Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) have been recognized as an effective seismic-force resisting systems due to their excellent strength and stiffness characteristics. The infill steel plate in a SPSW is constrained by a boundary frame consisting of vertical and horizontal structural members. The main purpose of this study was to investigate deformation modes and hysteretic characteristics of steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) to consider the effects of their aspect ratios and width-to-thicness ratios. The finite element model (FEM) was establish in order to simulate cyclic responses of SPSWs which have the two-side clamped boundary condition and made of conventional steel grade. The stress distribution obtained from the FEA results demonstrated that the principal stresses on steel plate with large thickness-to-width ratio were more uniformly distributed along its horizontal cross section due to the formation of multiple struts.

The seismic retrofits of existing structures have been focused on the control of structural responses which can be achieved by providing displacement capacity through inelastic ductile action at supplemental devices. Due to their hysteretic characteristics, it is expected to sustain damage through repeated inelastic behaviors including residual deformation which might increase repair costs. To solve such drawbacks of existing yielding devices, this study proposes a self-centering disc spring brace that sustains large axial deformation without structural damage while providing stable energy dissipation capacity. The hysteretic behaviors of suggested brace are first investigated based on the quasi-static cyclic test procedure. Experimental results present the effective self-centering behavior and an analytical model is then suggested in order to reasonably capture the flag-shaped hysteretic behavior of the disc spring brace.

This study proposes an RCS composite damping device that can achieve seismic reinforcement of existing buildings by dissipating energy by inelastic deformation. A series of experiments assessing the performances of the rubber core pad, hysteretic steel slit damping device, and hybrid RCS damping device were conducted. The results showed that the ratios of the deviations to the mean values satisfied the domestic damping-device conformity condition for the load at maximum device displacement in each direction, at the maximum force and minimum force at zero displacement, as well as the hysteresis curve area. In addition, three analysis models based on load-displacement characteristics were proposed for application to seismic reinforcement design. In addition, the validity of the three proposed models was confirmed, as they simulated the experimental results well. Meanwhile, as the shear deformation of the rubber-core pad increased, the hysteretic behavior of super-elasticity greatly increased the horizontal force of the damping device. Therefore, limiting the allowable displacement during design is deemed to be necessary.

Friction energy dissipative devices have been increasingly implemented as structural seismic damage protecting systems due to their excellent seismic energy dissipating capacity and high stiffness. This study develops rotational friction energy dissipative devices and verifies experimentally their cyclic response. Based on the understanding of the differences between the traditional linear-motion friction behavior and the rotational friction behavior, the configuration of the frictional surface was determined by investigating the characteristics of the micro-friction behavior. The friction surface suggested in this paper consists of brake-lining pads and stainless steel sheets and is normally stressed by high-strength bolts. Based upon these frictional characteristics of the selected interface, the rotational friction energy dissipative devices were developed. Bolt torque-bearing force tests, rotational friction tests of the suggested friction interfaces were carried out to identify their frictional behavior. Test results show that the bearing force is almost linearly proportional to the applied bolt torque and presents stable cyclic response regardless of the experimental parameters selected this testing program. Finally, cyclic tests of the rotational friction energy dissipative devices were performed to find out their structural characteristics and to confirm their stable cyclic response. The developed friction energy dissipative devices present very stable cyclic response and meet the requirements for displacement-dependent energy dissipative devices prescribed in ASCE/SEI 7-10.

일반적으로 도로의 하부인 노상층은 불포화토 상태로 존재하기 때문에 함수비의 변동을 예측하기 위해서는 불포화 함수특성곡선(soil-water characteristic curve)의 추정은 필수적이다. 따라서, 국내 대표적인 노상토인 다짐된 화강풍화계열 노상토를 대상으로 함수특성을 정량화하기 위하여 pressure plate 장치를 활용하여 건조 및 습윤 이력과정의 실험을 각각 수행한 후 이를 토대로 불포화토 함수특성에 대한 해석을 수행하였다. 실험결과, 화강 풍화 노상토의 함수비를 좌우하는 흡수력이 건조와 습윤 과정에 있어 서로 다른 수치를 나타내었고 흡수력에 따른 불포화 투수계수와 습윤용적 그리고 확산 등의 흐름특성을 통하여 이력(hysteresis)을 확인하였다. 이를 토대로 도로하부의 연중흡수력을 추정하였다.

본 논문에서는 사개맞춤으로 제작된 우리 나라 전통 초가삼간 목조 프레임의 수평방향 교번하중에 대한 이력특성을 실험을 통하여 규명하였다. 실험에는 1.:1 모델을 제작하여 사용하였다. 사개맞춤 목조 프레임의 이력특성은 못이나 사재를 사용한 목조 프레임의 이력특성과는 매우 상이하다. 프레임의 등가 점성감쇠비는 평주 프레임의 경우 약 27%, 고주 프레임의 경우 약 13%이다. 개량형 Double Target 모델의 이용하여 비선형 이력특성을 모사하였다.