Coupled bending-torsion vibration of a homogeneous beam with a single delamination subjected to axial loads and static end moments

Delaminations in structures may significantly reduce the stiffness and strength of the structures and may affect their vibration characteristics. As structural components, beams have been used for various purposes, in many of which beams are often subjected to axial loads and static end moments. In the present study, an analytical solution is developed to study the coupled bending-torsion vibration of a homogeneous beam with a single delamination subjected to axial loads and static end moments. Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and the ＂free mode＂ assumption in delamination vibration are adopted. This is the first study of the influences of static end moments upon the effects of delaminations on natural frequencies, critical buckling loads and critical moments for lateral instability. The results show that the effects of delamination on reducing natural frequencies, critical buckling load and critical moment for lateral instability are aggravated by the presence of static end moment. In turn, the effects of static end moments on vibration and instability characteristics are affected by the presence of delamination. The analytical results of this study can serve as a benchmark for finite element method and other numerical solutions.

New Factor to Characterize Mechanism of “Strong Column-Weak Beam” of RC Frame Structures

Most reinforced concrete(RC)frame structures did not achieve the "strong column-weak beam" failure mode in recent big earthquakes, resulting in a large number of casualties and significant property loss. To deal with this serious problem, a new column-beam relative factor was proposed to characterize the relative yield situation of column ends and beam ends. By limiting the column-beam relative factor, RC frame structures could achieve the "strong column-weak beam" failure mode under the excitation of strong ground motions. The limit values of column-beam relative factor were calculated, analyzed and verified by using structural simulation models for corner columns in the bottom story of structures, which are destroyed most seriously in earthquakes. The results show that the limit values should be analyzed under bi-directional ground motion and with different axial compression ratios of columns. The peak ground acceleration(PGA)of ground motions has no significant effect on the limit values, while the type of strong ground motions has a significant effect on the limit values.