• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2015

Shimizu Corporation Tokyo Headquarters, one of the city's leading office buildings, features many pioneering technologies that contribute to a sustainable society through environmental stewardship and a sophisticated disaster management facility. In terms of structural engineering, a seismic isolation system incorporating reinforced concrete core walls and precast concrete perimeter frames create a robust structure in the event of a large earthquake. In addition to the seismic resistance of the structure, several pioneering construction methods and materials are adopted. This office building can serve as a basis for new design and construction approaches and methodologies to ensure safe and economical structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.6
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• pp.781-791
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• 2023

Lateral pressure plays a significant role in the stress-strain relationship of compressed concrete. Concrete's internal cracking resistance, ultimate strain, and axial strength are improved by confinement. This phenomenon influences the nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete columns. Utilizing behavior factors to predict the nonlinear seismic responses of structures is prevalent in seismic codes, and this factor plays a vital role in the seismic responses of structures. This study aims to evaluate the confining action on the behavior factor of reinforced concrete moment resisting frames (RCMRFs) with shear walls (SWRCMRFs). To this end, a diverse range of mid-rise SW-RCMRFs was initially designed based on the Iranian national building code criteria. Second, the stress-strain curve of each element was modeled twice, both with and without the confinement phenomenon. Each frame was then subjected to pushover analysis. Finally, the analytical behavior factors of these frames were computed and compared to the Iranian seismic code behavior factor. The results demonstrate that confining action increased the behavior factors of SW-RCMRFs by 7-12%.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.233-241
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• 2020

This paper is to investigate the retrofitting effect for a non-seismic reinforced concrete frame strengthened by perimeter steel moment frames with indirect integrity, which ameliorates the problems of the direct integrity method. To achieve this, first, full-scale tests were conducted to address the structural behavior of a two-story non-seismic reinforced concrete frame and a strengthened frame. The non-seismic frame showed a maximum strength of 185 kN because the flexural-shear failure at the bottom end of columns on the first floor was governed, and shear cracks were concentrated at the beam-column joints on the second floor. The strengthened frame possessed a maximum strength of 338 kN, which is more than 1.8 times that of the non-seismic specimen. A considerable decrease in the quantity of cracks for the strengthened frame was observed compared with the non-seismic frame, while there was the obvious appearance of the failure pattern due to the shear crack. The lateral-resisting capacity for the non-seismic bare frame and the strengthened frame may be determined per the specified shear strength of the reinforced columns in accordance with the distance to a critical section. The effective depth of the column may be referred to as the longitudinal length from the border between the column and the foundation. The lateral-resisting capacity for the non-seismic bare frame and the strengthened frame may be reasonably determined per the specified shear strength of the reinforced columns in accordance with the distance to a critical section. The effective depth of the column may be referred to as the longitudinal length from the border between the column and the foundation. The proposed method had an error of about 2.2% for the non-seismic details and about 4.4% for the strengthened frame based on the closed results versus the experimental results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.517-539
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• 2004

Many types of passive control devices have been recognized as effective tools for improving the seismic resistance of structures. A lot of past research has been carried out to study the response of structures equipped with energy-absorbing devices by assuming that the behavior of the beam-column systems are linearly elastic. However, linear theory may not be adequate for beams and columns during severe earthquakes. This paper presents the results of research on the nonlinear responses of structures with and without added passive devices under earthquakes. A new material model based on the plasticity theory and the two-surface model for beams and columns under six components of forces is proposed to predict the nonlinear behavior of beam-column systems. And a new nonlinear beam element in consideration of shear deformation is developed to analyze the beams and columns of a structure. Numerical results reveal that linear assumption may not be appropriate for beams and columns under seismic loadings, especially for unexpectedly large earthquakes. Also, it may be necessary to adopt nonlinear beam elements in the analysis and design process to assure the safety of structures with or without the control of devices.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.177-195
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• 2018

Reinforced concrete buildings in a seismically active area can be designed as DCM (medium ductility) or DCH (high ductility) class according to the regulations of Eurocode 8. In this paper, two RC buildings, one with a wall structural system and the other with a frame system, previously designed for DCM and DCH ductility, were analysed by using incremental dynamic analysis in order to study differences in the behaviour of structures between these ductility classes, especially the failure mechanism and ultimate collapse acceleration. Despite the fact that a higher behaviour factor of DCH structures influences lower seismic resistance, in comparison to DCM structures, a strict application of the design and detailing rules of Eurocode 8 in analysed examples caused that the seismic resistance of both frames does not significantly differ. The conclusions were derived for two buildings and do not necessarily apply to other RC structures. Further analysis could make a valuable contribution to the analysis of the behaviour of such buildings and decide between two ductility classes in everyday building design.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.1376-1386
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• 2016

This study investigated the loading rate effect on the fracture resistance under cyclic loading conditions to understand clearly the fracture behavior of piping materials under seismic conditions. J-R fracture toughness tests were conducted under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions at various displacement rates at room temperature and the operating temperature of nuclear power plants (i.e., $316^{\circ}C$). SA508 Gr.1a low-alloy steel and SA312 TP316 stainless steel piping materials were used for the tests. The fracture resistance under a reversible cyclic load was considerably lower than that under monotonic load regardless of test temperature, material, and loading rate. Under both cyclic and monotonic loading conditions, the fracture behavior of SA312 TP316 stainless steel was independent of the loading rate at both room temperature and $316^{\circ}C$. For SA508 Gr.1a lowalloy steel, the loading rate effect on the fracture behavior was appreciable at $316^{\circ}C$ under cyclic and monotonic loading conditions. However, the loading rate effect diminished when the cyclic load ratio of the load (R) was -1. Thus, it was recognized that the fracture behavior of piping materials, including seismic loading characteristics, can be evaluated when tested under a cyclic load of R = -1 at a quasistatic loading rate.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.527-534
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• 2019

Although ground investigation had carried out prior to the construction, many problems have arisen during the civil-engineering works because of the presence of the unexpected underground utility lines or anomalies. In this study, a new geophysical exploration method was developed to solve those problems by improving and supplementing the existing methods. This new method was based on the difference of electrical resistance values between anomalies and surrounding ground medium. A theoretical expression was suggested to define the characteristics of the anomalies such as location, size and direction, by applying the electric field analysis. An inverse analysis algorithm was also developed to solve the theoretical expression using the measured electrical resistance values which were generated by the voltage flowing the subsurface medium. To verify the developed method, field applications were conducted at the sites under construction or planned. From the results of the field tests, it was found that not only the new method was more predictive than the existing methods, but its results were good agreed with the measured ones. Therefore, it is expected that application of the new exploration method reduces the unexpected accidents caused by the underground uncertainties during the underground construction works.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.563-576
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• 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the progressive collapse potential of buildings designed using conventional design codes for the merchant occupancy classification and subjected to a sudden column failure. For this purpose, three reinforced concrete buildings having different story numbers were designed according to the seismic design recommendations of TSCB-2019. Later on, the buildings were analyzed using the GSA-2016 and UFC 4-023-03 to observe their progressive collapse responses. Three columns were removed independently in the structures from different locations. Nonlinear dynamic analysis method for the alternate path direct design approach was implemented for the design evaluation. The plasticity of the structural members was simulated by using nonlinear fiber hinges. The moment, axial, and shear force interaction on the hinges was considered by the Modified Compression Field Theory. Moreover, an existing experimental study investigating the progressive collapse behavior of reinforced concrete structures was used to observe the validation of nonlinear fiber hinges and the applied analysis methodology. The study results deduce that a limited local collapse disproportionately more extensive than the initial failure was experienced on the buildings designed according to TSCB-2019. The mercantile structures designed according to current seismic codes require additional direct design considerations to improve their progressive collapse resistance against the risk of a sudden column loss.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.37-43
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• 2020

The seismic reinforcement ratio of SOC facilities, such as domestic roads and railroads, is 96%. Out of approximately 7 million buildings as of 2016, only 0.51 million buildings with seismic performance were secured. Although the proportion of masonry structures is 38.8% of the total buildings, there is almost no seismic resistance, only 2.0%. To solve the problem in Korea, government-level seismic measures are being promoted, but the situation is insufficient. Overseas, the UBC research team in Vancouver, Canada, has developed and used EDCC to reinforce the seismic performance of masonry buildings. EDCC is a construction material that can secure concrete ductility capability by mixing fibers and secure deformation resistance of concrete through bridging action. It is necessary to examine various materials because EDCC is not used as a spray type of secure seismic reinforcement. In this study, as part of the research and development of spraying materials to improve the durability of masonry buildings, this study examined the spraying characteristics of fiber-reinforced mortar according to fiber use and the viscosity change according to the use of thickener. As a result, the working performance of the fiber-reinforced mortar for seismic reinforcement was improved when using 1% fiber and 1% thickener.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.271-286
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• 2017

The use of Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) provides an alternative for steel buildings in seismic zones, with the advantage over WF columns that the HSS columns have similar resistance along both axes and enhanced performance under flexure, compression and torsion with respect to other columns sections. The HSS columns have shown satisfactory performance under seismic loads, such as observed in buildings with steel moment frames in the Honshu earthquake (2011). The purpose of this research is to propose a new moment connection, EP-HSS ("End-plate to Hollow Structural Section"), using a wide flange beam and HSS column where the end plate falls outside the range of prequalification established in the ANSI/AISC 358-10 Specification, as an alternative to the traditional configuration of steel moment frames established in current codes. The connection was researched through analytical, numerical (FEM), and experimental studies. The results showed that the EP-HSS allowed the development of inelastic action on the beam only, avoiding stress concentrations in the column and developing significant energy dissipation. The experiments followed the qualification protocols established in the ANSI/AISC 341-10 Specification satisfying the required performance for highly ductile connections in seismic zones, thereby ensuring satisfactory performance under seismic actions without brittle failure mechanisms.