• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.63-84
• /
• 2013

A semi-active mass damping (SMD) system with magnetorheological (MR) dampers focusing on low- and mid-rise buildings is proposed in this paper. The main purpose of this study is to integrate the reliable characteristics of the traditional tuned mass damper (TMD) and the superior performance of the active mass damper (AMD) to the new system. In addition, the commonly seen solution of deploying dense seismic dampers throughout the structure nowadays to protect the main structure is also expected to switch to the developed SMD system on the roof with a similar reduction performance. In order to demonstrate this concept, a full-size three-story steel building representing a typical mid-rise building was used as the benchmark structure to verify its performance in real life. A numerical model with the interpolation technique integrated was first established to accurately predict the behavior of the MR dampers. The success of the method was proven through a performance test of the designated MR damper used in this research. With the support of the MR damper model, a specific control algorithm using a continuous-optimal control concept was then developed to protect the main structure while the response of the semi-active mass damper is discarded. The theoretical analysis and the experimental verification from a shaking table test both demonstrated the superior mitigation ability of the method. The proposed SMD system has been demonstrated to be readily implemented in practice.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.689-706
• /
• 2024

This study is aimed at identifying structural element stiffness influence on vertical earthquake response of mid-rise R/C frame buildings. To this aim, a mid-rise RC building structure is designed as per the new Turkish Seismic Code for Buildings-2018, and 3D FE model of the building is established. Based on the established FE model, a total number of six buildings are considered depending on certain percentage increase in beam, slab, and column. The time-history response analyses (THA) are performed separately for only horizontal (H) and horizontal +vertical (H+V) earthquake motions to make a comparison between the load cases. The analysis results are presented comparatively in terms of the monitoring parameters of the base overturning moment (M_o), the top-story lateral displacement (d_L) and the top-story vertical displacement (d_V). The obtained results reveal that the base overturning moment and the top-story vertical displacement are affected by vertical earthquake motion regardless of the increase in the dimension of beam, slab, and column. However, vertical earthquake motion is not effective on the top-story lateral displacement due to no change between H and H+V load. The dimensional increase in either slab or beam leads to a considerable increase in the base overturning moment and the top-story vertical displacement while causing decrease in the top-story lateral displacement. In addition, the dimensional increase in column has a positive effect on the decrease in the monitoring parameters of the base overturning moment (M_o), the top-story lateral displacement (d_L) and the top-story vertical displacement (d_V).

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.71 no.5
• /
• pp.563-576
• /
• 2019

According to The Concrete Centre, in the UK shear walls have become an inseparable part of almost every reinforced concrete frame building. Recently, the construction industry has questioned the need for shear walls in low to mid-rise RC frame buildings. This study tried to address the issue in two stages: The first stage, the feasibility of removing shear walls in an existing design for a residential building where ETABS and CONCEPT software were used to investigate the structural performance and cost-effectiveness respectively. The second stage, the same structure was examined in various locations in the UK to investigate regional effects. This study demonstrated that the building without shear wall could provide adequate serviceability and strength within the safe range defined by Eurocodes. As a result, construction time, overall cost and required concrete volume are reduced which in turn enhance the sustainability of concrete construction.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.221-233
• /
• 2020

Based on past experiences of natural disasters and fires in Japan, it is stipulated by law that fire-resistant buildings larger than a certain size should be unique in the world. Recent interest in global environmental issues has led to the active introduction of wooden buildings also in Japan, and it is expected that wooden buildings will become larger and higher in size. This paper introduces the background of the development of fire-resistant laminated timber with a "Self-Charring-Stop layer", the contents of this development including other related developments, and the application of these technologies. In addition, towards the realization of much larger and higher buildings in the future, the current problems and issues to be solved are set and the necessity of the future technological development is described. Finally, a conceptual model of wooden high-rise building is proposed, which will be able to be constructed in 2025 by the further technological development.

• 건축구조
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.25-28
• /
• 2013

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.109-116
• /
• 2018

As the number of high-rise buildings increases, a mid-story isolation system has been proposed for high-rise buildings. Due to structural problems, an appropriate isolation layer displacement is required for an isolation system. In this study, the mid-story isolation system was designed and the seismic response of the structure was investigated by varying the yield strength and the horizontal stiffness of the seismic isolation system. To do this, a model with an isolation layer at the bottom of $15^{th}$ floor of a 20-story building was used as an example structure. Kobe(1995) and Nihonkai-Chubu(1983) earthquake are used as earthquake excitations. The yield strength and the horizontal stiffness of the seismic isolation system were varied to determine the seismic displacement and the story drift ratio of the structure. Based on the analytical results, as the yield strength and horizontal stiffness increase, the displacement of the isolation layer decreases. The story drift ratio decreases and then increases. The displacement of the isolation layer and the story drift ratio are inversely proportional. Increasing the displacement of the isolation layer to reduce the story drift ratio can cause the structure to become unstable. Therefore, an engineer should choose the appropriate yield strength and horizontal stiffness in consideration of the safety and efficiency of the structure when a mid-story isolation system for a high-rise building is designed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.293-320
• /
• 2014

In this study, in order to evaluate adequacy of considering local site effect, excluding soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects in inelastic dynamic analysis and design of mid-rise moment resisting building frames, three structural models including 5, 10, and 15 storey buildings are simulated in conjunction with two soil types with the shear wave velocities less than 600 m/s, representing soil classes $D_e$ and $E_e$ according to the classification of AS1170.4-2007 (Earthquake actions in Australia) having 30 m bedrock depth. Structural sections of the selected frames were designed according to AS3600:2009 (Australian Standard for Concrete Structures) after undertaking inelastic dynamic analysis under the influence of four different earthquake ground motions. Then the above mentioned frames were analysed under three different boundary conditions: (i) fixed base under direct influence of earthquake records; (ii) fixed base considering local site effect modifying the earthquake record only; and (iii) flexible-base (considering full soil-structure interaction). The results of the analyses in terms of base shears and structural drifts for the above mentioned boundary conditions are compared and discussed. It is concluded that the conventional inelastic design procedure by only including the local site effect excluding SSI cannot adequately guarantee the structural safety for mid-rise moment resisting buildings higher than 5 storeys resting on soft soil deposits.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.187-200
• /
• 2021

The main factor for the amplification of ground motions near the crest or the toe of a slope is the reflection of the incident waves. The effects of the slope topography on the surrounding lands over the crest or at the toe can amplify the seismic responses of buildings. This study investigates the seismic performance of the slope topography and three mid-rise buildings (five, ten, and fifteen-storey) located near the crest and toe of the slope by 3D numerical analysis. The nonlinear model was used to represent the real behavior of building and ground elements. The average results of seven records were used in the investigations. Based on the analysis, the amplification factor of acceleration near the crest and toe of the slope was the most effective at distances of 2.5 and 1.3 times the slope height, respectively. Accordingly, the seismic performance of buildings was studied at a distance equal to the height of the slope from the crest and toe. The seismic response results of buildings showed that the slope topography to have little impact on up to five-storey buildings located near the crest. Taking into account a topography-soil-structure interaction system increases the storey displacement and base shear in the building. Accordingly, in topography-soil-structure interaction analyses, the maximum lateral displacement was increased by 71% and 29% in ten and fifteen-storey buildings, respectively, compare to the soil-structure interaction system. Further, the base shear force was increased by 109% and 78% in these buildings relative to soil-structure interaction analyses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.83 no.2
• /
• pp.195-206
• /
• 2022

Significant structural damages due to earthquakes reveal the importance of seismic design provisions. This paper presents a comparison between the seismic design provisions of Albania, Croatia, Iran, and Turkey for the design of mid-rise reinforced-concrete (RC) frames. Information on the historical development of the considered provisions are given. The code provisions are compared, illustrating the main differences in the minimum requirements for column and beam detailing and analysis for mid-rise RC frames. 4-story, 5-story, and 6-story buildings are designed according to each design code, and their performance is evaluated comparatively by using a displacement-based adaptive pushover procedure and eigenvalue analysis. It is observed that recent Turkish code has the highest and Albanian code has the lowest level of requirements in terms of member size and reinforcement detailing. The considered models indicate 15%, 20% and 50%, lower period values than the Croatia, Iran and Albania buildings, respectively. Additionally, building models per Croatia, Iran and Albania codes have 30%, 35% and 65% less base shear capacity when compared to Turkish building codes. Building models per Croatia and Iran codes indicate similar properties both in terms of strength and stiffness.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
• /
• 2006.04a
• /
• pp.500-507
• /
• 2006

Recently, the structural design code has been changed and every buildings, which have more than three floors or wider area than 1,000m2, should be designed to be able to resist earthquakes. However, most structural engineers are working in some big cities and this physical distance would set a barrier between structural engineers and architects. As a result, most row-rise buildings in small cities are designed and constructed without structural design or the consulting by structural engineers. The purpose of this research is to develop an web-based structural design environment in which structural design and consulting can be performed efficiently through on-line communication without off-line meetings or documents. In addition to the on-line communication, the system has a integrated structural design module which supports all the process of structural design and can increases the productivity of structural design work.