The researches related to active control systems utilizing superelastic shape memory alloys (SMA) have been recently conducted to reduce critical damage due to lateral deformation after severe earthquakes. Although Superelastic SMAs undergo considerable inelastic deformation, they can return to original conditions without heat treatment only after stress removal. We can expect the mitigation of residual deformation owing to inherent recentering characteristics when these smart materials are installed at the part where large deformation is likely to occur. Therefore, the primary purpose of this research is to develop concentrically braced frames (CBFs) with superelastic SMA bracing systems and to evaluate the seismic performance of such frame structures. In order to investigate the inter-story drift response of CBF structures, 3- and 6-story buildings were design according to current design specifications, and then nonlinear time-history analyses were performed on numerical 2D frame models. Based on the numerical analysis results, it can be comparatively verified that the CBFs with superelastic SMA bracing systems have more structural advantages in terms of energy dissipation and recentering behavior than those with conventional steel bracing systems.
In this study, 5-story structures were designed in accordance with KBC2009 for inelastic time history analysis of RC IMRF. Bending moment-curvature relationship for beam and column was identified with fiber model and bending moment-rotation relationship for beam-column joint was calculated with simple and unified joint shear behavior model and moment equilibrium relationship for the joint. The hysteretic behavior was simulated with three-parameter model suggested in IDARC program. The analytical results showed that the inelastic shear behavior of the joint could be neglected in the structural design for seismic design category C but the structure of category D did not satisfy the criteria of FEMA 356 for collapse prevention performance level.
Welded Unreinforced Flange-Welded Web (WUF-W) connection is one of Special Moment Frame (SMF) specified in ANSI/AISC-358. From the experimental test of WUF-W connection specimens conducted by the previous study, fracture occurred in the beam flange before achieving total inter-story drift angle of 0.04radian required for Special Moment Frames (SMF) system even though the specimens satisfied the design and detailing requirement specified in ANSI/AISC-358. These results are estimated as problem of the access hole geometry. In this study, a full-scale WUF-W connection specimen was made with a modified access hole geometry, and tested with the same test setting and loading as the previous test. From test results, the deformation capacity of the tested WUF-W connection specimen exceeded 4%, which is required for connections in SMF system. Comparing with the WUF-W specimens of the previous study, the strain demand of the beam flange in the tested specimen was decreased and energy dissipation capacity of the specimen was improved.
Involved in a research for the application of seismic isolation to the nuclear industry, this study evaluates firstly the responses of seismic isolation system considering general ranges of structural period and damping ratio by using preliminary design formula. Secondly, coupling effects of input motions were evaluated to find out appropriate conditions of excitations and effect of the iteration for calculating yield displacement of lead core was also assessed in terms of response of a seismically isolated structure. Finally, the results of preliminary design calculation were compared with those of dynamic analysis and the propriety of the formula was evaluated and appropriate ranges of reduction factor were also suggested from the results.
In Korea, most existing school buildings have been constructed with moment frames with un-reinforced infill walls designed only considering gravity loads. Thus, the buildings may not perform satisfactorily during earthquakes expected in Korea. In exterior frames of the building, un-reinforced masonry infill walls with window openings are commonly placed, which may alter the structural behavior of adjacent columns due to the interaction between the wall and column. The objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic performance of existing school buildings according to the procedure specified in ATC 63. Analytical models are proposed to simulate the structural behavior of columns, infill walls and their interaction. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified by comparing the analytical results with the experimental test results for one bay frames with and without infill walls with openings. For seismic performance evaluation, three story buildings are considered as model frames located at sites having different soil conditions ( , , , , ) in Korea. It is observed that columns behaves as a short columns governed by shear due to infill masonry walls with openings. The collapse probabilities of the frames under maximum considered earthquake ranges from 62.9 to 99.5 %, which far exceed the allowable value specified in ATC 63.
It is known that seismic performance of existing bridges having insufficient lateral confinements and lap-splices of longitudinal reinforcements at the base of column decreases dramatically. In this study, small-scaled model tests have been performed to confirm the seismic behaviors of RC bridge piers with various lap-splice lengths. The 8 test models have circular section with diameters of 0.65 m, 0.8 m, 1.0 m, and lap-splice lengths of B-class or C-class. The test results show that the failure modes of models are not depending on the lap-splice length itself but depend on the ratio of lap-splice length to diameter, and that the displacement ductility is also affected by this ratio.