• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.20-27
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• 2021

The present study presents a nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) approach using the general program of Abaqus to evaluate the seismic response of unreinforced masonry walls strengthened with the steel bar truss system developed in the previous investigation. For finite element models of masonry walls, the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) and meso-scale methods were considered on the basis of the stress-strain relationships under compression and tension and shear friction-slip relationship of masonry prisms proposed by Yang et al. in order to formulate the interface characteristics between brick elements and mortars. The predictions obtained from the FEA approach were compared with test results under different design parameters; as a result, a good agreement could be observed with respect to the crack propagation, failure mode, rocking strength, peak strength, and lateral load-displacement relationship of masonry walls. Thus, it can be stated that the proposed FEA approach shows a good potential for designing the seismic strengthening of masonry walls.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2023

As well-known, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is a powerful tool for parameter identification with limited measurements. However, traditional EKF is not applicable when the external excitation is unknown. By using least-squares estimation (LSE) for force identification, an EKF with unknown input (EKF-UI) approach was recently proposed by the authors. In this approach, to ensure the influence matrix be of full column rank, the sensors have to be deployed at all the degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) corresponding to the unknown excitation, saying collocated measurements are required. However, it is not easy to guarantee that the sensors can be installed at all these locations. To circumvent this limitation, based on the idea of first-order-holder discretization (FOHD), an improved EKF with unknown input (IEKF-UI) approach is proposed in this study for the simultaneous identification of structural parameters and unknown excitation. By using projection matrix, an improved observation equation is obtained. Few displacement measurements are fused into the observation equation to avoid the so-called low-frequency drift. To avoid the ill-conditioning problem for force identification without collocated measurements, the idea of FOHD is employed. The recursive solution of the structural states and unknown loads is then analytically derived. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated via several numerical examples. Results show that the proposed approach is capable of satisfactorily identifying the parameters of linear and nonlinear structures and the unknown excitation applied to them.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.875-888
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• 2013

The researches have recently progressed toward the use of the superelastic shape memory alloys (SMAs) to develop new smart control systems that reduce permanent deformation occurring due to severe earthquake events and that automatically recover original configuration. The superelastic SMA materials are unique metallic alloys that can return to undeformed shape without additional heat treatments only after the removal of applied loads. Once the superelastic SMA materials are thus installed at the place where large deformations are likely to intensively occur, the structural system can make the best use of recentering capabilities. Therefore, this study is intended to propose new buckling-restrained braced frames (BRBFs) with superelastic SMA bracing systems. In order to verify the performance of such bracing systems, 6-story braced frame buildings were designed in accordance with the current design specifications and then nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed at 2D frame model by using seismic hazard ground motions. Based on the analysis results, BRBFs with innovative SMA bracing systems are compared to those with conventional steel bracing systems in terms of peak and residual inter-story drifts. Finally, the analysis results show that new SMA bracing systems are very effective to reduce the residual inter-story drifts.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.393-407
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• 2020

The braced tube frame system, a combination of perimeter frame and bracing frame, is one of the systems used in tall buildings. Due to the implementation of this system in tall buildings and the high rigidity resulting from the use of general bracing, providing proper ductility while maintaining the strength of the structure when exposing to lateral forces is essential. Also, the high stress at the connection of the beam to the column may cause a sudden failure in the region before reaching the required ductility. The use of Reduced Beam Section connection (RBS connection) by focusing stress in a region away from beam to column connection is a suitable solution to the problem. Because of the fact that RBS connections are usually used in moment frames and not tested in tall buildings with braced tube frames, they should be investigated. Therefore, in this research, three tall buildings in height ranges of 20, 25 and 30 floors were modeled and designed by SAP2000 software, and then a frame in each building was modeled in PERFORM-3D software under two RBS-free system and RBS-based system. Nonlinear time history dynamic analysis is used for each frame under Manjil, Tabas and Northridge excitations. The results of the Comparison between RBS-free and RBS-based systems show that the RBS connections increased the absorbed energy level by reducing the stiffness and increasing the ductility in the beams and structural system. Also, by increasing the involvement of the beams in absorbing energy, the columns and braces absorb less energy.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 2003

In this paper, we introduce a category of Multi-FNN (Fuzzy-Neural Networks) models, analyze the underlying architectures and propose a comprehensive identification framework. The proposed Multi-FNNs dwell on a concept of fuzzy rule-based FNNs based on HCM clustering and evolutionary fuzzy granulation, and exploit linear inference being treated as a generic inference mechanism. By this nature, this FNN model is geared toward capturing relationships between information granules known as fuzzy sets. The form of the information granules themselves (in particular their distribution and a type of membership function) becomes an important design feature of the FNN model contributing to its structural as well as parametric optimization. The identification environment uses clustering techniques (Hard C - Means, HCM) and exploits genetic optimization as a vehicle of global optimization. The global optimization is augmented by more refined gradient-based learning mechanisms such as standard back-propagation. The HCM algorithm, whose role is to carry out preprocessing of the process data for system modeling, is utilized to determine the structure of Multi-FNNs. The detailed parameters of the Multi-FNN (such as apexes of membership functions, learning rates and momentum coefficients) are adjusted using genetic algorithms. An aggregate performance index with a weighting factor is proposed in order to achieve a sound balance between approximation and generalization (predictive) abilities of the model. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, two numeric data sets are experimented with. One is the numerical data coming from a description of a certain nonlinear function and the other is NOx emission process data from a gas turbine power plant.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

In order to predict inelastic displacement response without nonlinear dynamic analysis, the equal displacement rule can be used for the structures with longer natural periods than the characteristic period, $T_g$, of earthquake record. In the period range longer than $T_g$, peak displacement responses of elastic systems are equal or larger than those of inelastic systems. In the period range shorter than $T_g$, opposite trend occurs. In the equal displacement rule, it is assumed that peak displacement of inelastic system with longer natural period than $T_g$ equals to that of elastic system with same natural period. The equal displacement rule is very useful for seismic design purpose of structures with longer natural period than $T_g$. In the period range shorter than $T_g$, the peak displacement of inelastic system can be simply evaluated from the peak displacement of elastic system by using the inelastic displacement ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the peak inelastic displacement to the peak elastic displacement. Smooth hysteretic behavior is more similar to actual response of real structural system than a piece-wise linear hysteretic behavior such as bilinear or stiffness degrading behaviors. In this paper, the inelastic displacement ratios of the smooth hysteretic behavior system are evaluated for far-fault and near-fault earthquakes. The simple formula of inelastic displacement ratio considering the effect of $T_g$ is proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.943-966
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• 2016

Recently, magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) material and its devices have been developed and attracted a good deal of attention for their potentials in vibration control. Among them, a highly adaptive base isolator based on MRE was designed, fabricated and tested for real-time adaptive control of base isolated structures against a suite of earthquakes. To perfectly take advantage of this new device, an accurate and robust model should be built to characterize its nonlinearity and hysteresis for its application in structural control. This paper first proposes a novel hysteresis model, in which a nonlinear hyperbolic sine function spring is used to portray the strain stiffening phenomenon and a Voigt component is incorporated in parallel to describe the solid-material behaviours. Then the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FFOA) is employed for model parameter identification using testing data of shear force, displacement and velocity obtained from different loading conditions. The relationships between model parameters and applied current are also explored to obtain a current-dependent generalized model for the control application. Based on the proposed model of MRE base isolator, a second-order sliding mode controller is designed and applied to the device to provide a real-time feedback control of smart structures. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated in simulation through utilizing a three-storey benchmark building model under four benchmark earthquake excitations. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed current-dependent model and corresponding controller for semi-active control of MRE base isolator incorporated smart structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.595-603
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• 2018

Shake table testing has been regarded as one of the most effective experimental approaches to evaluate seismic response of structural systems subjected to earthquakes. However, reproducing a prescribed acceleration time history precisely over the frequency of interest is challenging because shake table test systems are eventually nonlinear by nature. In addition, interaction between the table and specimen could affect the control accuracy of shake table testing significantly. Various novel control algorithms have been proposed to improve the control accuracy of shake table testing; however, reference values for control performance assessment remain rare. In this study, reference values for control performance assessment of shake table testing are specified based on the statistical analyses of 1,209 experimental data provided by the Seismic Simulator Laboratory of National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taiwan. Three individual reference values are considered for the assessment including the root-mean-square error of the achieved acceleration time history; the percentage of the spectral acceleration that exceeds the determined tolerance range over the frequency of interest; and the error-ratio of the achieved peak ground acceleration. Quartiles of the real experimental data in terms of the three objective variables are obtained, providing users with solid and simple references to evaluate the control performance of shake table testing. Finally, a set of experimental data of a newly developed control framework implementation for uni-axial shake tables are used as an application example to demonstrate the significant improvement of control accuracy according to the reference values provided in this study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.327-340
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• 2022

The Collapse Margin Ratio (CMR) is a notable index used for seismic assessment of the structures. As proposed by FEMA P695, a set of analyses including the Nonlinear Static Analysis (NSA), Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA), together with Fragility Analysis, which are typically time-taking and computationally unaffordable, need to be conducted, so that the CMR could be obtained. To address this issue and to achieve a quick and efficient method to estimate the CMR, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Response Surface Method (RSM), and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) will be introduced in the current research. Accordingly, using the NSA results, an attempt was made to find a fast and efficient approach to derive the CMR. To this end, 5016 IDA analyses based on FEMA P695 methodology on 114 various Reinforced Concrete (RC) frames with 1 to 12 stories have been carried out. In this respect, five parameters have been used as the independent and desired inputs of the systems. On the other hand, the CMR is regarded as the output of the systems. Accordingly, a double hidden layer neural network with Levenberg-Marquardt training and learning algorithm was taken into account. Moreover, in the RSM approach, the quadratic system incorporating 20 parameters was implemented. Correspondingly, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) has been employed to discuss the results taken from the developed model. Additionally, the essential parameters and interactions are extracted, and input parameters are sorted according to their importance. Moreover, the ANFIS using Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system was employed. Finally, all methods were compared, and the effective parameters and associated relationships were extracted. In contrast to the other approaches, the ANFIS provided the best efficiency and high accuracy with the minimum desired errors. Comparatively, it was obtained that the ANN method is more effective than the RSM and has a higher regression coefficient and lower statistical errors.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.5
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• pp.589-605
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• 2023

This paper investigates the ductility demands of steel frames equipped with self-centring fuses under near-fault earthquake motions considering multiple yielding stages. The study is commenced by verifying a trilinear self-centring hysteretic model accounting for multiple yielding stages of steel frames equipped with self-centring fuses. Then, the seismic response of single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems following the validated trilinear self-centring hysteretic law is examined by a parametric study using a near-fault earthquake ground motion database composed of 200 earthquake records as input excitations. Based on a statistical investigation of more than fifty-two (52) million inelastic spectral analyses, the effect of the post-yield stiffness ratios, energy dissipation coefficient and yielding displacement ratio on the mean ductility demand of the system is examined in detail. The analysis results indicate that the increase of post-yield stiffness ratios, energy dissipation coefficient and yielding displacement ratio reduces the ductility demands of the self-centring oscillators responding in multiple yielding stages. A set of empirical expressions for quantifying the ductility demands of trilinear self-centring hysteretic oscillators are developed using nonlinear regression analysis of the analysis result database. The proposed regression model may offer a practical tool for designers to estimate the ductility demand of a low-to-medium rise self-centring steel frame equipped with self-centring fuses progressing in the ultimate stage under near-fault earthquake motions in design and evaluation.