• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.539-566
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• 2013

This paper summarises the results of a numerical study on the non linear response of steel concentric braced frames under monotonic and cyclic loads, using force-based finite elements with section fibre discretisation. The first part of the study is addressed to analyse the single brace response. A parametric analysis was carried out and discussed to evaluate the accuracy of the model, examining the influence of the initial camber, the material modelling, the type of force-based element, the number of integration points and the number of fibers. The second part of the paper is concerned with the modelling issues of whole braced structures. The effectiveness of the modelling approach is verified against the nonlinear static and dynamic behaviour of different type of bracing configurations. The model sensitivity to brace-to-brace interaction and the capability of the model to mimic the response of complex bracing systems is analyzed. The influence of different approaches for modelling the inertia, the equivalent viscous damping and the brace hysteretic response on the overall structural response are also investigated. Finally, on the basis of the performed numerical study general modelling recommendations are proposed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.917-937
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• 2015

During a seismic event, a considerable amount of energy is input into a structure. The law of energy conservation imposes the restriction that energy must either be absorbed or dissipated by the structure. Recent earthquakes have shown that the use of concentric bracing system with their low ductility and low energy dissipation capacity, causes permanent damage to structures during intense earthquakes. Hence, engineers are looking at bracing system with higher ductility, such as chevron and eccentric braces. However, braced frame would not be easily repaired if serious damage has occured during a strong earthquake. In order to solve this problem, a new bracing system an off-centre bracing system with higher ductility and higher energy dissipation capacity, is considered. In this paper, some numerical studies have been performed using ANSYS software on a frame with off-centre bracing system with optimum eccentricity and circular element created, called OBS_C_O model. In addition, other steel frame with diagonal bracing system and the same circular element is created, called DBS_C model. Furthermore, linear and nonlinear behavior of these steel frames are compared in order to introduce a new way of optimum performance for these dissipating elements. The obtained results revealed that using a ductile element or circular dissipater for increasing the ductility of off-centre bracing system and centric bracing system is useful. Finally, higher ductility and more energy dissipation led to more appropriate behavior in the OBS_C_O model compared to DBS_C model.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.233-267
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• 2018

Conventional seismic design of concentrically braced frame (CBF) structures suggests that the gusset plate connecting a steel brace to beams and/or columns should be designed as non-dissipative in earthquakes, while the steel brace members should be designed as dissipative elements. These design intentions lead to thicker and larger gusset plates in design on one hand and a potentially under-rated contribution of gusset plates in design, on the other hand. In contrast, research has shown that compact and thinner gusset plates designed in accordance with the elliptical clearance method rather than the conventional standard linear clearance method can enhance system ductility and energy dissipation capacity in concentrically braced steel frames. In order to assess the two design methods, six cyclic push-over tests on full scale models of concentric braced steel frame structures were conducted. Furthermore, a 3D finite element (FE) shell model, incorporating state-of-the-art tools and techniques in numerical simulation, was developed that successfully replicates the response of gusset plate and bracing members under fully reversed cyclic axial loading. Direct measurements from strain gauges applied to the physical models were used primarily to validate FE models, while comparisons of hysteresis load-displacement loops from physical and numerical models were used to highlight the overall performance of the FE models. The study shows the two design methods attain structural response as per the design intentions; however, the elliptical clearance method has a superiority over the standard linear method as a fact of improving detailing of the gusset plates, enhancing resisting capacity and improving deformability of a CBF structure. Considerations were proposed for improvement of guidelines for detailing gusset plates and bracing members in CBF structures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.165-185
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• 2015

The suspended zipper bracing system is suggested to reduce the flaws of ordinary zipper braced and concentric inverted V braced frames. In the design procedure of suspended zipper bracing systems, columns and top story truss elements are strengthened. This bracing system show different performances and characteristics compared with inverted V braced and ordinary zipper frames. As a result, a different response modification factor for suspend zipper frames is needed. In this research paper, the response modification factor of suspended zipper frames was obtained using the incremental dynamic analysis. Suspended zipper braced frames with different stories and bay lengths were selected to be representations of the design space. To analyze the frames, a number of models were constructed and calibrated using experimental data. These archetype models were subjected to 44 earthquake records of the FEMA-P695 project data set. The incremental dynamic analysis and elastic dynamic analysis were carried out to determine the yield base shear value and elastic base shear value of archetype models using the OpenSEES software. The seismic response modification factor for each frame was calculated separately and the values of 9.5 and 13.6 were recommended for ultimate limit state and allowable stress design methods, respectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-74
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• 2015

Since there are several places located in active seismic zones in the world, serious damages and losses have happened due to major scaled earthquakes. Especially, structures having different irregularities have been severely damaged or collapsed during these seismic events. Behavior of existing structures under several loading conditions is not completely determined due to some uncertainties. This situation reveals the importance of design and analysis of structures under seismic effects. Several non-linear static procedures have been developed in recent years. Determination of the seismic safety of the existing structures and strengthening techniques are significant civil engineering problems Non-linear methods are defined in codes to determine the performance levels of structures more accurately. However, displacement based ones give more realistic results. These methods provide more reliable evaluation possibilities for existing structures with developing computer technology. In this study, non-linear performance analysis of existing and strengthened steel structures by X shaped bracing members with 3, 5 and 7 stories which have soft story irregularity is performed according to FEMA-356 and Turkish Earthquake Code-2007. Damage ratios of the structural members and global performance levels are determined as well as modal properties and story drift ratios after non-linear finite elements analysis for each structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.135-156
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• 2014

In this research the effect of seismic design level as a practical approach for progressive collapse mitigation and reaching desired structural safety against it in seismically designed concentric braced frame buildings was investigated. It was achieved by performing preliminary and advanced progressive collapse analysis of several split-X braced frame buildings, designed for each seismic zone according to UBC 97 and by applying various Seismic Load Factors (SLFs). The outer frames of such structures were studied for collapse progression while losing one column and connected brace in the first story. Preliminary analysis results showed the necessity of performing advanced element loss analysis, consisting of Vertical Incremental Dynamic Analysis (VIDA) and Performance-Based Analysis (PBA), in order to compute the progressive collapse safety of the structures while increasing SLF for each seismic zone. In addition, by sensitivity analysis it became possible to introduce the equation of structural safety against progressive collapse for concentrically braced frames as a function of SLF for each seismic zone. Finally, the equation of progressive collapse safety as a function of bracing member capacity was presented.