• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.571-587
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• 2020

In this article the seismic demand and performance of two recent braced steel frames named steel moment frames with the elliptic bracing (ELBRFs) are assessed through a laboratory program and numerical analyses of FEM. Here, one of the specimens is without connecting bracket from the corner of the frame to the elliptic brace (ELBRF-E), while the other is with the connecting brackets (ELBRF-B). In both the elliptic braced moment resisting frames (ELBRFs), in addition to not having any opening space problem in the bracing systems when installed in the surrounding frames, they improve structure's behavior. The experimental test is run on ½ scale single-story single-bay ELBRF specimens under cyclic quasi-static loading and compared with X-bracing and SMRF systems in one story base model. This system is of appropriate stiffness and a high ductility, with an increased response modification factor. Moreover, its energy dissipation is high. In the ELBRF bracing systems, there exists a great interval between relative deformation at the yield point and maximum relative deformation after entering the plastic region. In other words, the distance from the first plastic hinge to the collapse of the structure is fairly large. The experimental outcomes here, are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.641-652
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• 2019

This paper investigates the effect of aftershocks on the seismic performance of self-centering (SC) prestressed concrete frames using the probabilistic seismic demand analysis methodology. For this purpose, a 4-story SC concrete frame and a conventional reinforced concrete (RC) frame are designed and numerically analyzed through nonlinear dynamic analyses based on a set of as-recorded mainshock-aftershock seismic sequences. The peak and residual story drifts are selected as the demand parameters. The probabilistic seismic demand models of the SC and RC frames are compared, and the SC frame is found to have less dispersion of peak and residual story drifts. The results of drift demand hazard analyses reveal that the SC frame experiences lower peak story drift hazards and significantly reduced residual story drift hazards than the RC frame when subjected to the mainshocks only or the mainshock-aftershock sequences, which demonstrates the advantages of the SC frame over the RC frame. For both the SC and RC frames, the influence of as-recorded aftershocks on the drift demand hazards is small. It is shown that artificial aftershocks can produce notably increased drift demand hazards of the RC frame, while the incremental effect of artificial aftershocks on the drift demand hazards of the SC frame is much smaller. It is also found that aftershock polarity does not influence the drift demand hazards of both the SC and RC frames.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.273-290
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• 2011

In current ductility-based earthquake-resistant design, the estimation of design forces continues to be carried out with the application of response modification factors on elastic design spectra. It is well-known that the response modification factor (R) takes into account the force reduction, strength, redundancy, and damping of structural systems. The key components of the response modification factor (R) are force reduction ($R_{\mu}$) and strength ($R_S$) factors. However, the response modification and strength factors for structural systems presented in design codes were based on professional judgment and experiences. A numerical study has been accomplished to evaluate force reduction, strength, and response modification factors for special steel moment resisting frames. A total of 72 prototype steel frames were designed based on the recommendations given in the AISC Seismic Provisions and UBC Codes. Number of stories, soil profiles, seismic zone factors, framing systems, and failure mechanisms were considered as the design parameters that influence the response. The effects of the design parameters on force reduction ($R_{\mu}$), strength ($R_S$), and response modification (R) factors were studied. Based on the analysis results, these factors for special steel moment resisting frames are evaluated.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.525-535
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• 2019

The seismic performance of steel frames equipped with a particular type of bending dissipative braces (BDBs) having U elements, which has recently been introduced and tested by the authors, is investigated. For this purpose, two structural systems, i.e., simple and dual steel building frames, both with diagonal BDBs and different number of stories, are considered. After providing a design method of this new BDB, the detailed structural models are developed in the OpenSees platform to perform nonlinear dynamic analyses. Seismic performance factors like ductility, overstrength, response modification and deflection amplification factors are calculated using incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). In addition, to assess the damage probability of the structural models, their seismic fragilities are developed. The results show high energy dissipation capacity of both structural systems while the number of U elements needed for the bracing system of each story in the moment frames are less than those in the corresponding non-moment (simple) frames. The average response modification and deflection amplification factors for both structural schemes are obtained about 8.6 and 5.4, respectively, which are slightly larger than the corresponding recommended values of ASCE for the typical buckling-restrained braces (BRBs).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.91-110
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• 2019

In the present study, the effects of six different ground motion scaling methods on inelastic response of nonlinear steel moment frames (SMFs) are studied. The frames were designed using energy-based PBPD approach with the design concept using pre-selected target drift and yield mechanism as performance limit state. Two target spectrums are considered: maximum credible earthquake spectrum (MCE) and design response spectrum (DRS). In order to investigate the effects of ground motion scaling methods on the response of the structures, totally 3216 nonlinear models including three frames with 4, 8 and 16 stories are designed using PBPD approach and then they are subjected to ensembles of ground motions including 42 far-fault and 90 near-fault pulse-type records which were scaled using the six different scaling methods in accordance to the two aforementioned target spectrums. The distributions of maximum inter-story drift over the height of the structures are computed and compared. Finally, the efficiency and reliability of each ground motion scaling method to estimate the maximum nonlinear inter-story drift of special steel moment frames designed by energy-based PBPD approach are statistically investigated, and the most suitable scaling methods with the lowest dispersion for two groups of earthquake ground motions are introduced.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.713-730
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• 2021

The seismic performance of rigid steel frames is widely investigated, but that of semi-rigid (SR) steel frames are not studied extensively, especially for near-field earthquakes. In this paper, the performances of five and ten-story steel SR frames having different degrees of semi-rigidity are evaluated at four performance points in the four different deformation states, namely, the elastic, elasto-plastic, plastic, and near collapse states. The performances of the SR frames are measured by the response parameters including the maximum values of the top floor displacement, base shear, inter-story drift ratio, number of plastic hinges, and SRSS of plastic hinge rotations. These response parameters are obtained by the capacity spectrum method (CSM) using pushover analysis. The validity of the response parameters determined by the CSM is evaluated by the results of the nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) for both near and far-field earthquakes at different PGA levels, which are consistent with the performance points. Results of the study show that the plastic hinges of SR frame significantly increase in the range of plastic to near-collapse states for both near and far-field earthquakes. The effect of the degree of semi-rigidity is pronounced only at higher degrees of semi-rigidity. The predictions of the CSM are fairly well in comparison to the NLTHA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.120-125
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• 2000

A heddle frame is the major part of a loom that produces woven cloth by insertion of weft yarns between warp yams. Warp yarns are manipulated by many heddles fixed in a heddle frame. Recently, the up and down speed of heddle frames has been increased much for the increase of productivity, which induces higher inertial stresses and vibrations in the heddle frame. The heddle frame has the rectangular cross-section. For the design of box type beams of rectangular cross-section, extensional stiffness EA, flexural stiffness El, and torsional stiffness GJ as well as the vibration characteristics are important and should be simultaneously considered. Tn this paper, the vibration characteristics of the composite and the composite sandwich beams for high-speed heddle frame were tested by impulse frequency response.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.195-204
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• 2017

The effects of plaster on the behavior of single-story single-bay masonry-infilled steel frames under in-plane base accelerations have been experimentally investigated by a shake-table. Tested structures were made in a 1/3 scale, with realistic material properties and construction methods. Steel frames with high and low flexural rigidity of beams and columns were considered. Each type of frame was tested with three variants of masonry: (i) non-plastered masonry; (ii) masonry infill with conventional plaster on both sides; and (iii) masonry infill with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) net reinforced plaster on both sides. Masonry bricks were made of lightweight cellular concrete. Each frame was firstly successively exposed to horizontal base accelerations of an artificial accelerogram, and afterwards, to horizontal base accelerations of a real earthquake. Characteristic displacements, strains and cracks in the masonry were established for each applied excitation. It has been concluded that plaster strengthens the infill and prevents damages in it, which results in more favorable behavior and increased bearing capacity of plastered masonry-infilled frames compared to non-plastered masonry-infilled frames. The load-bearing contribution of the adopted PVC net in the plaster was not noticeable for the tested specimens, probably due to relative small cross section area of fibers in the net. Behavior of masonry-infilled steel frames significantly depends on frame stiffness. Strong frames have smaller displacements than weak frames, which reduces deformations and damages of an infill.

• Composites Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

In this paper, we evaluate structural integrity of the wearable robot by using finite element analysis, which is made of CFRP(Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) composite materials to be lightened. On the basis of the ASTM(American Standard Test Method), mechanical tests of the material are carried out in tensile, compressive and shear test for analytical evaluation. With the tested composite material, the main frame and two femoral frames of the robot is redesigned to satisfy the lightening design requirements. It is verified with the structural analysis that the redesigned frames are good for the part of the wearable robot.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2013

This paper presents the formulation for a novel force-based 1-D compound-element that captures both material and second order P-${\Delta}$ nonlinearities in steel frames. At the nodal points, the element is attached to nonlinear rotational and a translational springs which represent the flexural and axial stiffness of the connections respectively. By decomposing the total strain in the material as well as the generalised displacements of the flexible connections to their elastic and inelastic components, a secant solution strategy based on a direct iterative scheme is introduced and the corresponding solution strategy is outlined. The strain and slope of the deformed element are assumed to be small; however the equilibrium equations are satisfied for the deformed element taking account of P-${\Delta}$ effects. The formulation accuracy and efficiency is verified by some numerical examples on the nonlinear static, cyclic and dynamic analysis of steel frames.