Ductility demands on buckling-restrained braced frames under earthquake loading

Accurate estimates of ductility demands on buckling-restrained braced frames(BRBFs)are crucial to performance-based design of BRBFs.An analytical study on the seismic behavior of BRBFs has been conducted at the ATLSS Center,Lehigh University to prepare for an upcoming experimental program.The analysis program DRAIN-2DX was used to model a one-bay,four-story prototype BRBF including material and geometric nonlinearities.The buckling- restrained brace(BRB)model incorporates both isotropic and kinematic hardening.Nonlinear static pushover and time- history analyses were performed on the prototype BRBF.Performance objectives for the BRBs were defined and used to evaluate the time-history analysis results.Particular emphasis was placed on global ductility demands and ductility demands on the BRBs.These demands were compared with anticipated ductility capacities.The analysis results,along with results from similar previous studies,are used to evaluate the BRBF design provisions that have been recommended for codification in the United States.The results show that BRB maximum ductility demands can be as high as 20 to 25.These demands significantly exceed those anticipated by the BRBF recommended provisions.Results from the static pushover and time- history analyses are used to demonstrate why the ductility demands exceed those anticipated by the recommended provisions. The BRB qualification testing protocol contained in the BRBF recommended provisions is shown to be inadequate because it requires only a maximum ductility demand of at most 7.5.Modifications to the testing protocol are recommended.

Shaking table test and numerical analysis of a 1:12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections

This paper describes shaking table tests of a 1：12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections, which was fabricated according to a one-bay braced frame selected from a typical main factory building of a large thermal power plant. In order to investigate the seismic performance of this type of structure, several ground motion accelerations with different levels for seismic intensity Ⅷ, based on the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings, were selected to excite the model. The results show that the design methods of the members and the connections are adequate and that the structural system will perform well in regions of high seismicity. In addition to the tests, numerical simulations were also conducted and the results showed good agreement with the test results. Thus, the numerical model is shown to be accurate and the beam element can be used to model this structural system.

Experimental study on the seismic response of braced reinforced concrete frame with irregular columns

A 15-storey K-braced reinforced concrete model frame with irregular columns, i.e., T-shaped, L-shaped, as well as ＋-shaped columns, was constructed and tested on the six-degree-of-freedom shaking table at the State Key Laboratory for Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering in Tongji, China. Two types of earthquake records, El-Centro wave （south-north direction） and Shanghai artificial wave （SHAW） with various peak accelerations and principal-secondary sequences, were input and experimentally studied. Based on the shaking table tests and theoretical analysis, several observations can be made. The failure sequence of the model structure is brace→beam→column→joints, so that the design philosophy for several lines of defense has been achieved. Earthquake waves with different spectrums not only influence the magnitude and distribution of the earthquake force and the storey shear force, but also obviously affect the magnitude of the displacement response. The aftershock seismic response of previously damaged reinforced concrete braced frames with irregular columns possesses the equivalent elastic performance characteristic. Generally speaking, from the aspects of failure features and drift ratio, this type of reinforced concrete structure provides adequate earthquake resistance and can be promoted for use in China.

Optimization of design parameters for controlled rocking steel braced dual-frames

A controlled rocking concentrically steel braced frame(CR-CSBF)is introduced as an alternative to conventional methods to prevent major structural damage during large earthquakes.It is equipped with elastic post-tensioned(PT)cables and replaceable devices or fuses to provide overturning resistance and dissipate energy,respectively.Although CR-CSBFs are not officially legalized in globally valid codes for new buildings,it is expected to be presented in them in the near future.The main goal of this study is to determine the optimal design parameters consist of the yield strength and modulus of elasticity of the fuse,the initial force of the PT cable,and the gravity load on the rocking column,considering different heights of the frame,spanning ratios and ground motion types for dual-configuration CR-CSBF.Nonlinear time-history analyses are performed in OpenSees.This study aims to define the optimal input variables as effective design parameters of CR-CSBFs by comparing four seismic responses consisting of story drift,roof displacement,roof acceleration and base shear,and also using the Euclidean metric optimization method.Despite the previous research,this study is innovative and first of its kind.The results demonstrate that the optimal design parameters are variable for various conditions.

Nonlinear Seismic Response of Steel Concentrically Braced Frames Using Endurance Time Analysis Method

In present paper application of Endurance Time Analysis （ETA） method in nonlinear seismic assessment of steel concentrically braced frames is studied. In this method structure is subjected to a set of predesigned increasing acceleration functions and various responses of the structure are recorded during synthetic seismic excitation. The averages of maximum values for various responses in Nonlinear Time-History Analyses （NTHA） extracted from real ground motions are expected to be close to those obtained from ETA up to equivalent target time. For this purpose a set of 9, 11, 13 and 15 stories steel frames were designed and plastic hinge method was selected as source of nonlinearity in all cases. Responses were compared based on interstory drift ratio and story shear in two methods and results show satisfactory consistency between two methods. Finally, it was concluded that the ETA method can be used as alternative method in nonlinear seismic analysis of concentrically braced steel frames.

Seismic performance and resilience of composite damping self-centering braced frame structures

A magnetorheological self-centering brace(MR–SCB)has been proposed to improve the energy dissipation capability of the brace.In this paper,a 15-story MR–SCB braced frame is numerically analyzed to examine its seismic performance and resilience.The MR–SCB provides higher lateral stiffness than the buckling restrained brace and greater energy dissipation capability than the existing self-centering brace.The brace also exhibits a reliable recentering capacity.Under rare earthquakes,the maximum average residual deformation ratio of the structure is less than the 0.5%limit.Under mega earthquakes,the maximum average interstory drift ratio of the structure does not exceed the 2.0%elastoplastic limit,and its maximum average floor acceleration ratio is 1.57.The effects of mainshock and aftershock on the structural behavior are also investigated.The interstory drift and residual deformation of the structure increase with the increase of the intensity of the aftershock.Under aftershocks with the same intensity as the mainshocks,the maximum increment of the residual deformation ratio of the structure is 81.8%,and the average interstory drift ratios of the 12^(th),7^(th),and 3^(rd)stories of the structure are increased by 13.4%,9.2%and 7.5%,respectively.The strong aftershock may significantly cause increased damage to the structure,and increase its collapse risk and residual deformation.

Response of a 2-story test-bed structure for the seismic evaluation of nonstructural systems

A full-scale, two-story, two-by-one bay, steel braced-frame was subjected to a number of unidirectional ground motions using three shake tables at the UNR-NEES site. The test-bed frame was designed to study the seismic performance of nonstructural systems including steel-framed gypsum partition walls, suspended ceilings and fire sprinkler systems. The frame can be configured to perform as an elastic or inelastic system to generate large floor accelerations or large inter story drift, respectively. In this study, the dynamic performance of the linear and nonlinear test-beds was comprehensively studied. The seismic performance of nonstructural systems installed in the linear and nonlinear test-beds were assessed during extreme excitations. In addition, the dynamic interactions of the test-bed and installed nonstructural systems are investigated.

Elastoplastic analysis of knee bracing frame

The knee bracing steel frame (KBF) is a new kind of energy dissipating frame, which combines excellent ductility and lateral stiffness. As the structural fuse of the frame, the knee element will yield first during a severe earthquake so that no damage occurs to the major structural members and the rehabilitation is easy and economical. To help fully understand the relations be- tween its seismic performance and the structural parameters, systematic elastoplastic analysis of the KBF structure with finite element method was conducted in this work. Finally, general design recommendations were made according to the results of the analysis.

Validation of a steel dual-core self-centering brace （DC-SCB） for seismic resistance： from brace member to one-story one-bay braced frame tests

A steel dual-core self-centering brace （DC-SCB） is an innovative structural member that provides both energy dissipation and self-centering properties to structures, reducing maximum and residual drifts of structures in earthquakes. The axial deformation capacity of the DC-SCB is doubled by a parallel arrangement of two inner cores, one outer box and two sets of tensioning elements. This paper presents cyclic test results of a DC-SCB component and a full- scale one-story, one-bay steel frame with a DC-SCB. The DC-SCB that was near 8 m-long was tested to evaluate its cyclic behavior and durability. The DC-SCB performed well under a total of three increasing cyclic loading tests and 60 low- cycle fatigue loading tests without failure. The maximum axial load of the DC-SCB was near 1700 kN at an interstory drift of 2.5%. Moreover, a three-story dual-core self-centering braced frame （DC-SCBF） with a single-diagonal DC-SCB was designed and its first-story, one-bay DC-SCBF subassembly specimen was tested in multiple earthquake-type loadings. The one-story, one-bay subassembly frame specimen performed well up to an interstory drift of 2% with yielding at the column base and local buckling in the steel beam; no damage of the DC-SCB was found after all tests. The maximum residual drift of the DC-SCBF caused by beam local buckling was 0.5% in 2.0% drift cycles.

Seismic responses and resilience of novel SMA-based self-centring eccentrically braced frames under near-fault ground motions

In this paper,the seismic responses and resilience of a novel K-type superelastic shape memory alloy(SMA)self-centring(SC)eccentrically braced frame(EBF)are investigated.The simulation models of the SMA-based SC-EBF and a corresponding equal-stiffness traditional EBF counterpart are first established based on some existing tests.Then twenty-four near-fault ground motions are used to examine the seismic responses of both EBFs under design basis earthquake(DBE)and maximum considered earthquake(MCE)levels.Structural fragility and loss analyses are subsequently conducted through incremental dynamic analyses(IDA),and the resilience of the two EBFs are eventually estimated.The resilience assessment basically follows the framework proposed by Federal Emergency and Management Agency(FEMA)with the additional consideration of the maximum residual inter-storey drift ratio(MRIDR).The novel SMA-based SC-EBF shows a much better resilience in the study and represents a promising attractive alternative for future applications.

Topology optimization and seismic collapse assessment of shape memory alloy(SMA)-braced frames:Effectiveness of Fe-based SMAs

This paper presents a seismic topology optimization study of steel braced frames with shape memory alloy(SMA)braces.Optimal SMA-braced frames(SMA-BFs)with either Fe-based SMA or NiTi braces are determined in a performance-based seismic design context.The topology optimization is performed on 5-and 10-story SMA-BFs considering the placement,length,and cross-sectional area of SMA bracing members.Geometric,strength,and performance-based design constraints are considered in the optimization.The seismic response and collapse safety of topologically optimal SMA-BFs are assessed according to the FEMA P695 methodology.A comparative study on the optimal SMA-BFs is also presented in terms of total relative cost,collapse capacity,and peak and residual story drift.The results demonstrate that Fe-based SMA-BFs exhibit higher collapse capacity and more uniform distribution of lateral displacement over the frame height while being more cost-effective than NiTi braced frames.In addition to a lower unit price compared to NiTi,Fe-based SMAs reduce SMA material usage.In frames with Fe-based SMA braces,the SMA usage is reduced by up to 80%.The results highlight the need for using SMAs with larger recoverable strains.

Probabilistic safety assessment of self-centering steel braced frame

The main drawback of conventional braced frames is implicitly accepting structural damage under the design earthquake load, which leads to considerable economic losses. Controlled rocking self-centering system as a modem low-damage system is capable of minimizing the drawbacks of conventional braced frames. This paper quantifies main limit states and investigates the seismic performance of self-centering braced frame using a Probabilistic Safety Assessment procedure. Margin of safety, confidence level, and mean annual frequency of the self-centering archetypes for their main limit states, including PT yield, fuse fracture, and global collapse, are established and are compared with their acceptance criteria. Considering incorporating aleatory examined. Results of the investigation indicate that the provide the adequate margin of safety against exceeding and epistemic uncertainties, the efficiency of the system is design of low- and mid-rise self-centering archetypes could the undesirable limit-states.

Cyclic responses of three 2-story seismic concentrically braced frames

Three full scale two-story steel concentrically braced frames(CBFs)were tested at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering(NCREE)in Taipei.The specimen is a single bay with the braces arranged in a two-story X-brace configuration.The main differences among the three tests are the brace types(hollow structural or wide-flange section)and the design criteria adopted for the gusset plate connections.Results of these three tests confirm that the two-story X-shape steel CBFs all have rather good energy dissipation characteristics up to a story drift of about 0.03 radians under the cyclically increasing lateral displacements.Severe brace local buckling and out-of-plane displacements were observed during each test.Tests confirm that both the 2tlinear and 8t-elliptical designs of the gusset plate connection provide satisfactory ductility for the steel CBF.Hollow structural section(HSS)braces fractured at a story drift smaller than that found using wide flange sections.The nonlinear fine element method(FEM)program ABAQUS was used to simulate the responses of the specimen.The base shear versus the story drift relationships obtained from the tests and the FEM analytical results are quite agreeable in various levels of lateral frame displacement.The analytical results confirm that the severe out-of-plane buckling of the braces can be accurately simulated.FEM analyses also illustrate that the steel moment resisting frame takes about 40%story shear when the inter-story drift is greater than 0.02 radians.

Investigation on a mitigation scheme to resist the progressive collapse of reinforced concrete buildings

This study presents the investigation of the approach which was presented by Thaer M.Saeed Alrudaini to provide the alternate load path to redistribute residual loads and preventing from the potential progressive collapse of RC buildings.It was proposed to transfer the residual loads upwards above the failed column of RC buildings by vertical cables hanged at the top to a hat steel braced frame seated on top of the building which in turn redistributes the residual loads to the adjacent columns.In this study a ten-storey regular structural building has been considered to investigate progressive collapse potential.Structural design is based on ACI 318-08 concrete building code for special RC frames and the nonlinear dynamic analysis is carried out using SAP2000 software,following UFC4-023-03 document.Nine independent failure scenarios are adopted in the investigation,including six external removal cases in different floors and three removal cases in the first floor.A new detail is proposed by using barrel and wedge to improve residual forces transfer to the cables after removal of the columns.Simulation results show that progressive collapse of building that resulted from potential failure of columns located in floors can be efficiently resisted by using this method.

Numerical study of the cyclic load behavior of AISI 316L stainless steel shear links for seismic fuse device

This paper presents the results of nonlinear finite element analyses conducted on stainless steel shear links. Stainless steels are attractive materials for seismic fuse device especially for corrosion-aware environment such as coastal regions because they are highly corrosion resistant, have good ductility and toughness properties in combination with low maintenance requirements. This paper discusses the promising use ofAISI 316L stainless steel for shear links as seismic fuse devices. Hysteresis behaviors of four stainless steel shear link specimens under reversed cyclic loading were examined to assess their ultimate strength, plastic rotation and failure modes. The nonlinear finite element analysis results show that shear links made of AISI 316L stainless steel exhibit a high level of ductility. However, it is also found that because of large over-strength ratio associated with its strain hardening process, mixed shear and flexural failure modes were observed in stainless steel shear links compared with conventional steel shear links with the same length ratio. This raises the issue that proper design requirements such as length ratio, element compactness and stiffener spacing need to be determined to ensure the full development of the overall plastic rotation of the stainless steel shear links.