• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.233-245
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• 2007

Previous finite element studies have shown that AASHTO Standard load distribution factor (LDF) equations appear to be conservative for longer spans and larger girder spacing, but too permissible for short spans and girder spacing. AASHTO LRFD specification defines the distribution factor equation for girder spacing, span length, slab thickness, and longitudinal stiffness. However, this equation requires an iterative procedure to correctly determine the LDF value due to an initially unknown longitudinal stiffness parameter. This study presents a simplified LDF equation for interior and exterior girders of two-span continuous I-girder bridges that does not require an iterative design procedure. The finite element method was used to investigate the effect of girder spacing, span length, slab thickness, slab width, and spacing and size of bracing. The computer program, GTSTRUDL, was used to idealize the bridge superstructures as the eccentric beam model, the concrete slab by quadrilateral shell elements, steel girders by space frame members, and the composite action between these elements by rigid links. The distribution factors obtained from these analyses were compared with those from the AASHTO Standard and LRFD methods. It was observed through the parametric studies that girder spacing, span length, and slab thickness were the dominant parameters compared with others. The LRFD distribution factor for the interior girder was found to be conservative in most cases, whereas the factor for the exterior girder to be unconservative in longer spans. Furthermore, a regression analysis was performed to develop simplified LDF formulas. The formulas developed in this study produced LDF values that are always conservative to those from the finite element method and are generally smaller than the LDF values obtained from the AASHTO LRFD specification. The proposed simplified equation will assist bridge engineers in predicting the actual LDF in two-span continuous I-girder bridges.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2005

This study examines the stability of Sungsu bridge which was issued nine years ago because of its collapse accident and now is on the progress of extension work in each construction stage by construction monitoring system. From this study, the measured value in each construction stage of anchorage truss and suspended truss shows the agreement with the analytical values up to 60~110 percents, and the elements' stresses emanating from the pre-loading stage, are also similar to the analytical value. Regarding these results, it is expected that each member has enough stiffness and the construction condition is satisfactory. In addition, it is expected that the transverse members and sway bracing bolts integrate completely the existing truss and new attached truss as a one body from the result of the vibration test to find out the integration rates.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2012

Dynamic response of Pile Supported Structures is highly depended on Soil Pile Structure Interaction. In this paper, by comparison of experimental and numerical dynamic responses of a prototype jacket offshore platform for both hinge based and pile supported boundary conditions, effect of soil-pile-structure interaction on dynamic characteristics of this platform is studied. Jacket and deck of a prototype platform is installed on a hinge-based case first and then platform is installed on eight skirt piles embedded on continuum monolayer sand. Dynamic characteristics of platform in term of natural frequencies, mode shapes and modal damping are compared for both cases. Effects of adding and removing vertical bracing members in top bay of jacket on dynamic characteristics of platform for both boundary conditions are also studied. Numerical simulation of responses for the studied platform is also performed for both mentioned cases using capability of ABAQUS and SACS software. The 3D model using ABAQUS software is created using solid elements for soil and beam elements for jacket, deck and pile members. Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and pile-soil interface element are used for considering nonlinear pile soil structure interaction. Simplified modeling of soil-pile-structure interaction effect is also studied using SACS software. It is observed that dynamic characteristics of the system changes significantly due to soil-pile-structure interaction. Meanwhile, both of complex and simplified (ABAQUS and SACS, respectively) models can predict this effect accurately for such platforms subjected to dynamic loading in small range of deformation.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2014

The tied braced frame (TBF) system was developed to achieve uniform seismic inelastic demand along the height of multi-storey eccentrically braced steel frames. A modular tied braced frame (M-TBF) configuration has been recently proposed to reach the same objective while reducing the large axial force demand imposed on the vertical tie members connecting the link beams together in TBFs. M-TBFs may however experience variations in storey drifts at levels where the ties have been removed to form the modules. In this paper, the possibility of reducing the discontinuity in displacement response of a 16-storey M-TBF structure by introducing energy dissipating (ED) devices between the modules is examined. Two M-TBF configurations are investigated: an M-TBF with two 8-storey modules and an M-TBF with four 4-storey modules. Three types of ED devices are studied: friction dampers (FD), buckling restrained bracing (BRB) members and self-centering energy dissipative (SCED) members. The ED devices were sized such that no additional force demand was imposed on the discontinuous tie members. Nonlinear response history analysis showed that all three ED systems can be used to reduce discontinuities in storey drifts of M-TBFs. The BRB members experienced the smallest peak deformations whereas minimum residual deformations were obtained with the SCED devices.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.491-506
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• 2014

Buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) have excellent hysteretic behavior while buckling-restrained braced frames (BRBFs) are susceptible to residual lateral deformations. To address this drawback, a novel self-centering (SC) BRB with Basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) composite tendons is presented in this work. The configuration and mechanics of proposed BFRP-SC-BRBs are first discussed. Then an 1840-mm-long BFRP-SC-BRB specimen is fabricated and tested to verify its hysteric and self-centering performance. The tested specimen has an expected flag-shaped hysteresis character, showing a distinct self-centering tendency. During the test, the residual deformation of the specimen is only about 0.6 mm. The gap between anchorage plates and welding ends of bracing tubes performs as expected with the maximum opening value 6 mm when brace is in compression. The OpenSEES software is employed to conduct numerical analysis. Experiment results are used to validate the modeling methodology. Then the proposed numerical model is used to evaluate the influence of initial prestress, tendon diameter and core plate thickness on the performance of BFRP-SC-BRBs. Results show that both the increase of initial prestress and tendon diameters can obviously improve the self-centering effect of BFRP-SC-BRBs. With the increase of core plate thickness, the energy dissipation is improved while the residual deformation is generated when the core plate strength exceeds initial prestress force.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.89-118
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• 2015

The geometric nonlinearity of off-diagonal bracing system (ODBS) could be a complementary system to covering and extending the nonlinearity of reinforced concrete material. Finite element modeling is performed for flexural frame, x-braced frame and the ODBS braced frame system at the initial phase. Then the different models are investigated along various analyses. According to the experimental results of flexural and x-braced frame, the verification is done. Analytical assessments are performed in according to three dimensional finite element modeling. Nonlinear static analysis is considered to obtain performance level and seismic behaviour, and then the response modification factors calculated from each model's pushover curve. In the next phase, the evaluation of cracks observed in the finite element models, especially for RC members of all three systems is performed. The finite element assessment is performed on engendered cracks in ODBS braced frame for various time steps. The nonlinear dynamic time history analysis accomplished in different stories models for three records of Elcentro, Naghan and Tabas earthquake accelerograms. Dynamic analysis is performed after scaling accelerogram on each type of flexural frame, x-braced frame and ODBS braced frame one by one. The base-point on RC frame is considered to investigate proportional displacement under each record. Hysteresis curves are assessed along continuing this study. The equivalent viscous damping for ODBS system is estimated in according to references. Results in each section show the ODBS system has an acceptable seismic behaviour and their conclusions have been converged when the ODBS system is utilized in reinforced concrete frame.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2019

2016 Gyeongju and 2017 Pohang earthquakes led Koreans to acknowledge that the Korean peninsula is not an earthquake-free zone anymore. Among various buildings crucial to after-shock recovery, general hospital buildings, especially existing old ones, are very significant so seismic retrofitting of those must be an important issue. Self-centering energy dissipative(SCED) brace is one of retrofitting methods, which consists of tendon with restoring force and friction device capable of dissipating seismic energy. The strength of the SCED brace is that the tendon forces a structure to go back to the original position, which means residual drift can be negligible. The residual drift is a very important parameter to determine usableness of general hospitals after shock. To the contrary, buckling-restrained braces(BRB) are also a very effective way to retrofit because they can resist both compressive and tensile, but residual drift may exist when the steel core yields. On this background, the seismic retrofitting effect of general hospitals reinforced with SCED braces was investigated and compared to that of the BRD in this study. As a result, although the floor acceleration cannot be reduced, the story drift and residual drift, and the shear demand of walls significantly decreased. Consequently, seismic retrofitting by SCED braces are very effective for domestic low-rise general hospitals.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

The desulfurizers facility is cylindrical shape. To operate properly it needs nozzles cleaned, get rid of lime adhesion and sludge, repair the wear and corrosion of facility regularly. For this purpose, workers shall access the ceiling or vertical wall at high place. Ordinary scaffoldings such as steel pipe scaffolding or system scaffolding have been using so that workers can access them. With these ordinary scaffoldings, openings around cylindrical wall are inevitable which make workers can expose always to the risk of falling. The purpose of this study is to develop customized scaffolding to minimize the openings to prevent workers form falling during maintenance it. It consists of a hexagonal central tower and six trapezoidal outer towers. And the bracing among the towers have connected each other for self-standing and for maintaining the structure of towers. Span decks, the circumference footstools, steps, etc. are laid on each floor. The safety is reviewed by structural analysis and performance test. With this study, openings each floor of this scaffold are removed. The gap between the cylindrical wall and the edge of the work stage is approximately 100 mm. Therefore, we expect that workers can work safely and efficiently.