• Earthquakes and Structures
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.407-420
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of vertical ground motion (VGM) on seismic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) regular frame with construction joints, and determine more proper modeling method for cast-in-situ RC frame. The four-story RC frames in the regions of 7, 8 and 9 earthquake intensity were analyzed with nonlinear dynamic time-history method. Two different methods of ground motion input, horizontal ground motion (HGM) input only, VGM and HGM input simultaneously were performed. Seismic responses in terms of the maximum vertex displacement, the maximum inter-story drift distribution and the plastic hinge distribution were analyzed. The results show that VGM might increase or decrease the horizontal maximum vertex displacement depending on the value of axial load ratio of column. And it will increase the maximum inter-story drift and change its distribution. Finally, proper modeling method is proposed according to the distribution of plastic hinges, which is in well agreement with the actual earthquake damage.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제64권5호
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• pp.641-652
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• 2017

In general, conventional analysis and design of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures overlook the role of beam-column (RCBC) joints. Nowadays, the rigid joint model is one of the most common for RCBC joints: the joint is assumed to be rigid (unable to deform) and stronger than the adjacent beams and columns (does not fail before them). This model is popular because (i) the application of the capacity design principles excludes the possibility of the joint failing before the adjacent beams and (ii) many believe that the actual behaviour of RCBC joints designed according to the seismic codes produced mainly after the 1980s can be assumed to be nominally rigid. This study investigates the relevance of the deformation of RCBC joints in a standard pushover analysis at several levels: frame, storey, element and cross-section. Accordingly, a RC frame designed according to preliminary versions of EN 1992-1-1 and EN 1998-1 was analysed, considering the nonlinear behaviour of beams and columns by means of a standard sectional fibre model. Two alternative models were used for the RCBC joints: the rigid model and an explicit component based nonlinear model. The effect of RCBC joints modelling was found to be twofold: (i) the flexibility of the joints substantially increases the frame lateral deformation for a given load (30 to 50%), and (ii) in terms of seismic performance, it was found that joint flexibility (ii-1) appears to have a minor effect on the force and displacement corresponding to the performance point (seismic demand assessed at frame level), but (ii-2) has a major influence on the seismic demand when assessed at storey, element and cross-section levels.