Study on comparison between absolute and relative input energy spectra and effects of ductility factor

Based on 266 strong ground motion records, an attenuation relationship was developed for both absolute and relative input energy spectra. The comparison of the two kinds of input energy spectra constructed from the attenuation relationship was made in this paper. The results show that there is little difference between the absolute input energy spectra and relative input energy spectra at the periods of 0.5-1.0 s for elastic systems and at the period of 0.5 s for inelastic systems. The absolute input energy spectra are much larger than relative input energy spectra in very short period range but some less than relative input energy spectra in long period range. It is also found that the ductility factor has a significant effect on both absolute and relative input energy spectra. The absolute input energy spectra increase with the increasing of ductility factor in the period range of less than 0.3 s but decrease in the period range of larger than 0.3 s. The absolute input energy spectra for different ductility factor are almost equivalent at the period about 0.3 s, but for relative input energy spectra, the period is about 0.5 s. The effect of ductility on the relative input energy spectra in the short period range is much larger than that on the absolute input energy spectra, especially on the softer site class.

Effect of structural characteristics distribution on strength demand and ductility reduction factor of MDOF systems considering soil-structure interaction

It is known that structural stiffness and strength distributions have an important role in the seismic response of buildings. The effect of using different code-specified lateral load patterns on the seismic performance of fixed-base buildings has been investigated by researchers during the past two decades. However, no investigation has yet been carried out for the case of soil-structure systems. In the present study, through intensive parametric analyses of 21,600 linear and nonlinear MDOF systems and considering five different shear strength and stiffness distribution patterns, including three code-specified patterns as well as uniform and concentric patterns subjected to a group of earthquakes recorded on alluvium and soft soils, the effect of structural characteristics distribution on the strength demand and ductility reduction factor of MDOF fixed-base and soil-structure systems are parametrically investigated. The results of this study show that depending on the level of inelasticity, soil flexibility and number of degrees-of-freedoms (DOFs), structural characteristics distribution can significantly affect the strength demand and ductility reduction factor of MDOF systems. It is also found that at high levels of inelasticity, the ductility reduction factor of low-rise MDOF soil-structure systems could be significantly less than that of fixed-base structures and the reduction is less pronounced as the number of stories increases.

Response reduction factor of irregular RC buildings in Kathmandu valley

Most current seismic design includes the nonlinear response of a structure through a response reduction factor （R）. This allows the designer to use a linear elastic force-based approach while accounting for nonlinear behavior and deformation limits. In fact, the response reduction factor is used in modem seismic codes to scale down the elastic response of a structure. This study focuses on estimating the actual ＇R＇ value for engineered design/construction of reinforced concrete （RC） buildings in Kathmandu valley. The ductility and overstrength of representative RC buildings in Kathmandu are investigated. Nonlinear pushover analysis was performed on structural models in order to evaluate the seismic performance of buildings. Twelve representative engineered irregular buildings with a variety of characteristics located in the Kathmandu valley were selected and studied. Furthermore, the effects of overstrength on the ductility factor, beam column capacity ratio on the building ductility, and load path on the response reduction factor, are examined. Finally, the results are further analyzed and compared with different structural parameters of the buildings.

PHASE STRUCTURE FACTOR AND INTERFACE CONJUNCTION FACTOR OF CAST IRON AND ITS COMPOSITION DESIGN

Theempiricalelectrontheory of solidsand molecules( EET) and theimproved TFDtheory wereapplied tocalculatethe phasestructurefactorsand interfaceconjunction factorsofcom mon alloying elementsincastiron. Akind of Si- Mo- Cu ductileiron with rareearth Mg asnodularizer was designed accordingtothese valenceelectron structure parameters. Actual applicationtestsshow thatthelongevity of thisiron is 1.5 timesof thatof high manganesesteel. This accordance of theoretical results and actual effectsshows the composition design methodcan beused in othercastiron research.

Theoretical Analysis of a New Artificial Plastic Hinge at the Frame Beam End

Opening horizontal slit in the middle web of the beam end formed a new type of artificial plastic hinge. The calculation formulas about the hinge’s interior force and bearing capacity are set up. Based on these, the condition of transfer, the location of crack and the cracking length of the artificial plastic hinge were studied further. The calculation method for the ductility factor was also presented. The calculation results and the test ones were compatible.

A comparative study of the ATC-40 recommended and numerically derived M-φ relationship

Nonlinear static analysis procedures are key tools in evaluating the performance of existing buildings and verifying the design of seismic retrofits in seismically active regions. In this procedure, nonlinear force-displacement or moment-curvature （M-φ） behavior needs to be defined. In the ATC-40 document, values of M-φ have been proposed to model elements in a nonlinear procedure. However, these values need to be investigated to determine if they are representative of actual values. In this paper, an attempt has been made to numerically derive M-φ curves to simulate actual performance. Then, these curves are compared with the ATC-40 recommended curves with respect to various parameters. The study indicated that ATC-40 suggested values are conservative in nature in most situations.

Hysteretic Model for Corroded Rectangular Reinforced Concrete Bridge Column Under Seismic Loading

Additional hysteretic experiments for corroded rectangular reinforced concrete(RC)columns with an axial load ratio of 0.27 were implemented.A quasi-static cyclic lateral loading with constant axial force was subjected to tests.Herein,a modified ductility factor model for corroded RC column is developed on the basis of the previous work and additional experiments.The model involves the influence of both the corrosion ratio of longitudinal rebar and the axial load ratio.A four-linear envelope curve model concerning lateral load and displacement is proposed in a combination of determination rules of the peak point and the failure strength point.The hysteretic model of corroded RC columns is developed by considering both degraded unloading stiffness and reloading stiffness on the history peak point.The hysteretic model can predict the residual life of corroded RC columns under seismic loading.