• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.173-186
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• 2017

Conceptual configuration and seismic performance of high-rise steel frame-brace structure are studied. First, the topology optimization problem of minimum volume based on truss-like material model under earthquake action is presented, which is solved by full-stress method. Further, conceptual configurations of 20-storey and 40-storey steel frame-brace structure are formed. Next, the 40-storeystructure model is developed in Opensees. Two common configurations are utilized for comparison. Last, seismic performance of 40-storey structure is derived using nonlinear static analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis. Results indicate that structural lateral stiffness and maximum roof displacement can be improved using brace. Meanwhile seismic damage can also be decreased. Moreover, frame-brace structure using topology optimization is most favorable to enhance lateral stiffness and mitigate seismic damage. Thus, topology optimization is an available way to form initial conceptual configuration in high-rise steel frame-brace structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.501-515
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• 2016

Seismic analysis for steel frame structure with brace configuration using topology optimization based on truss-like material model is studied. The initial design domain for topology optimization is determined according to original steel frame structure and filled with truss-like members. Hence the initial truss-like continuum is established. The densities and orientation of truss-like members at any point are taken as design variables in finite element analysis. The topology optimization problem of least-weight truss-like continuum with stress constraints is solved. The orientations and densities of members in truss-like continuum are optimized and updated by fully-stressed criterion in every iteration. The optimized truss-like continuum is founded after finite element analysis is finished. The optimal bracing system is established based on optimized truss-like continuum without numerical instability. Seismic performance for steel frame structures is derived using dynamic time-history analysis. A numerical example shows the advantage for frame structures with brace configuration using topology optimization in seismic performance.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.437-454
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• 2022

Elliptic-braced simple resisting frame as a new lateral bracing system installed in the middle bay of frame in building facades has been recently introduced. This system not only creates a problem for opening space from the architectural viewpoint but also improves the structural behavior. Despite the researches on the seismic performance of lateral bracing systems, there are few studies performed on the effect of the stiffness parameters on the elastic story drift and calculation of period in simple braced steel frames. To overcome this shortcoming, in this paper, for the first time, an analytical solution is presented for calculating elastic lateral stiffness in a simple steel frame equipped with elliptic brace subjected to lateral load. In addition, for the first time, in this study, a precise formulation has been developed to evaluate the elastic stiffness variation in a steel frame equipped with a two-dimensional single-story single-span elliptic brace using strain energy and Castigliano's theorem. Thus, all the effective factors, including axial and shear loads as well as bending moments of elliptic brace could be considered. At the end of the analysis, the lateral stiffness can be calculated by an improved and innovative relation through the energy method based on the geometrical properties of the employed sections and specification of the used material. Also, an equivalent element of an elliptic brace was presented for the ease of modeling and use in linear designs. Application of the proposed relation have been verified through a variety of examples in OpenSees software. Based on the results, the error percentage between the elastic stiffness derived from the developed equations and the numerical analyses of finite element models was very low and negligible.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.65-72
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• 2022

Recently, damage to buildings due to earthquakes in Korea occurred mainly in school buildings and Piloti-type multi-family houses, highlighting the need for seismic retrofit for buildings of the same type. In the early days of the seismic retrofit project for school facilities, various patented methods using dampers as a ductile seismic retrofit method were applied without sufficient verification procedures. However, in 「School Facility Seismic Performance Evaluation and Retrofit Manual, 2021」, when the patented method is applied, it must be applied through a separate strict verification procedure, and instead, the strength/stiffness retrofit method was induced as a general method. In practice,when evaluating seismic performance for retrofit by infilled steel frame with brace, the analysis model is constructed by directly connecting only the steel brace to the existing RC member. However, if the frame is removed from the analysis model of the infilled steel frame with brace, the force reduction occurring on the existing RC member near the retrofit is considered to be very large, and this is judged to affect the review of whether to retrofit the foundation or not. Therefore, in this study, preliminary analysis with variables such as whether or not steel frame is taken into account and frame link method for the analysis model of RC school building retrofitted by infilled steel frame with brace and nonlinear analysis for actual 3-story school building was performed, and basic data for rational analysis model setting were presented by comparing preliminary analysis and pushover analysis results for each variable.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.269-283
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• 2022

In this paper, a particular type of all-steel HSS brace members with a locally reduced cross-sectional area was experimentally and numerically investigated. The brace member was strengthened against local buckling with inner and outer boxes in the reduced area. Four single-span braced frames were tested under cyclic lateral loadings. Specimens included a simple steel frame with a conventional box-shaped brace and three other all-steel reduced section buckling-restrained braces. After conducting the experimental program, numerical models of the proposed brace were developed and verified with experimental results. Then the length of the proposed fuse was increased and its effect on the cyclic behavior of the brace was investigated numerically. Eventually, the brace was detailed with a fuse-to-brace length of 30%, as well as the cross-sectional area of the fuse-to-brace of 30%, and the cyclic behavior of the system was studied numerically. The study showed that the proposed brace is stable up to a 2% drift ratio, and the plastic cumulative deformation requirement of AISC (2016) is easily achieved. The proposed brace has sufficient ductility and stability and is lighter, as well as easier to be fabricated, compared to the conventional mortar-filled BRB and all-steel BRB.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.417-432
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• 2019

Seismic performance analysis of steel-brace reinforced concrete (RC) frame using topology optimization in highly seismic region was discussed in this research. Topology optimization based on truss-like material model was used, which was to minimum volume in full-stress method. Optimized bracing systems of low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise RC frames were established, and optimized bracing systems of substructure were also gained under different constraint conditions. Thereafter, different structure models based on optimized bracing systems were proposed and applied. Last, structural strength, structural stiffness, structural ductility, collapse resistant capacity, collapse probability and demolition probability were studied. Moreover, the brace buckling was discussed. The results show that bracing system of RC frame could be derived using topology optimization, and bracing system based on truss-like model could help to resolve numerical instabilities. Bracing system of topology optimization was more effective to enhance structural stiffness and strength, especially in mid-rise and high-rise frames. Moreover, bracing system of topology optimization contributes to increase collapse resistant capacity, as well as reduces collapse probability and accumulated demolition probability. However, brace buckling might weaken beneficial effects.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.549-558
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• 2007

Hook bolt brace is being used to construct pre-engineered building's (PEB) systematic frames in steel factory building, but they pose difficulties in terms of their structural performance. There are also few studies on their behavior and there is a need to develop elementary techniques by conducting loading tests on other types of braces (e.g., rod bar, rod shoe, angle), which is used in Japan and the USA. Its structural performance is compared with that of current hook bolt-type brace. Therefore, in this study, we present a basic step in the structural performance of these specimens to examine its performance qualitatively and theof application to PEB frames.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.10-17
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• 2020

The recent earthquake in Korea caused large and small damages to many school building. School building is an important building that is used as a shelter in the event of disaster. Among the seismic retrofit methods, the internal steel braced frame type method is used for its relatively easy construction and excellent performance. In this study, the maximum shear force and displacement were compared and examined by applying the brace frame to existing concrete school buildings. As a result, we verified the adequacy of the analytical model and compared and examined the effect of brace-height ratio on the span of the existing school buildings. The adequacy of the maximum shear force and displacement relationship can be confirmed in the model with a length of 0.3. In addition, seismic frame was applied to the actual non-seismic reinforced concrete school building, and the seismic performance was evaluated by nonlinear static analysis(Push-over analysis) according to the ratio of brace-height. As a result, the increase of the brace-height according to the brace-height ratio has the effect of increasing the maximum shear force and maximum load at the performance point. But the collapse of the braced frame due to the increase in the lateral stiffness occurred, indicating that seismic retrofit according to the proper brace-height is necessary. Therefore, in the seismic retrofit design of brace frame of existing school building, it is necessary to select the proper brace-height after retrofit analysis according to the brace-height ratio.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2015

Steel concentrically braced frame is an efficient system that can acquire resistance against the lateral force of buildings with the least amount of quantity. In this study is intended to proceed on the research of schemes for reinforcement by supplementing previously installed H-formed brace with non-welded cold-formed plastic stiffening materials restricting the flexure and buckling and acquire a consistent strength on the tensile and compressive force. As for the measures of supplementing previously-installed inverted V-formed braced frame, stiffening materials in the previous studies were converted to weak-axial supplementing materials to suggest a specific scheme evaluating the structural function through an experiment of members, interpretation of members, and frame-focused experiment. Reinforced brace satisfied the requirement to be prevent AISC brace from being ruptured due to imbalanced strength in the beam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2019

A modified mechanical model of pre-pressed spring self-centering energy dissipation (PS-SCED) brace is proposed, and the hysteresis band is distinguished by the indication of relevant state variables. The MDOF frame system equipped with the braces is formulated in an incremental form of linear acceleration method. A multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA) based brace parameter optimization method is developed to obtain an optimal solution from the primary design scheme. Parameter sensitivities derived by the direct differentiation method are used to modify the change rate of parameters in the GA operator. A case study is conducted on a steel braced frame to illustrate the effect of brace parameters on node displacements, and validate the feasibility of the modified mechanical model. The optimization results and computational process information are compared among three cases of different strategies of parameter change as well. The accuracy is also verified by the calculation results of finite element model. This work can help the applications of PS-SCED brace optimization related to parameter sensitivity, and fulfill the systematic design procedure of PS-SCED brace-structure system with completed and prospective consequences.