• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2019

In the present study, the behavior of steel plate shear walls (SPSW) with variable column flexural stiffness is experimentally and numerically investigated. Altogether six one-bay one-story specimens, three moment resisting frames (MRFs) and three SPSWs, were designed, fabricated and tested. Column flexural stiffness of the first specimen pair (one MRF and one SPSW) corresponded to the value required by the design codes, while for the second and third pair it was reduced by 18% and 36%, respectively. The quasi-static cyclic test result indicate that SPSW with reduced column flexural stiffness have satisfactory performance up to 4% story drift ratio, allow development of the tension field over the entire infill panel, and cause negligible column "pull-in" deformation which indicates that prescribed minimal column flexural stiffness value, according to AISC 341-10, might be conservative. In addition, finite element (FE) pushover simulations using shell elements were developed. Such FE models can predict SPSW cyclic behavior reasonably well and can be used to conduct numerical parametric analyses. It should be mentioned that these FE models were not able to reproduce column "pull-in" deformation indicating the need for further development of FE simulations with cyclic load introduction which will be part of another paper.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.629-647
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• 2013

Loading protocols have been developed for quasi-static cyclic testing of structures and components. However, it is uncertain if protocols developed for conditions of intense ground shaking in regions of high seismicity would also be applicable to regions of low-moderate seismicity that are remote from the tectonic plate boundaries. This study presents a methodology for developing a quasi-static cyclic displacement loading protocol for experimental bracing evaluation of cold-formed steel stud shear walls. Simulations presented in the paper were based on conditions of moderate ground shaking (in Australia). The methodologies presented are generic in nature and can be applied to other regions of similar seismicity conditions (which include many parts of China, Korea, India and Malaysia). Numerous response time histories including both linear and nonlinear analyses have been generated for selected earthquake scenarios and site classes. Rain-flow cycle counting method has been used for determining the number of cycles at various ranges of normalized displacement amplitude. It is found that the number of displacement cycles of the loading protocol increases with increasing intensity of ground shaking (associated with a longer return period).

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.857-866
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• 2013

This paper is concerned with the material properties of functional high explosive(FHX) simulant at various strain rates ranging from $10^{-4}/sec$ to $10^1/sec$. Material properties of FHX at high strain rates are important in prediction of deformation modes of FHX in a warhead which undergoes dynamic loading. Inert FHX stimulant which has analogous mechanical properties with FHX was utilized for material tests due to safety issues. Uniaxial tensile tests at quasi-static strain rates ranging from $10^{-4}/sec$ to $10^{-2}/sec$ and intermediate strain rates ranging from $10^{-1}/sec$ to $10^1/sec$ were conducted with JANNAF specimen using a tensile testing machine, INTRON 5583, and developed high speed material testing machine, respectively. Uniaxial compressive tests at quasi-static strain rates and intermediate strain rates were conducted with cylindrical specimen using a dynamic materials testing machine, INSTRON 8801. And cyclic compressive loading tests were performed with various strain rates and strains. Deformation behaviors were investigated using captured images obtained from a high-speed camera.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 2019

Cyclic behaviour of composite (steel-concrete) plate shear walls (CPSW) with variable column flexural stiffness is experimentally and numerically investigated. The investigation included design, fabrication and testing of three pairs of one-bay one-storey CPSW specimens. The reference specimen pair was designed in way that its column flexural stiffness corresponds to the value required by the design codes, while within the other two specimen pairs column flexural stiffness was reduced by 18% and 36%, respectively. Specimens were subjected to quasi-static cyclic tests. Obtained results indicate that column flexural stiffness reduction in CPSW does not have negative impact on the overall behaviour allowing for satisfactory performance for up to 4% storey drift ratio while also enabling inelastic buckling of the infill steel plate. Additionally, in comparison to similar steel plate shear wall (SPSW) specimens, column "pull-in" deformations are less pronounced within CPSW specimens. Therefore, the results indicate that prescribed minimal column flexural stiffness value used for CPSW might be conservative, and can additionally be reduced when compared to the prescribed value for SPSWs. Furthermore, finite element (FE) pushover simulations were conducted using shell and solid elements. Such FE models can adequately simulate cyclic behaviour of CPSW and as such could be further used for numerical parametric analyses. It is necessary to mention that the implemented pushover FE models were not able to adequately reproduce column "pull-in" deformation and that further development of FE simulations is required where cyclic loading of the shear walls needs to be simulated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.301-310
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• 2017

For further development of passive control systems to dissipate larger seismic energy and prevent the structures from earthquake losses, this paper proposes an innovative two-level control system to improve behavior of chevron braced steel frames. Combining two Knee Braces, KB, and a Vertical Link Beam, VLB, in a chevron braced frame, this system can reliably sustain main shock and aftershocks in steel structures. The performance of this two-level system is examined through a finite element analysis and quasi-static cyclic loading test. The cyclic performances of VLB and KBs alone in chevron braced frames are compared with that of the presented two-level control system. The results show appropriate performance of the proposed system in terms of ductility and energy dissipation in two different excitation levels. The maximum load capacity of the presented system is about 30% and 17% higher than those of the chevron braced frames with KB and VLB alone, respectively. In addition, the maximum energy dissipation of the proposed system is about 78% and 150% higher than those of chevron braced frames with VLB and KB respectively under two separate levels of lateral forces caused by different probable seismic excitations. Finally, high performance under different earthquake levels with competitive cost and quick installation work for the control system can be found as main advantages of the presented system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.505-516
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• 2000

This paper is a presentation of an experimental study about the elastic-partly plastic behavior of rectangular hollow steel pinned struts subjected to static cyclic axial loading and the evaluation of the compressive strength of retrofitted crooked struts. Retrofitting is achieved by welding stiffening plates along the webs of damaged struts. The material follows a quasi-kinematic hardening hysteresis path as observed from coupon tests. Test results are compared to those of an analytical model showing a good agreement for both standard and retrofitted struts. The comparison of different stiffener plate dimensions shows that more efficient strengthening is achieved by using long thin stiffeners rather than short thick ones.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2021

Digging well foundation has been widely used in railway bridges due to its good economy and reliability. In other instances, bridges with digging well foundation still have damage risks during earthquakes. However, there is still a lack of knowledge of lateral behavior of digging well foundation considering the soil-foundation interaction. In this study, scaled models of bridge pier-digging well foundation system are constructed for quasi-static test to investigate their lateral behaviors. The failure mechanism and responses of the soil-foundation-pier interaction system are analyzed. The testing results indicate that the digging foundations tend to rotate as a rigid body under cyclic lateral load. Moreover, the depth-width ratio of digging well foundation has a significant influence on the failure mode of the interaction system, especially on the distribution of foundation displacement and the failure of pier. The energy dissipation capacity of the interaction system is discussed by using index of the equivalent viscous damping ratio. The damping varies with the depth-width ratio changing. The equivalent stiffness of soil-digging well foundation-pier interaction system decreases with the increase of loading displacement in a nonlinear manner. The absolute values of the interaction system stiffness are significantly influenced by the depth-width ratio of the foundation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2011

This paper presents the results of a study on the capability of nonlinear quasi-static finite element modelling in simulating the hysteretic behaviour of CFRP and GFRP-retrofitted RC exterior beam-column joints under cyclic loads. Four specimens including two plain and two CFRP/GFRP-strengthened beam-column joints tested by Mahini and Ronagh (2004) and other researchers are modelled using ANSYS. Concrete in compression is defined by the modified Hognestad model and anisotropic multi-linear model is employed for modelling the stress-strain relations in reinforcing bars while anisotropic plasticity is considered for the FRP composite. Both concrete and FRP are modelled using solid elements whereas space link elements are used for steel bars considering a perfect bond between materials. A step by step load increment procedure to simulate the cyclic loading regime employed in the testing. An automatically reforming stiffness matrix strategy is used in order to simulate the actual seismic performance of the RC concrete after cracking, steel yielding and concrete crushing during the push and pull loading cycles. The results show that the hysteretic simulation for all specimens is satisfactory and therefore suggest that the numerical model can be used as an inexpensive tool to design of FRP-strengthened RC beam-column joints under cyclic loads.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.809-823
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• 2017

This paper describes lab test results of artificial rock-like material samples having a plane joint. Cyclic shear tests were performed under different normal loads and different shear displacement amplitudes. For this purpose, multi-stage normal loading tests (30 kN, 60 kN, 90 kN, 180 kN, 360 kN and 480 kN) with cyclic excitation at frequency of 1.0 Hz and different shear displacement amplitudes (0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm, and 8.0 mm) were conducted using the big shear box device GS-1000. Experimental results show, that shear forces increase with the increase of normal forces and quasi-static friction coefficient is larger than dynamic one. With the increase of normal loads, approaching the peak value of shear forces needs larger shear displacements. During each cycle the normal displacements increase and decrease (rotational behavior in every cycle). Peak angle of inclination increases with the increase of normal load. A phase shift between maximum shear displacement and maximum shear force is observed. The corresponding time shift decreases with increasing normal load and increases with increasing shear displacement amplitudes.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.505-521
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• 2017

The steel plate shear wall with beam-only connected infill plate (SSW-BO) is an innovative lateral load resisting system consisting of infill plates connected to surrounding beams and separated from the main columns. In this research, the effects of perforation diameter as well as slenderness ratios of infill plates on the hysteresis behavior of SSW-BO systems were studied experimentally. Experimental testing is performed on eight one-sixth scaled one-story SSW-BO specimens with two plate thicknesses and four different circular opening ratios at the center of the panels under fully reversed cyclic quasi-static loading in compliance with the SAC test protocol. Strength, stiffness, ductility and energy absorption were evaluated based on the hysteresis loops. It is found that the systems exhibited stable hysteretic behavior during testing until significant damage in the connection of infill plates to surrounding beams at large drifts. It is also seen that pinching occurred in the hysteresis loops, since the hinge type connections were used as boundaries at four corners of surrounding frames. The strength and initial stiffness degradation of the perforated specimens containing opening ratio of 0.36 compared to the solid one is in the range of 20% to 30% and 40% to 50%, respectively.