• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.147-162
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• 2001

This paper presents an analytical method which takes into account the non-linearity of individual members, and discusses some case study results. It also discusses the relationship between member non-elastic behavior and excitation duration, and the relationship between member fracture and overall structure behavior. It is clearly demonstrated that the frame already shows almost unstable behavior due to long-columnization just before the occurrence of a column fracture. Then, a column fracture immediately induces a structural collapse mechanism.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2009

The Monte Carlo procedure was used to simulate wind load effects on a light-frame low-rise structure of irregular shape and a main wind force resisting system. Two analytical models were studied: rigid-beam and rigid-plate models. The models assumed that roof diaphragms were rigid beam or rigid plate and shear walls controlled system behavior and failure. The parameters defining wall stiffness, including imperfections, were random and included wall stiffness, wall capacity and yield displacements. The effect of openings was included in the simulation via a set of discrete multipliers with uniform distribution. One and two-story buildings were analyzed and the models can be expanded into multiple-floor structures provided that the assumptions made in this paper are not violated.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.279-297
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• 2014

This paper investigates the effects of confinement reinforcement and concrete strength on nonlinear behaviour of reinforced concrete buildings (RC). For numerical application, an eleven-storey and four bays reinforced concrete frame building is selected. Nonlinear incremental static (pushover) analyses of the building are performed according to various concrete strengths and whether appropriate confinement reinforcement, which defined in Turkish seismic code, exists or not at structural elements. In nonlinear analysis, distributed plastic hinge model is used. As a result of analyses, capacity curves of the frame building and moment-rotation curves at lower end sections of ground floor columns are determined. These results are compared with each other according to concrete strength and whether appropriate confinement reinforcement exists or not, respectively. According to results, it is seen that confinement reinforcement is important factor for increasing of building capacity and decreasing of rotations at structural elements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.449-467
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• 2006

Most existing concrete structures in Taiwan are considered nonductile due to insufficient transverse reinforcement and poor detailing of frame elements. Such features are fairly typical for buildings constructed prior to 1997, at which time the local building code was revised based on ACI 318-95. Among these structures, many contain perimeter or partition walls made of concrete or clay brick for architectural purposes. These walls, though treated as non-structural components in common design practice, could affect the structural behavior of the buildings during an earthquake. To study the behavior of such structures under seismic load, experiments were conducted on concrete frames of various configurations to show the force-deformation relationships, damage patterns, and other characteristics of the frames. For further interest, similar units with columns jacketed by carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) were also tested to illustrate the effectiveness of this technique in the retrofit of concrete frames.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-58
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• 2017

Recent investigations have pointed out that current code provisions specifying that the stiffness of reinforced concrete elements is strength independent, and therefore can be estimated prior to any strength assignment, is incorrect. A strength allocation strategy, suitable for preliminary structural design of medium height wall-frame dual systems, is presented for allocating strength in such buildings and estimating the dependable rigidities. The design process may be implemented by either the approximate continuous approach or the stiffness matrix method. It is based on the concept of the inelastic equivalent single-degree-of-freedom system which, the last few years, has been used to implement the performance based seismic design. The aforesaid strategy may also be used to determine structural configurations of minimum rotation distortion. It is shown that when the location of the modal centre of rigidity, as described in author's recent papers, is within a close distance from the mass axis the torsional response is mitigated. The methodology is illustrated in ten story building configurations, whose torsional response is examined under the ground motion of Kobe 1995, component KJM000.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.313-333
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• 2012

Reinforced concrete (RC) framed buildings dissipate the seismic energy through yielding of the reinforcing bars. This yielding jeopardizes the serviceability of these buildings as it results in residual lateral deformations. Superelastic Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) can recover inelastic strains by stress removal. Since SMA is a costly material, this paper defines the required locations of SMA bars in a typical RC frame to optimize its seismic performance in terms of damage scheme and seismic residual deformations. The intensities of five earthquakes causing failure to a typical RC six-storey building are defined and used to evaluate seven SMA design alternatives.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.253-273
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• 2015

The current investigation has been conducted to examine the effect of gravity loads on the seismic responses of the doubly asymmetric, three-dimensional structures comprising walls and frames. The proposed model includes the P-${\Delta}$ effects induced by the building weight. Based on the variational approach, a 3D finite element with two nodes and six DOF per node including P-${\Delta}$ effects is formulated. Dynamic and static governing equations are derived for dynamic and buckling analyzes of buildings braced by wall-frame systems. The influences of P-${\Delta}$ effects and height of the building on tip displacements under Hachinohe earthquake record are investigated through many structural examples.

• Architectural research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2022

Irregularities in the structure are crucial factors in screening structural vulnerability under extreme loadings. Numerical analyses were carried out considering wind and seismic loadings for four structures with discrete irregularity: continuous and discontinuous beams with varied story levels, and L-shaped irregular buildings. Structural responses such as maximum displacements, bending moments, axial forces, torsions, and story drifts are evaluated as per the criteria and limits defined by ACI 318. The outcomes indicate that the frame system with beam discontinuity on the upper half of the height exhibits the best structural performance. The results also indicate that the asymmetrical design of the L-shaped model makes it more susceptible to damage when subjected to strong lateral loading conditions.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.483-503
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• 2016

This study aims to evaluate seismic performance of existing low and mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings by comparing their displacement capacities and displacement demands under selected ground motions experienced in Turkey as well as demand spectrum provided in 2007 Turkish Earthquake Code for design earthquake with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years for soil class Z3. It should be noted that typical residential buildings are designed according to demand spectrum of 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. Three RC building sets as 2-, 4- and 7-story, are selected to represent reference low-and mid-rise buildings located in the high seismicity region of Turkey. The selected buildings are typical beam-column RC frame buildings with no shear walls. The outcomes of detailed field and archive investigation including approximately 500 real residential RC buildings established building models to reflect existing building stock. Total of 72 3-D building models are constructed from the reference buildings to include the effects of some properties such as structural irregularities, concrete strength, seismic codes, structural deficiencies, transverse reinforcement detailing, and number of story on seismic performance of low and mid-rise RC buildings. Capacity curves of building sets are obtained by nonlinear static analyses conducted in two principal directions, resulting in 144 models. The inelastic dynamic characteristics are represented by "equivalent" Single-Degree-of- Freedom (ESDOF) systems using obtained capacity curves of buildings. Nonlinear time history analysis is used to estimate displacement demands of representative building models idealized with (ESDOF) systems subjected to the selected ground motion records from past earthquakes in Turkey. The results show that the significant number of pre-modern code 4- and 7-story buildings exceeds LS performance level while the modern code 4- and 7-story buildings have better performances. The findings obviously indicate the existence of destructive earthquakes especially for 4- and 7-story buildings. Significant improvements in the performance of the buildings per modern code are also obvious in the study. Almost one third of pre-modern code buildings is exceeding LS level during records in the past earthquakes. This observation also supports the building damages experienced in the past earthquake events in Turkey.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.1
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• pp.83-99
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• 2020

Shear walls are structural members in buildings that are used extensively in reinforced concrete frame buildings, and almost exclusively in the UK, regardless of whether or not they are actually required. In recent years, the UK construction industry, led by the Concrete Centre, has questioned the need for such structural elements in low to mid-rise reinforced concrete frame buildings. In this context, a typical modern, 5-storey residential building is studied, and its existing shear walls are replaced with columns as used elsewhere in the building. The aim is to investigate the impact of several design variables, including concrete grade, column size, column shape and slab thickness, on the building's structural performance, considering two punching shear limits (V_Ed/V_Rd,c), lateral drift and accelerations, to evaluate its maximum possible height under wind actions without the inclusion of shear walls. To facilitate this study, a numerical model has been developed using the ETABS software. The results demonstrate that the building examined does not require shear walls in the design and has no lateral displacement or acceleration issues. In fact, with further analysis, it is shown that a similar building could be constructed up to 13 and 16 storeys high for 2 and 2.5 punching shear ratios (V_Ed/V_Rd,c), respectively, with adequate serviceability and strength, without the need for shear walls, albeit with thicker columns.