• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.293-318
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• 2023

This study aims to examine the elastic stiffness properties of Elliptic-Braced Moment Resisting Frame (EBMRF) subjected to lateral loads. Installing the elliptic brace in the middle span of the frames in the facade of a building, as a new lateral bracing system not only it can improve the structural behavior, but it provides sufficient space to consider opening it needed. In this regard, for the first time, an accurate theoretical formulation has been developed in order that the elastic stiffness is investigated in a two-dimensional single-story single-span EBMRF. The concept of strain energy and Castigliano's theorem were employed to perform the analysis. All influential factors were considered, including axial and shearing loads in addition to the bending moment in the elliptic brace. At the end of the analysis, the elastic lateral stiffness could be calculated using an improved relation through strain energy method based on geometric properties of the employed sections as well as specifications of the utilized materials. For the ease of finite element (FE) modeling and its use in linear design, an equivalent element was developed for the elliptic brace. The proposed relation was verified by different examples using OpenSees software. It was found that there is a negligible difference between elastic stiffness values derived by the developed equations and those of numerical analysis using FE method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.173-190
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• 2015

This study presents an analytical investigation on the seismic response of a medium-rise buckling-restrained braced frame (BRBF) under the near-fault ground motions. A seven-story BRBF is designed as per the current code provisions for five different combinations of brace configurations and beam-column connections. Two types of brace configurations (i.e., Chevron and Double-X) are considered along with a combination of the moment-resisting and the non-moment-resisting beam-to-column connections for the study frame. Nonlinear dynamic analyses are carried out for all study frames for an ensemble of forty SAC near-fault ground motions. The main parameters evaluated are the interstory and residual drift response, brace displacement ductility, and plastic hinge mechanisms. Fragility curves are developed using log-normal probability density functions for all study frames considering the interstory drift ratio and residual drift ratio as the damage parameters. The average interstory drift response of BRBFs with Double-X brace configurations significantly exceeded the allowable drift limit of 2%. The maximum displacement ductility characteristics of BRBs is efficiently utilized under the seismic loading if these braces are arranged in the Double-X configurations instead of Chevron configurations in BRBFs located in the near-fault regions. However, BRBFs with the Double-X brace configurations exhibit the higher interstory drift and residual drift response under near-fault ground motions due to the formation of plastic hinges in the columns and beams at the intermediate story levels.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2020

Steel plate shear walls are recently used as efficient seismic lateral resisting systems. These lateral resistant structures are implemented to provide more strength, stiffness and ductility in limited space areas. In this study, the seismic behavior of the multi-story steel frames with steel plate shear walls are investigated for buildings with 4, 8, 12 and 16 stories using verified computational modeling platforms. Different number of steel moment bays with distinctive lengths are investigated to effectively determine the deflection amplification factor for low-rise and high-rise structures. Results showed that the dissipated energy in moment frames with steel plates are significantly related to the inside panel. It is shown that more than 50% of the dissipated energy under various ground motions is dissipated by the panel itself, and increasing the steel plate length leads to higher energy dissipation capability. The deflection amplification factor is studied in details for various verified parametric cases, and it is concluded that for a typical multi-story moment frame with steel plate shear walls, the amplification factor is 4.93 which is less than the recommended conservative values in the design codes. It is shown that the deflection amplification factor decreases if the height of the building increases, for which the frames with more than six stories would have less recommended deflection amplification factor. In addition, increasing the number of bays or decreasing the steel plate shear wall length leads to a reduction of the deflection amplification factor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2007

Structural design, like other complex decision problems, involves many trade-offs among competing criteria. Although mathematical programming models are becoming increasingly realistic, they often have design limitations, that is, there are often relevant issues that cannot be easily captured. From the understanding of these limitations, a decision-support system is developed that can generate some useful alternatives as well as a single optimum value in the optimization of steel frame structures. The alternatives produced using this system are "good" with respect to modeled objectives, and yet are "different," and are often better, with respect to interesting objectives not present in the model. In this study, we created a decision-support system for designing the most cost-effective moment-resisting steel frame structures for resisting lateral loads without compromising overall stability. The proposed approach considers the cost of steel products and the cost of connections within the design process. This system makes use of an optimization formulation, which was modified to generate alternatives of optimum value, which is the result of the trade-off between the number of moment connections and total cost. This trade-off was achieved by reducing the number of moment connections and rearranging them, using the combination of analysis based on the LRFD code and optimization scheme based on genetic algorithms. To evaluate the usefulness of this system, the alternatives were examined with respect to various design aspects.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.109-119
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• 2024

This study presents a replaceable reduced beam section (R-RBS) located at the column end in moment resisting frames (MRFs). An end of the R-RBS is connected to column by using end-plate moment connection and the other end of that is connected to main beam with beam splice connection. Therefore, the RBS that is expected to yield under an earthquake can be easily replaceable. Geometry of the RBS and the thickness of the beam splice connection are the prime variables of this study. A total of eight experimental test was carried out to examine the seismic performance of the proposed R-RBS with the connection details. The results obtained from experimental studies demonstrated that plate sizes of the beam splice connection significantly affect the seismic performance of RBSs used in MRFs.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2001

Due to aesthetic, economic, and structural performance, the use of structural hollow sections as columns in both continuous moment resisting and nominally pinned construction is attractive. Connecting the beams to these sections is somewhat problematic as there is no access to the interior of the section to allow for the tightening of a standard bolt. Therefore, bolts that may be tightened from one side, i.e., blind bolts, have been developed to facilitate the use of site bolting for this arrangement. This paper critically reviews available information concerning blind bolting technology, especially the performance of fasteners in shear, tension, and moment resisting connections. Also provided is an explanation of the way in which the results have been incorporated into design guidance covering the particular case of nominally pinned connections. For moment resisting connections, it is concluded that whilst the principle has been adequately demonstrated, sufficient data are currently not available to permit the provision of authoritative design guidance. In addition, inherent flexibilities in the connections mean that performance equivalent to full strength and rigid is unlikely to be achievable: a semicontinuous approach to frame design will therefore be necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

The objective of this paper is to examine the structural performance of steel moment-resisting frames on the various connection details of Seismic Wide-flanged Beam-to-Rectangular Steel Tube Column connections. Although compared to an H-shaped steel tube, a rectangular steel tube has many advantages and is more efficient, its application is limited due to the lack of experience in using it and the connection details. Existing steel moment connections using the rectangular steel tube are mainly used through plate diaphragms. The processing of construction of the rectangular steel tube is so complicated that it is hard to apply it in the field. In this study, the structural performance and the earthquake capacity of the connection details that do not cut the rectangular steel tube column were investigated. A comparative analysis of the strength, rigidity, and energy absorption capacity of the welded connection details using an end-plate and a haunch was also performed.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.201-208
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• 2006

This study lotuses on the seismic behavior of 3-, 9-, and 20-story steel moment resisting frame (MRF) structures designed in accordance with the 2000 International Building Code using different Response Modification factors (R factors) 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. For a detailed case study, 30 different structures were evaluated for twenty ground motions representing the hazard level which is equal to a 2% probability exceeding in 50 years (2% in 50 years). The results showed that the current R factors provide conservative designs for the 3- and 9-story buildings for the Collapse Prevention performance objective. However, the 20-story buildings designed without using the minimum requirement of spectral acceleration CS prescribed in the IBC 2000 did not satisfy the seismic performance for Collapse Prevention performance.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.643-652
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• 2017

One of the methods to strengthen the structures against the seismic lateral loading is the employment of the composite columns. A concrete-filled tube (CFT) has the cumulative advantages of steel and concrete. Concrete-filled steel tube columns have been widely used in the moment-resisting frame (MRF) structures, located in both non-seismic zones and high-risk seismic zones. In this paper, the results of studies on two important seismic parameters of ductility and the response modification factor (RMF) of the MRFs with CFT columns are submitted. While the studies are carried out, the effects of span length-story height ratio, the strength of materials and seismic behavior of MRFs are considered. In this regard, the ductility, RMF and the strength of 36 models of the steel MRFs with CFTs are analyzed. The fiber plastic hinges numerical simulation and pushover analysis method are used in the calculations. Based on the obtained results, the RMFs suitable for the 5-, 10- and 15- story frames are proposed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.10 no.2 s.35
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• pp.253-261
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• 1998

The buckling length of exterior beam-columns of the first floor in moment resisting steel frames with weak beams is uncertain when plastic hinges occur at the ends of weak beams due to seismic loads. The objective of this study is to investigate the buckling strength of concrete-filled tubular beam-columns and to suggest the reduced buckling length of them to apply to the beam-column design code. The exterior beam-columns are modelized with horizontal displacement restraint springs. Their strength and reduced buckling length are evaluated by numerical analysis.