modified by improving the stirrup strength. When loaded with a large lateral displacement, the strength reduction of NSS specimens was more severe than that of those with HSSs, and increasing the stirrup strength had little effect on the stiffness reduction. The ductility and energy dissipation of specimens with HSSs were superior to those with NSSs. When the ultimate displacement was reached, the core concrete could be effectively restrained by HSSs.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.497-507
• /
• 2019

Exposed column base connections are used in low- to mid-rise steel moment resisting frames. This paper is to investigate the effect of the base plate thickness on the exposed column base connection strength, stiffness, and energy dissipation. Five specimens with different base plate thickness were numerically modelled using ABAQUS software. The numerical model is able to reproduce the key characteristics of the experimental response. Based on the numerical analysis, the critical base plate thickness to identify the base plate and anchor rod yield mechanism is proposed. For the connection with base plate yield mechanism, the resisting moment is carried by the flexural bending of the base plate. Yield lines in the base plate on the tension side and compression side are illustrated, respectively. This type of connection exhibits a relatively large energy dissipation. For the connection with anchor rod yield mechanism, the moment is resisted through a combination of bearing stresses of concrete foundation on the compression side and tensile forces in the anchor rods on the tension side. This type of connection exhibits self-centering behavior and shows higher initial stiffness and bending strength. In addition, the methods to predict the moment resistance of the connection with different yield mechanisms are presented. And the evaluated moment resistances agree well with the values obtained from the FEM model.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.223-229
• /
• 2016

This study proposes a new technology for a smart damper with flag-shaped behavior using the combination of magnetic friction and rubber springs. The magnet provides friction and, thus, energy dissipation, and the rubber springs with precompression contribute to present self-centering capacity of the damper. To verify their performance, this study conducts dynamic tests of magnet frictional dampers and precompressed rubber springs. For the purpose, hexahedron Neodymium (NdFeB) magnets and polyurethane rubber cylinders are used. In the dynamic tests, loading frequency varies from 0.1 to 2.0 Hz. The magnets provide almost perfect rectangular behavior in force-deformation curve. The rubber springs are tested without or with precompression. The rubber springs show larger rigid force with increasing precompression. Lastly, this study discusses combination of rigid-elastic behavior and friction to generate 'flag-shaped' behavior for a smart damper and suggests how to combine the magnets and the rubber springs to obtain the flag-shaped behavior.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.415-448
• /
• 2014

A method is presented in this paper to analyze the dynamic response behavior of suspended building structures. The effect of semi-rigid connections that link suspended floors with their supporting structure on structural performance is investigated. The connections, like the restrains in non-structural suspended components, are designed as semi-rigid to avoid pounding and as energy dissipation components to reduce structural response. Parametric study is conducted to assess the dynamic characteristics of suspended building structures with varying connection stiffness and suspended mass ratios. Modal analysis is applied to identify the two distinct sets of vibration modes, pendulum and bearing, of a suspended building structure. The cumulative modal mass is discussed to ensure the accuracy in applying the method of response spectrum analysis by SRSS or CQC modal combination. Case studies indicate that a suspended building having semi-rigid connections and proper suspended mass ratios can avoid local pounding failure and reduce seismic response.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.157-169
• /
• 2024

The sudden release of water from a dam failure can trigger bores on a flat surface and exert substantial impact forces on structures. This flow poses a high-risk flood hazard to downstream urban areas, making it imperative to study its impact on structures and devise effective energy dissipators to mitigate its force. In this study, a combination of Genetic Algorithm optimization and numerical modeling is employed to identify the optimal energy dissipator. The analysis reveals that a round arc-shaped structure proves most effective, followed by a triangular shape. These shapes offer wide adaptability in terms of structure dimensions. Structures with higher elevation, especially those with round or triangular shapes, demonstrate superior energy dissipation capabilities. Conversely, square-shaped structures necessitate minimal height to minimize impact forces. The optimal width for dissipating energy is found to be 0.9 meters, allowing for effective wave run-up and propagation. Furthermore, the force exerted on structures increases with higher initial water levels, but diminishes with distance from the dam, highlighting the importance of placement in mitigating impact forces.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.479-500
• /
• 2022

In this study, a new type of isolation bearing is proposed by combining S-shaped steel plate dampers (SSDs) with a spherical steel bearing, and the seismic control effect of a five-span standard high-speed railway bridge is investigated. The advantages of the proposed S-shaped steel damping friction bearing (SSDFB) are that it cannot only lengthen the structural periods, dissipate the seismic energy, but also prevent bridge unseating due to the restraint effectiveness of SSDs in the large relative displacements between the girders and piers. This study first presents a detailed description and working principle of the SSDFB. Then, mechanical modeling of the SSDFB was derived to fundamentally define its cyclic behavior and obtain key mechanical parameters. The numerical model of the SSDFB's critical component SSD was verified by comparing it with the experimental results. After that, parameter studies of the dimensions and number of SSDs, the friction coefficient, and the gap length of the SSDFBs were conducted. Finally, the longitudinal seismic responses of the bridge with SSDFBs were compared with the bridge with spherical bearing and spherical bearing with strengthened shear keys. The results showed that the SSDFB can not only significantly mitigate the shear force responses and residual displacement in bridge substructures but also can effectively reduce girder displacement and prevent bridge unseating, at a cost of inelastic deformation of the SSDs, which is easy to replace. In conclusion, the SSDFB is expected to be a cost-effective option with both multi-stage energy dissipation and restraint capacity, making it particularly suitable for seismic isolation application to high-speed railway bridges.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.22-29
• /
• 2020

In this study, the fire patterns, heat emissions, and smoke generated by means of fire tests developed for representative combustibles in residential facilities were analyzed from among seven fire types. These combustibles were selected in a previous study to simulate real-world situations and professionalism required while dealing with these types of fires and develop the field commander training content. Consequently, the maximum heat dissipation was recorded as 728.6 kW, followed by the dissipation measured from the combination of a mattress and electric blanket, desk and chair, and TV and mattress. The total heat emission of sofas (226.2 MJ) and the combination of mattress and electric blanket (2,259.5 ㎡) was recorded. In this study, the scope of the tests was limited to the fire characteristics and characteristics of the combustibles, and it is expected that a simulation using various data acquisition methods and FDS would be performed and evaluated at a later stage.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.637-648
• /
• 2020

In this study, a new steel cylindrical shell configuration of the dissipative energy device is proposed to improve lateral ductility and to reduce the damage of the structures against seismic forces. Four nested-eccentric- cylindrical shells are used to constructing this device; therefore, this proposed device is named nested-eccentric-cylindrical shells damper (NECSD). The particular configuration of the nested-eccentric-cylindrical shells is applied to promote the mechanical characteristics, stability, and overall performance of the damper in cyclic loads. Shell-type components are performed as a combination of series and parallel non-linear springs into the in-plan plastic deformation. Numerical analysis with respect to dimensional variables are used to calculate the mechanical characteristics of the NECSD, and full-scale testing is conducted for verifying the numerical results. The parametric study shows the NECSD with thin shells were more flexible, while devices with thick shells were more capacious. The results from numerical and experimental studies indicate that the NECSD has a stable behavior in hysteretic loops with highly ductile performance, and can provide appropriate dissipated energy under cyclic loads.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Advanced Composite Structures
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.28-36
• /
• 2014

This study describes the development of innovative connections between steel beams and concrete-filled tube columns that utilize a combination of low-carbon steel and super-elastic shape memory alloy components. The intent is to combine the recentering behavior provided by the shape memory alloys to reduce building damage and residual drift after a major earthquake with the excellent energy dissipation of the low-carbon steel. The analysis and design of structures requires that simple yet accurate models for the connection behavior be developed. The development of a simplified 2D spring connection model for cyclic loads from advanced 3D FE monotonic studies is described. The implementation of those models into non-linear frame analyses indicates hat the recentering systems will provide substantial benefits for smaller earthquakes and superior performance to all-welded moment frames for large earthquakes.