• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.76 no.3
• /
• pp.421-433
• /
• 2020

Masonry infills are normally considered as non-structural elements in design practice, therefore, the interaction between the bounding frame and the strength contribution of masonry infills is commonly ignored in the seismic analysis work of the RC frames. However, a number of typical RC frames with irregular distributed masonry infills have suffered from undesirable weak-story failure in major earthquakes, which indicates that ignoring the influence of masonry infills may cause great seismic collapse risk of RC frames. This paper presented the investigation on the risk of seismic collapse of RC frames with irregularly distributed masonry infills through a large number of nonlinear time history analyses (NTHAs). Based on the results of NTHAs, seismic fragility curves were developed for RC frames with various distribution patterns of masonry infills. It was found that the existence of masonry infills generally reduces the collapse risk of the RC frames under both frequent happened and very strong earthquakes, however, the severe irregular distribution of masonry infills, such as open ground story scenario, results in great risk of forming a weak story failure. The strong-column weak-beam (SCWB) ratio has been widely adopted in major seismic design codes to control the potential of weak story failures, where a SCWB ratio value about 1.2 is generally accepted as the lower limit. In this study, the effect of SCWB ratio on inter-story drift distribution was also parametrically investigated. It showed that improving the SCWB ratio of the RC frames with irregularly distributed masonry infills can reduce inter-story drift concentration index under earthquakes, therefore, prevent weak story failures. To achieve the same drift concentration index limit of the bare RC frame with SCWB ratio of about 1.2, which is specified in ACI318-14, the SCWB ratio of masonry-infilled RC frames should be no less than 1.5. For the open ground story scenario, this value can be as high as 1.8.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2019

The purpose of the paper is to introduce a system that reduces the occurrence of weak-story in the event of earthquake. Weak-story concentrates deformation on the story and causes all member to collapse before the capacity of all member is reached. This paper introduces Strong-Back system (SB) to protect weak story. SB is a hybrid of zipper frame, tied eccentrically braced frame, and elastic truss system and it is divided into elastic and inelastic areas. Elastic areas prevent the generation of weak story by distributing energy, and inelastic areas dissipate energy through buckling or yielding. In this paper, the seismic performance is evaluated by comparing the four type braced frame with SB through push-over analysis. The four criteria are compared from the base shear, the ductility capacity, the column failure order, and the quantity of brace. As a result, SB proved to have sufficient performance to protect the weak-story.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.443-454
• /
• 2017

When eccentrically braced steel frames (EBFs) are in the desired failure mode, links yield at each layer and column bases appear plastically hinged. Traditional design methods cannot accurately predict the inelastic behavior of structures owing to the use of capacity-based design theory. This paper proposes the use of performance-based seismic design (PBSD) method for planning eccentrically braced frames. PBSD can predict and control inelastic deformation of structures by target drift and failure mode. In buildings designed via this process, all links dissipate energy in the rare event of an earthquake, while other members remain in elastic state, and as the story drift is uniform along the structure height, weak layers will be avoided. In this condition, eccentrically braced frames may be more easily rehabilitated after the effects of an earthquake. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through a sample case study of ten-story K-type EBFs and Y- type EBFs buildings, and is validated by pushover analysis and dynamic analysis. The ultimate state of frames designed by the proposed method will fail in the desired failure mode. That is, inelastic deformation of structure mainly occurs in links; each layer of links involved dissipates energy, and weak layers do not exist in the structure. The PBSD method can provide a reference for structural design of eccentrically braced steel frames.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.446-451
• /
• 2000

In case of strong earthquake, upper-sheat wall lowe-frame structures show the weak-story failure at lower part. Where we should guarantee sufficient strength, energy dissipation capacity and ductility. In this study, a typical structure was selected for a prototype and four 1:2.5 scaled models, representing the subassemblages including the interior column and the deep beam, were constructed. Experimental parameters include transverse reinforcement ratio and axial force. The non- linear behavior of the subassemblages subjected to the cyclic lateral displac-ement were evaluated through investigation of the ultimate strength, ductility, load-deformation characteristics. From the results of the tests on 4 specimens, it is concluded that the strength increased as the axial force increased and the ductility increased as the transverse reinforcement ratio increased.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.971-983
• /
• 2015

To promote greater acceptance and use of composite RCS systems, a two-bay two-story frame specimen with improved composite RCS joint details was tested in the laboratory under reversed cyclic loading. The test revealed superior seismic performance with stable load versus story drift response and excellent deformation capacity for an inter-story drift ratio up to 1/25. It was found that the failure process of the frame meets the strong-column weak-beam criterion. Furthermore, cracking inter-story drift ratio and ultimate inter-story drift ratio both satisfy the limitation prescribed by the design code. Additionally, inter-story drift ratios at yielding and peak load stage provide reference data for Performance-Based Seismic Design (PBSD) approaches for composite RCS frames. An advantage over conventional reinforced concrete and steel moment frame systems is that the displacement ductility coefficient of the RCS frame system is much larger. To conclude, the test results prove that composite RCS frame systems perform satisfactorily under simulated earthquake action, which further validates the reliability of this innovative system. Based on the test result, some suggestions are presented for the design of composite RCS frame systems.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.253-267
• /
• 2014

Based on the test on a 1/2.5-scaled model of a two-bay and three-story inner frame composed of reinforced concrete beams and lattice steel reinforced concrete (SRC) irregular section columns under low cyclic reversed loading, the failure process and the features of the frame were observed. The subsequence of plastic hinges of the structure, the load-displacement hysteresis loops and the skeleton curve, load bearing capacity, inter-story drift ratio, ductility, energy dissipation and stiffness degradation were analyzed. The results show that the lattice SRC inner frame is a typical strong column-weak beam structure. The hysteresis loops are spindle-shaped, and the stiffness degradation is insignificant. The elastic-plastic inter-story deformation capacity is high. Compared with the reinforced concrete frame with irregular section columns, the ductility and energy dissipation of the structure are better. The conclusions can be referred to for seismic design of this new kind of structure.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.57-69
• /
• 2001

We have carried out a nondestructive close examination for the purpose of the structural safety diagnosis of the Three-Story Pagoda(Seokga Pagoda) in Bulkuk temple in the city of Kyungju, Kyungbuk, Korea. Ultrasonic wave velocities were measured at 456 points of the pagoda comprising 44 blocks to estimate the mechanical properties of rock blocks constituting the pagoda. The measured velocities have the range of 1217 to 4403 m/sec with the average of 3227 m/sec. The empirical relationship between the ultrasonic velocity and the uniaxial compressive strength yielded the estimation of strength of each block, ranging from 134 to 844 kg/cm^2 and averaging 463 kg/cm^2. With an assumption that the strength of each block is described as a random variables having a normal distribution, we calculated the probability of failure of rock blocks of the pagoda. Our investigation revealed that the probability of the structural failure due to the weight of higher blocks is very low. However, the probability of partial failure around contact area is substantial, which is consistent with the appearance that edges and the corners of some blocks were broken off. The platform under the body of the pagoda appeared to be structurally weak as the probability of tensile failure of the lower platform is up to 18%, and diagonal fractures are shown where the probability of failure is high.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.349-360
• /
• 2018

Reinforced concrete (RC) moment frames supported on two ground levels have been widely constructed in mountainous areas with medium to high seismicity in China. In order to investigate the seismic collapse behavior and risk, a scaled frame model was tested under constant axial load and reversed cyclic lateral load. Test results show that the failure can be induced by the development of story yielding at the first story above the upper ground. The strong column and weak beam mechanism can be well realized at stories below the upper ground. Numerical analysis model was developed and calibrated with the test results. Three pairs of six case study buildings considering various structural configurations were designed and analyzed, showing similar dynamic characteristics between frames on two ground levels and flat ground of each pair. Incremental dynamic analyses (IDA) were then conducted to obtain the seismic collapse fragility curves and collapse margin ratios of nine analysis cases designated based on the case study buildings, considering amplification of earthquake effect and strengthening measures. Analysis results indicate that the seismic collapse safety is mainly determined by the stories above the upper ground. The most probable collapse mechanism may be induced by the story yielding of the bottom story on the upper ground level. The use of tie beam and column strengthening can effectively enhance the seismic collapse safety of frames on two ground levels.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.85 no.3
• /
• pp.381-391
• /
• 2023

The seismic performance of the tall building equipped with a tuned mass damper (TMD) considering soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects is well studied in the literature. However, these studies are performed on the nominal model of the seismic-excited structural system with SSI. Hence, the outcomes of the studies may not valid for the actual structural system. To address the study gap, the reliability theory as a useful and powerful method is utilized in the paper. The present study aims to carry out reliability analyses on tall buildings equipped with TMD under near-field pulse-like (NFPL) ground motions considering SSI effects using a subset simulation (SS) method. In the presence of uncertainties of the structural model, TMD device, foundation, soil, and near-field pulse-like ground motions, the numerical studies are performed on a benchmark 40-story building and the failure probabilities of the structures with and without TMD are evaluated. Three types of soils (dense, medium, and soft soils), different earthquake magnitudes (M_w = 7,0. 7,25. 7,5 ), different nearest fault distances (r = 5. 10 and 15 km), and three seismic performance levels of immediate occupancy (IO), life safety (LS), and collapse prevention (CP) are considered in this study. The results show that tall buildings built near faults and on soft soils are more affected by uncertainties of the structural and ground motion models. Hence, ignoring these uncertainties may result in an inaccurate estimation of the maximum seismic responses. Also, it is found the TMD is not able to reduce the failure probabilities of the structure in the IO seismic performance level, especially for high earthquake magnitudes and structures built near the fault. However, TMD is significantly effective in the reduction of failure probability for the LS and CP performance levels. For weak earthquakes and long fault distances, the failure probabilities of both structures with and without TMD are near zero, and the efficiency of the TMD in the reduction of failure probabilities is reduced by increasing earthquake magnitudes and the reduction of fault distance. As soil softness increases, the failure probability of structures both with and without TMD often increases, especially for severe near-fault earthquake motion.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.7 no.6
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2003

Recently, many high-rise reinforced concrete(RC) bearing-wall structures of multiple uses have been constructed, which have the irregularities of weak(or soft) story and torsion at the lower stories simultaneously. The study stated herein was performed to investigate seismic performance of such a high-rise RC structure through a series of shaking table tests of a 1: 12 model. Based on the observations of the test results, the conclusions are drawn as follows: 1) Accidental torsion due to the uncertainty on the properties of structure can be reasonably predicted by using the dynamic analysis than by using lateral force procedure. 2) The mode coupled by translation and torsion induced the overturning moments not only in the direction of excitations but also in the perpendicular direction: The axial forces in columns due to this transverse overturning moment cannot be adequately predicted using the existing mode analysis technique, and 3) the hysteretic curve and the strength diagram between base shear and torque(BST) clearly reveal the predominant mode of vibrations and the failure mode.