• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 2016

To minimize the compliance of frame, a method to optimize the topology of bracing system in a frame is presented. The frame is first filled uniformly with a truss-like continuum, in which there are an infinite number of members. The frame and truss-like continuum are analysed by the finite element method altogether. By optimizing the distribution of members in the truss-like continuum over the whole design domain, the optimal bracing pattern is determined. As a result, the frame's lateral stiffness is enforced. Structural compliance and displacement are decreased greatly with a smaller increase in material volume. Since optimal bracing systems are described by the distribution field of members, rather than by elements, fewer elements are needed to establish the detailed structure. Furthermore, no numerical instability exists. Therefore it has high calculation effectiveness.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.205-217
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• 2011

This article describes the research work involving the implementation of an Active Bracing System aimed at the modification of the initial dynamics of a laboratorial building structure to a new desired dynamics. By means of an adequate control force it is possible to assign an entirely new dynamics to a system by moving its natural frequencies and damping ratios to different values with the purpose of achieving a better overall structural response to external loads. In Civil Engineering applications, the most common procedures for controlling vibrations in structures include changing natural frequencies in order to avoid resonance phenomena and increasing the damping ratios of the critical vibration modes. In this study, the actual implementation of an active system is demonstrated, which is able to perform such modifications in a wide frequency range; to this end, a plane frame physical model with 4 degrees-of-freedom is used. The Active Bracing System developed is actuated by a linear motor controlled by an algorithm based on pole assignment strategy. The efficiency of this control system is verified experimentally by analyzing the control effect obtained with the modification of the initial dynamic parameters of the plane frame and observing the subsequent structural response.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.6-15
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• 2020

This study examined the structural behaviors and ultimate loads of assembled system scaffolds by load tests. Considering the number of bay and bracing installation, four specimens were tested. The bays were divided into 1 bay and 2 bays, with and without the bracing member installed. Failure modes and horizontal displacements show that the whole column buckled without showing no point of inflection in the column, regardless of whether or not braces were installed. Thus, the current design method of selecting the vertical spacing between the horizontal members of the system scaffold as the effective buckling length underestimates the effective buckling length. In case of 1 bay specimens, the ultimate loads between specimens with and with bracing members are similar. However, in case of 2 bay specimens, the specimen with bracing members shows the increased ultimate load of 36% compared with that without bracing members. In addition, as the number of bays in the system scaffold increases, the ultimate load of the unit vertical column increases in case of the specimen with bracing installation. However, in the specimen without bracing members, the ultimate load of the unit column reduces with the increment of the number of bays due to the torsional buckling. Therefore, it is essential to install bracing members to increase the whole strength of system scaffolds and the ultimate load of the unit column.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2022

Nibellen structural system is a novel resilient bracing system based on the application of Bellville disks and Nitinol rods. The cyclic behavior of Nibellen assembly was obtained, and the design equations were developed based on the available literature. Seismic performance of the system was then studied analytically. Two groups of buildings with different lateral force resisting systems were designed and studied: one group with the Nibellen system, and the other with the special concentrically braced frame system. Each building group consisted of 5-, 10-, and 15-story buildings. The Design-Base-Event (DBE) and Maximum Considered Event (MCE) were considered as the seismic hazard, and a suite of seven ground motions were scaled accordingly for response history analyses. Finally, the resiliency of the buildings was studied by obtaining the functionality curve of the buildings before and after the seismic event. The construction cost of the 5-story building with Nibellen bracing system increased but the post-earthquake cost decreased significantly. The application of Nibellen system in the 10- and 15-story buildings reduced both the construction and repair costs, considerably. Resiliency of all the buildings was improved when Nibellen system was used as the lateral force resisting system.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.331-336
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• 2008

An self-centering energy-dissipative (SCED) bracing system has recently been developed as a new seismic force resistant bracing system. The advantage of the SCED brace system is that, unlike other comparable advanced bracing systems that dissipate energy, such as the buckling restrained brace system, it has a self-centering capability that reduces or eliminates residual building deformations after major seismic events. In this study seismic performance of SCED braced frames is evaluated for a set of 20 design level earthquake records. According to analysis results the SCED systems showed more uniform interstory drift demand for buildings with 8 story or fewer. The residual deformation in SCED buildings turned out to be much less than that of moment-resisting frames.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.561-567
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• 2007

This paper deals with the numerical model of a bracing-friction damper system and its deployment using the optimal slip load distribution for the seismic retrofitting of a damaged building. The Slotted Bolted Connection (SBC) type friction damper system was tested to investigate its energy dissipation characteristic. Test results coincided with the numerical ones using the conventional model of a bracing-friction damper system. The placement of this device was numerically explored to apply it to the assumed damaged-building and to evaluate its efficiency. It was found by distributing the slip load that minimizes the given performance indicies based on structural response. Numerical results for the damaged building retrofitted with this slip load distribution showed that the seismic design of the bracing-friction damper system under consideration is effective for the structural response reduction.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Improving the earthquake resistance of buildings through seismic retrofitting using steel braces can result in brittle failure at the connection between the brace and the building, as well as buckling failure of the braces. In this study, a non-compression cross-bracing system using the Carbon Fiber Composite Cable (CFCC), which consists of CFCC bracing and bolt connection was proposed to replace the conventional steel bracing. This paper presented the seismic resistance of a reinforced concrete frame strengthened using CFCC X-bracing. Cyclic loading tests were carried out, and the maximum load carrying capacity and ductility were investigated, together with hysteresis of the lateral load-drift relations. Test results revealed that the CFCC X-bracing system installed RC frames enhanced markedly the strength capacity and no buckling failure of the bracing was observed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.3 no.2 s.9
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• pp.99-110
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• 2003

In this study, lightening material weight and normalizing structure of preventing system of landslide soil-rock in trench excavation was tried with focusing in safety construction availability and workability. In other words, risk estimate, safety management method investigation, applicability of bracing material and mechanical stability of bracing structure was studied. From these result, structural stability and structural analysis of light weight bracing structure was carried out with common structural analysis program, for examining movement mechanism of bracing structure and normalization of standard. The result are summarized as following. (1) Mechanical ability of bracing members and soil pressure parameter acting to member for ensuring mechanical propriety of bracing structural and useful of new material considering soil mechanics boundary were proposed. Also theory and method of analysis of bracing structural were proposed. (2) As a result of the structure analysis of geographical profile for light pannel used FRP as hard clay mechanical characteristics(bending moment, shear force, axial force) of panel were changed according to groundwater level and it is proved that the result of mechanical analysis is within allowable stress. Thus, light pannel is available for bracing structure in trench excavation.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 2012

This paper presents a new strengthening method on concrete column against seismic loads for structural performance tests. An X-bracing using high performance carbon fiber threads called the "Carbon fiber anchor X-bracing system" is used to connect RC frames internally. The carbon fiber sheet is wrapped around the column to fix the top and bottom of the column after Super anchor was installed by drilling hole on the column. The structural performance was evaluated experimentally and analytically. Two types of columns specimens were made; flexure fracture scaled model and shear fracture scaled model. For the performance evaluation, cyclic loading tests were conducted on moment and shear resisting columns with and without X bracing. Test results confirmed that the bracing system installed on RC columns enhanced the strength capacity and provided adequate ductility.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.35-42
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• 2016

For the reason of economy, farmers and structural engineers prefer the vinyl house frame members that have the lightest cross sections. Therefore, in order to reach this aim, rod bracing system is the best method for multiple vinyl house frames. In this study, wire rods (tension members) are used to be bracing members in multiple vinyl house frames. The effects of additional wire rods in the frames are investigated by the variations of the bending moments, axial forces, displacements and combined stresses in the main frames that are reinforced by different shapes of rod bracing system. Vinyl house frames are usually made by steel pipe members and collapsed by the excessive wind and snow loads. Two kinds of bracing models are used for wind and snow loads separately in this study. The effective bracing models for each load are finally figured out.