• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.647-662
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• 2016

This study aims to monitor the variation of modal frequencies of steel buildings during their construction sequence. In this respect, construction of a steel building is followed by vibration based measurements. The monitored building is a three-story educational building within a building group whose structural system consists of steel moment resisting steel frames and eccentric braces. Five different acceleration measurements in two perpendicular directions are taken on five different construction stages, starting from the erection of the columns and beams ending with the completion of the construction. The recorded measurements are transferred into frequency domain and the dominant frequencies for each case have been determined. The change in the dominant frequencies is evaluated with the existing construction stages and performed constructional works between the stages. The last measurement, performed on the building in service, revealed the first two dominant frequencies as mutual in X and Y direction, showing that these dynamic modes are torsional modes. This result is investigated by numerical analysis performed with finite element model of the building constructed for design purpose. Lower frequencies and different mode shapes are determined from numerical analysis. The reason of lower frequencies is discussed and the vibration survey is extended to determine the effects of an adjacent building. The results showed that the building is in strong relation with an adjoining building in spite of a designed construction joint.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.453-464
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to devise an alternative strengthening method to the ones available in the literature. So, external steel members were used to enhance both flexural and shear capacities of reinforced concrete (RC) beams having insufficient shear capacity. Two types of RC beams, one without stirrups and one with lacking stirrups, were prepared in the study. These beams were strengthened with external steel clamps devised by the authors and with external longitudinal reinforcements. Although the use of clamps alone didn't have a significant effect on the load carrying capacity of the tested beams, the ductility increased approximately tenfold and the failure behavior changed from brittle to ductile. Although the use of clamps and longitudinal reinforcements together did not significantly increase the ductility of the beams, it approximately doubled their load capacities. The results of the experimental study were compared to the ones obtained from nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) and it was observed that they were compatible. Finally, it can be concluded that the devised method could be applied to structural members as an alternative to methods in application due to lightness, low-cost, easy applicable and reliable.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.661-674
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• 2018

Seismic excitations may impart a significant amount of energy into structures. Modern structural design attitudes tend to absorb some part of this energy through special dissipaters instead of heavy plastic deformations on the structural members. Different types of dissipater have been generated and utilized in various types of structures in last few decades. The expected earthquake damage is mainly concentrated on these devices and they may be replaced after earthquakes. In this study, a low-cost device called energy dissipative steel cushion (EDSC) made of flat mild steel was developed and tested in the Structural and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory (STEELab) of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). The monotonic and cyclic tests of EDSC were performed in transversal and longitudinal directions discretely. Very large deformation capability and stable hysteretic behavior are some response properties observed from the tests. Load vs. displacement relations, hysteretic energy dissipation properties as well as the closed form equations to predict the behavior parameters are presented in this paper.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.455-465
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• 2017

This paper presents a series of ultimate and fatigue experimental investigation on concrete-filled rectangular hollow section (CRHS) X joints with Perfobond Leister rib (PBR) under tension. A total of 15 specimens were fabricated, in which 12 specimens were tested under ultimate tension and 3 specimens were investigated in fatigue test. Different parameters including PBR stiffening, brace-to-chord ratio (${\beta}$) and inclined angle (${\theta}$) were considered in the test. Each joint was tested to failure under tension load. Obtained from test result, PBR was found to improve the tension strength and fatigue durability of CRHS joint substantially. Concrete dowel consisted by PBR and concrete inside the chord stiffened the joint, which leaded to a combination failure mode of punching shear and chord plastification of CRHS joint under tension. Finite element analysis validated the compound failure mode. Stress concentration on typical spot of CRHS joint was mitigated by PBR which was observed from fatigue test. Initial fatigue crack presented in CRHS joint with PBR also differentiated with the counterpart without PBR.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.179-194
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• 2018

Reliable and accurate method of computationally aided design processes of advanced thin walled structures in automotive industries are much essential for the efficient usage of smart materials, that possess higher energy absorption in dynamic compression loading. In this paper, most versatile components i.e., thin walled crash tubes with different geometrical profiles are introduced in view of mitigating the impact of varying cross section in crash behavior and energy absorption characteristics. Apart from the geometrical parameters such as length, diameter and thickness, the non-dimensionalized parameters of average forces which control the plastic bending moment for varying thickness has explored in view of quantifying its impact on the crashworthiness of the structure. The explicit finite element code ABAQUS is utilized to conduct the numerical studies to examine the effect of parametric modifications in crash behavior and energy absorption. Also the simulation results are experimentally validated. It is evident that the circular cross-sectional tubes are preferable as high collision impact shock absorbers due to their ability in withstanding axial and oblique impact loads effectively. Furthermore, the specific energy absorption (SEA), crash force efficiency (CFE), plastic bending moment, peak force responses and its impact for optimally tailoring a design to cater the crashworthiness requirements are investigated. The primary outcome of the study is to provide sufficient information on circular tubes for the use of energy absorbers where impact oblique loading is expected.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.223-228
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• 2005

Precast concrete deck has many advantages comparing with the in-situ concrete deck, and has been successfully applied to replacement of the deteriorated decks and to the newly constructed highway bridges in domestic region. In order to apply the precast decks into the railway bridges, however, differences of the load characteristics between the highway and the railway should be properly taken into account including the train load, longitudinal force of the continuous welded rail. acceleration or braking force, temperature change and shrinkage. Proper level of the longitudinal prestress of the tendons that can ensure integrity of the transverse joints in the deck system is of a primary importance. To this aim, the longitudinal tensile stresses induced by the design loads are derived using three-dimensional finite element analyses, design codes and theoretical equations for the frequently adopted PSC composite girder railway bridge. The estimated proper prestress level to counteract those tensile stresses is over 2.4 MPa, which is similar to the case of the highway bridges.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.187-200
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• 2001

Most of the portal frames are designed these days by the application of plastic analysis, with the normal assumption being made that the column bases are pinned. However, the couple produced by the compression action of the inner column flange and the tension in the holding down bolts will inevitably generate some moment resistance and rotational stiffness. Full-scale portal frame tests conducted during a previous research program had suggested that this moment can be as much as 20% of the moment of resistance of the column. The size of this moment of resistance is particularly important for the design of the tensile capacity of the holding down bolts and also the bearing resistance of the foundation. The present research program is aiming at defining this moment of resistance in simple design terms so that it could be included in the design of the frame. The investigation also included the study of the semi-rigid behaviour of the column base/foundation, which, to a certain extent, affects the overall loading capacity and stiffness of the portal frames. A series of column bases with various details were tested and were used to calibrate a finite element model which is able to simulate the action of the holding down bolts, the effect of the concrete foundation and the deformation of the base plate.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.401-415
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• 2006

Based on a non-linear model taking into account flexural-torsional couplings, analytical solutions are derived for lateral buckling of simply supported I beams under some representative load cases. A closed form is established for lateral buckling moments. It accounts for bending distribution, load height application and pre-buckling deflections. Coefficients $C_1$ and $C_2$ affected to these parameters are then derived. Regard to well known linear stability solutions, these coefficients are not constant but depend on another coefficient $k_1$ that represents the pre-buckling deflection effects. In numerical simulations, shell elements are used in mesh process. The buckling loads are achieved from solutions of eigenvalue problem and by bifurcations observed on non linear equilibrium paths. It is proved that both the buckling loads derived from linear stability and eigenvalue problem lead to poor results, especially for I sections with large flanges for which the behaviour is predominated by pre-buckling deflection and the coefficient $k_1$ is large. The proposed solutions are in good agreement with numerical bifurcations observed on non linear equilibrium paths.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.367-386
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• 2006

This paper describes the results of a numerical investigation of the large deflection behaviour of steel beams under fire conditions, taking into consideration the effect of catenary action provided by the surrounding structures. The main focus is on the development, validation and application of a simplified calculation method that may be adopted in design calculations. Because no experimental result is available for validation of the simplified calculation method, the finite element program ABAQUS has been used to simulate the large deflection behaviour of a number of steel beams so as to provide alternative results for validation of the proposed method. Utilising catenary action has the potential of eliminating fire protection to all steel beams without causing structural failure in fire. However, practical application of catenary action will be restricted by concerns over large beam deflection causing integrity failure of the fire resistant compartment and additional cost of strengthening the connections and the surrounding structures to resist the catenary forces in the steel beams. This paper will provide a discussion on practical implications of utilising catenary action in steel beams as a means of eliminating fire protection. A number of examples will then be provided to illustrate the type of steel framed structure that could benefit the most from exploiting catenary action in fire resistant design.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.545-569
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• 2016

Stiffeners have widely been used in lateral load resisting systems to improve the buckling stability of shear panels in steel frames. However, due to major differences between plate girders and steel plate shear walls (SPSWs), use of plate girder equations often leads to uneconomical and, in some cases, incorrect design of stiffeners. Hence, this paper uses finite element analysis (FEA) to describe the effect of the rigidity and arrangement of stiffeners on the buckling behavior of plates. The procedures consider transverse and/or longitudinal stiffeners in various practical configurations. Subsequently, curves and formulas for the design of stiffeners are presented. In addition, the influence of stiffeners on the inward forces subjected to the boundary elements and the tension field angle is investigated as well. The results indicate that the effective application of stiffeners in SPSW systems not only improves the structural behavior, such as stiffness, overall strength and energy absorption, but also leads to a reduction of the forces that are exerted on the boundary elements.