• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.861-871
• /
• 2021

This study aims at investigating the hysteretic performance of a novel composite wall panel fabricated by infilling aerated concrete blocks into a novel light-steel frame used for low-rise residential buildings. The novel light-steel frame is consisted of two thin-wall rectangular hollow section columns and a truss-beam assembled using patented U-shape connectors. Two bare light-steel frames and two composite wall panels have been tested to failure under horizontal cyclic loading. Hysteretic curves, lateral resistance and stiffness of four specimens have been investigated and analyzed. Based on the testing results, it is found that the masonry infill can significantly increase the lateral resistance and stiffness of the novel light-steel frame, about 2.3~3 and 21.2~31.5 times, respectively. Failure mode of the light-steel frame is local yielding of the column. For the composite wall panel, firstly, masonry infill is crushed, subsequently, local yielding may occur at the column if loading continues. Hysteretic curve of the composite wall panel obtained is not plump, implying a poor energy dissipation capacity. However, the light-steel frame of the composite wall panel can dissipate more energy after the masonry infill is crushed. Therefore, the composite wall panel has a much higher energy dissipation capacity compared to the bare light-steel frame.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.64 no.5
• /
• pp.543-555
• /
• 2017

The non-linear behaviour of integral infilled frames (in which the infill and the frame are bonded together with help of various interface materials) is studied both experimentally and numerically. The experiments were carried out on one-sixth scale two-bay and three-storey reinforced concrete frames with and without infill against static cyclic loading. Three interface materials - cement mortar, cork and foam have been used in between the infill and the frame. The infill, interface and the frame are bonded together is called integral frame. The linear and non-linear behaviors of two dimensional bare frame and integral infilled frame have been studied numerically using the commercial finite element software SAP 2000. Linear finite element analysis has been carried out to quantify the effect of various interface materials on the infilled frames with various combinations of 21 cases and the results compared. The modified configuration that used all three interface materials offered better resistance above others. Therefore, the experiments were limited to this modified infilled frame case configuration, in addition to conventional (A1-integral infilled frame with cement mortar as interface) and bare frame (A0-No infill). The results have been compared with the numerical results done initially. It is found that stiffness of bare frame increased by infilling and the strength of modified frame increased by 20% compare to bare frame. The ductility ratio of modified infilled frame was 42% more than that of the conventional infilled frame. In general, the numerical result was found to be in good agreement with experimental results for initial crack load, ultimate load and deformed pattern of infill.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.451-461
• /
• 2018

Present study is mainly concerned about the idea of innovative utilization of bamboo in modern construction. Owing to its compatible mechanical properties, a beneficial effect of its use in reinforced concrete (RC) frame infills has been observed. In this investigation, finite element analyses have been performed to examine the failure pattern and stress distribution pattern through the infills of a moment resisting RC frame. To validate the pragmatic use of bamboo reinforced components as infills, earthquake loading corresponding to Nepal earthquake had been considered. The analysis have revealed that introduction of bamboo in RC frames imparts more flexibility to the structure and hence may causes a ductile failure during high magnitude earthquakes like in Nepal. A more uniform stress distribution throughout the bamboo reinforced wall panels validates the practical feasibility of using bamboo reinforced concrete wall panels as a replacement of conventional brick masonry wall panels. A more detailed analysis of the results have shown the fact that stress concentration was more on the frame components in case of frame with brick masonry, contrary to the frame with bamboo reinforced concrete wall panels, in which, major stress dispersion was through wall panels leaving frame components subjected to smaller stresses. Thus an effective contribution of bamboo in dissipation of stresses generated during devastating seismic activity have been shown by these results which can be used to concrete the feasibility of using bamboo in modern construction.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.283-294
• /
• 2022

In this study, a new seismic retrofit scheme of building structures is developed by combining a steel moment frame and steel slit plates to be installed inside of an existing reinforced concrete frame. This device has the energy dissipation capability of slit dampers with slight loss of stiffness compared to the conventional steel frame reinforcement method. In order to investigate the seismic performance of the retrofit system, it was installed inside of a reinforced concrete frame and tested under cyclic loading. Finite element analysis was carried out for validation of the test results, and it was observed that the analysis and the test results match well. An analytical model was developed to apply the retrofit system to a commercial software to be used for seismic retrofit design of an example structure. The effectiveness of the retrofit scheme was investigated through nonlinear time-history response analysis (NLTHA). The cyclic loading test showed that the steel frame with slit dampers provides significant increase in strength and ductility to the bare structure. According to the analysis results of a case study building, the proposed system turned out to be effective in decreasing the seismic response of the model structure below the given target limit state.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.279-294
• /
• 2020

Foundation of a building is damaged under service loads during construction. First visit shows that the foundation has been punched at the 6 column's foot region led to building rotation. Foundation shear punching occurring has made some stresses and deflections in construction. In this study, progressing of damage caused by foundation shear punching and inverse loading in order to resolve the building rotation has been evaluated in the foundation and frame of building by finite element modeling in ABAQUS software. The stress values of bars in punched regions of foundation has been deeply exceeded from steel yielding strength and experienced large displacement based on software's results. On the other hand, the values of created stresses in the frame are not too big to make serious damage. In the beams and columns of ground floor, some partial cracks has been occurred and in other floors, the values of stresses are in the elastic zone of materials. Finally, by inverse loading to the frame, the horizontal displacement of floors has been resolved and the values of stresses in frame has been significantly reduced.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.719-729
• /
• 2017

A considerable research is available on the seismic response of Reinforced Concrete (RC) shear wall-frame buildings, but the studies on the reliability of such buildings, with the consideration of human error, are limited. In the present study, a detailed procedure for reliability assessment of RC shear wall-frame building subjected to earthquake loading against serviceability limit state is presented. Monte Carlo simulation was used for the reliability assessment. The procedure was implemented on a 10-story RC building to demonstrate that the shear walls improve the reliability substantially. The annual and life-time failure probabilities of the studied building were estimated by employing the information of the annual probability of earthquake occurrence and the design life of the building. A simple risk-based cost assessment procedure that relates both the structural life-time failure probability and the target reliability with the total cost of the building was then presented. The structural failure probability (i.e., the probability of exceeding the allowable drift) considering human errors was also studied. It was observed that human error in the estimation of total load and/or concrete strength changes the reliability sharply.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.103-119
• /
• 2016

Multi-storey frame structures are frequently exposed to static and dynamic forces. Therefore analyses of static (buckling) and dynamic stability come into prominence for these structures. In this study, the effects of number of storey, static and dynamic load parameters, crack depth and crack location on the in-plane static and dynamic stability of cracked multi-storey frame structures subjected to periodic loading have been investigated numerically by using the Finite Element Method. A crack element based on the Euler beam theory is developed by using the principles of fracture mechanics. The equation of motion for the cracked multi-storey frame subjected to periodic loading is achieved by Lagrange's equation. The results obtained from the stability analysis are presented in three dimensional graphs and tables.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
• /
• 1999.11a
• /
• pp.558-565
• /
• 1999

Rubber wheel-type AGT has two major kinds of bogie; one is the bogie type and the other and passenger loads. This paper deals with the statics analysis for two types of bogie frame subjected to combined external forces, as well as independent ones specified in UIC 515-4. Furthermore, the dynamics analysis is performed under vibrational loading conditions so as to compare dynamic characteristics, Numerical results by using commercial packages, Ⅰ-DEAS and NASTRAN show that maximum stresses do not exceed the yielding level of material used for both bogies. From an overall viewpoint of strength, the bogie type turns out to be superior to the steering type except the case of a lateral loading. It is also observed that the steering type shows a be stiffened. It is strongly anticipated that vibrational fatigue analysis should be carried out under realistic loading conditions closely matching to situations such as running surface and lateral clearances along the guideway.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.563-577
• /
• 2022

This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of a new seismic enhancement method for existing reinforced concrete (RC) frames by using an external sub-structure, the hybrid seismic retrofit method (HSRM) system. This retrofit system is an H-shaped frame bolt-connected to an existing RC frame with an infilled-concrete layer between their gaps. Two RC frames were built, one with and one without HSRM, and tested under cyclic loading. The experimental findings showed that the retrofitted RC frame was superior to the non-retrofitted specimen in terms of initial stiffness, peak load, and energy dissipation capacity. A numerical simulation using a commercial program was employed for verification with the experiments. The results obtained from the simulations were consistent with those from the experiments, indicating the finite element (FE) models can simulate the seismic behaviors of bare RC frame and retrofitted RC frame using HSRM.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.37 no.9
• /
• pp.1077-1082
• /
• 2013

To improve cycling performance, the power output of the rider and the sources of resistance (e.g., air resistance, frame stiffness, and cycle mass) must be considered. From a mechanical viewpoint, we consider how the bike frame performance can be increased while decreasing the resistance. First, to improve the competitive ability of a racing track cycle, we should consider the stiffness of the bike frame including the pedal loading and aerodynamic effects when riding. Therefore, we obtained the cross-sectional area of each part of the bike frame and then aimed to minimize the drag force through an aerodynamic parametric study. In addition, the frame should remain safe under the loading applied by the rider. Under the guidelines of the UCI (union Cycliste Internationale) regulations, the bike frame has been evaluated under the proposed loading condition, and we developed a racing track cycle for elite cyclists.