• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1019-1039
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• 2016

In this paper, a parallel algorithm of nonlinear dynamic analysis of three-dimensional (3D) reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures based on the platform of graphics processing unit (GPU) is proposed. Time integration is performed using Newmark method for nonlinear implicit dynamic analysis and parallelization strategies are presented. Correspondingly, a parallel Preconditioned Conjugate Gradients (PCG) solver on GPU is introduced for repeating solution of the equilibrium equations for each time step. The RC frames were simulated using fiber beam model to capture nonlinear behaviors of concrete and reinforcing bars. The parallel finite element program is developed utilizing Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). The accuracy of the GPU-based parallel program including single precision and double precision was verified in comparison with ABAQUS. The numerical results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can take full advantage of the parallel architecture of the GPU, and achieve the goal of speeding up the computation compared with CPU.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.253-272
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• 2013

The use of steel bracing systems is a popular method for the strengthening of existing reinforced concrete (RC) frames and may lead to a substantial increase of both strength and stiffness. However, in most retrofitting cases, the main target is the increase of the energy dissipation capacity. This paper studies numerically the efficiency of a specific strengthening methodology which utilizes a steel link element having a cross-section of various shapes, connected to the RC frame through bracing elements. The energy is dissipated through the yielding of the steel link element. The case studied is a typical one bay, single-storey RC frame, constructed according to older code provisions, which is strengthened through two different types of link elements. The presented numerical models are based on tests which are simulated in order to gain a better insight of the behaviour of the strengthened structures, but also in order to study the effects of different configurations for the link element. The behaviour of the strengthened frames is studied with respect to the one of the original bare frame. Moreover, the numerically obtained results are compared to the experimentally obtained ones, in order to verify the effectiveness of the applied simulation methodology.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.343-353
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• 2021

In this study, in order to improve the seismic performance of existing reinforced concrete (RC) framed structures, various external attachment of corner steel frame configurations was considered as a user-friendly retrofitting method. The external steel frame is designed to contribute to the lateral stiffness and load carrying capacity of the existing RC structure. A six-story building was taken into account. Four different external corner steel frame configurations were suggested in order to strengthen the building. The 3D models of the building with suggested retrofitting steel frames were developed within ABAQUS environment using solid finite elements and analyzed under horizontal loadings nonlinearly. Horizontal top displacement vs loading curves were obtained to determine the overall performance of the building. Contributions of steel and RC frames to the carried loads were computed individually. Load/capacity ratios for the ground floor columns were presented. In the study, 3D rendered images of the building with the suggested retrofits are created to better visualize the real effect of the retrofit on the final appearance of the façade of the building. The analysis results have shown that the proposed external steel frame retrofit configurations increased the lateral load carrying capacity and lateral stiffness and can be used to improve the seismic performance of RC framed buildings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.1055-1071
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• 2016

The paper presents an innovative steel moment frame with the replaceable reinforced concrete wall panel (SRW) structural system, in which the replaceable concrete wall can play a role to increase the overall lateral stiffness of the frame system. Two full scale specimens composed of the steel frames and the replaceable reinforced concrete wall panels were tested under the cyclic horizontal load. The failure mode, load-displacement response, deformability, and the energy dissipation capacity of SRW specimens were investigated. Test results show that the two-stage failure mode is characterized by the sequential failure process of the replaceable RC wall panel and the steel moment frame. It can be found that the replaceable RC wall panels damage at the lateral drift ratio greater than 0.5%. After the replacement of a new RC wall panel, the new specimen maintained the similar capacity of resisting lateral load as the previous one. The decrease of the bearing capacity was presented between the two stages because of the connection failure on the top of the replaceable RC wall panel. With the increase of the lateral drift, the percentage of the lateral force and the overturning moment resisted by the wall panel decreased for the reason of the reduction of its lateral stiffness. After the failure of the wall panel, the steel moment frame shared almost all the lateral force and the overturning moment.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.905-924
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• 2016

Several two-dimensional analytical beam column joint models with varying complexities have been proposed in quantifying joint flexibility during seismic vulnerability assessment of non-ductile reinforced concrete (RC) frames. Notable models are the single component rotational spring element and the super element joint model that can effectively capture the governing inelastic mechanisms under severe ground motions. Even though both models have been extensively calibrated and verified using quasi-static test of joint sub-assemblages, a comparative study of the inelastic seismic responses under nonlinear time history analysis (NTHA) of RC frames has not been thoroughly evaluated. This study employs three hypothetical case study RC frames subjected to increasing ground motion intensities to study their inherent variations. Results indicate that the super element joint model overestimates the transient drift ratio at the first story and becomes highly un-conservative by under-predicting the drift ratios at the roof level when compared to the single-component model and the conventional rigid joint assumption. In addition, between these story levels, a decline in the drift ratios is observed as the story level increased. However, from this limited study, there is no consistent evidence to suggest that care should be taken in selecting either a single or multi component joint model for seismic risk assessment of buildings when a global demand measure such as maximum inter-storey drift is employed in the seismic assessment framework.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.395-408
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• 2019

Engineered structures built in seismic-prone areas are affected by aftershocks in addition to mainshocks. Although aftershocks generally are lower in magnitude than that of the mainshocks, some aftershocks may have higher intensities; thus, structures should be able to withstand the effect of strong aftershocks as well. This seismic scenario arises for far-field mainshock along with near-field aftershocks. In this study, four 2D reinforced concrete (RC) frames with different numbers of stories were designed in accordance with the current Iranian seismic design code. As a way to evaluate the seismic response of the case-study RC frames, the inter-story drift ratio (IDR) demand, the residual inter-story drift ratio (RIDR) demand, the Park-Ang damage index, and the period elongation ratio can be useful engineering demand parameters for evaluating their seismic performance under mainshock-aftershock sequences. The frame models were analyzed under a set of far-field mainshock, near-fault aftershocks seismic sequences using nonlinear dynamic time-history analysis to investigate the relationship among IDR, RIDR, Park-Ang damage index and period ratio experienced by the frames. The results indicate that the growth of IDR, RIDR, Park-Ang damage index, and period ratio in high-rise and short structures under near-fault aftershocks were significant. It is evident that engineers should consider the effects of near-fault aftershocks on damaged frames that experience far-field mainshocks as well.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.329-348
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• 2019

The main objective of this experimental research was to investigate the Seismic performance of reinforced concrete frames infilled with perforated clay brick masonry wall of a type commonly used in Algeria. Four one story-one bay reinforced concrete infilled frames of half scale of an existing building were tested at the National Earthquake Engineering Research Center Laboratory, CGS, Algeria. The experiments were carried out under a combined constant vertical and reversed cyclic lateral loading simulating seismic action. This experimental program was performed in order to evaluate the effect and the contribution of the infill masonry wall on the lateral stiffness, strength, ductility and failure mode of the reinforced concrete frames. Numerical models were developed and calibrated using the experimental results to match the load-drift envelope curve of the considered specimens. These models were used as a bench mark to assess the effect of normalized axial load on the seismic performance of the RC frames with and without masonry panels. The main experimental and analytical results are presented in this paper.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.509-516
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• 2010

In this study a seismic retrofit scheme for the reinforced concrete moment framed structures was investigated using steel bracing and moment frames. The analysis model structure is a 3-story 3-bay moment frame structure designed only for gravity load. The stress/strain concentration in brace-RC frame connection was investigated using finite element analysis. To prevent premature joint failure, steel moment frames were placed inside of middle bay of the RC frame. Two types of braces, steel braces and buckling restrained braces(BRBs), were used for retrofit, and the ductility and the strength of the structure before and after the retrofit were compared using nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. According to the analysis results, the strength and ductility of the structure retrofitted by the moment frames and braces increased significantly. The added steel frame did not contribute significantly to the increase of lateral strength mainly because the size is relatively small.

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

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.427-443
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• 2014

This paper presents detailed analysis of the internal forces of interior beam-column joints of reinforced concrete (RC) frames under seismic action, identifies critical joint sections, proposes consistent definitions of average joint shear stress and average joint shear strain, derives formulas for calculating average joint shear and joint torque, and reports simplified analysis of the effects of joint shear and torque on the flexural strengths of critical joint sections. Numerical results of internal joint forces and flexural strengths of critical joint sections are presented for a pair of concentric and eccentric interior connections extracted from a seismically designed RC frame. The results indicate that effects of joint shear and torque may reduce the column-to-beam flexural strength ratios to below unity and lead to "joint-yielding mechanism" for seismically designed interior connections. The information presented in this paper aims to provide some new insight into the seismic behavior of interior beam-column joints and form a preliminary basis for analyzing the complicated interaction of internal joint forces.