• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.217-235
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• 2023

Orthogonal pairs of rollers on concave beds (OPRCB) are a low-cost, low-tech rolling-based isolating system, whose high efficiency has been shown in a previous study. However, seismic performance of OPRCB isolators has only been studied in the two-dimensional (2D) state so far. This is while their performance in the three-dimensional (3D) state differs from that of the 2D state, mainly since the vertical accelerations due to rollers' motion in their beds, simultaneously in two orthogonal horizontal directions, are added up and resulting in bigger vertical inertia forces and higher rolling resistance. In this study, first, Lagrange equations were used to derive the governing equations of motion of the OPRCB-isolated buildings in 3D. Then, some regular shear-type OPRCB-isolated buildings were considered subjected to three-component excitations of far- and near-source earthquakes, and their responses were compared to those of their fixed-base counterparts. Finally, the effects of more realistic modeling and analysis were examined by comparing the responses of isolated buildings in 2D and 3D states. Response histories were obtained by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method, considering the geometrical nonlinearity of isolators. Results reveal that utilizing the OPRCB isolators effectively reduces the acceleration response, however, depending on the system specifications and earthquake characteristics, the maximum responses of isolated buildings in the 3D state can be up to 40% higher than those in the 2D state.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.367-377
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• 2020

Incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) widely uses for the collapse risk assessment procedures of buildings. In this study, an IDA-based collapse risk assessment methodology is proposed, which employs a novel approach for detecting the near-collapse (NC) limit state. The proposed approach uses the modal pushover analysis results to calculate the maximum inter-story drift ratio of the structure. This value, which is used as the upper-bound limit in the IDA process, depends on the structural characteristics and global seismic responses of the structure. In this paper, steel midrise intermediate moment resisting frames (IMRFs) have selected as case studies, and their collapse risk parameters are evaluated by the suggested methodology. The composite action of a concrete floor slab and steel beams, and the interaction between the infill walls and the frames could change the collapse mechanism of the structure. In this study, the influences of the metal deck floor and autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry infill walls with uniform distribution are investigated on the seismic collapse risk of the IMRFs using the proposed methodology. The results demonstrate that the suggested modified IDA method can accurately discover the near-collapse limit state. Also, this method leads to much fewer steps and lower calculation costs rather than the current IDA method. Moreover, the results show that the concrete slab and the AAC infill walls can change the collapse parameters of the structure and should be considered in the analytical modeling and the collapse assessment process of the steel mid-rise intermediate moment resisting frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-71
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• 2015

The present paper aims at evaluating damage and collapse behavior of low-rise buildings with unidirectional mass irregularities in plan (torsional buildings). In previous earthquake events, such buildings have been exposed to extensive damages and even total collapse in some cases. To investigate the performance and collapse behavior of such buildings from probabilistic points of view, three-dimensional three and six-story reinforced concrete models with unidirectional mass eccentricities ranging from 0% to 30% and designed with modern seismic design code provisions specific to intermediate ductility class were subjected to nonlinear static as well as extensive nonlinear incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) under a set of far-field real ground motions containing 21 two-component records. Performance of each model was then examined by means of calculating conventional seismic design parameters including the response reduction (R), structural overstrength (${\Omega}$) and structural ductility (${\mu}$) factors, calculation of probability distribution of maximum inter-story drift responses in two orthogonal directions and calculation collapse margin ratio (CMR) as an indicator of performance. Results demonstrate that substantial differences exist between the behavior of regular and irregular buildings in terms of lateral load capacity and collapse margin ratio. Also, results indicate that current seismic design parameters could be non-conservative for buildings with high levels of plan eccentricity and such structures do not meet the target "life safety" performance level based on safety margin against collapse. The adverse effects of plan irregularity on collapse safety of structures are more pronounced as the number of stories increases.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2017

The load-carrying capacity and structural behavior of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) structures is highly influenced by the grouting compactness in the steel tube. Due to the invisibility of the grout in the steel tube, monitoring of the grouting progress in such a structure is still a challenge. This paper develops an active sensing approach with combined piezoceramic-based smart aggregates (SA) and piezoceramic patches to monitor the grouting compactness of CFST bridge structure. A small-scale steel specimen was designed and fabricated to simulate CFST bridge structure in this research. Before casting, four SAs and two piezoceramic patches were installed in the pre-determined locations of the specimen. In the active sensing approach, selected SAs were utilized as actuators to generate designed stress waves, which were detected by other SAs or piezoceramic patch sensors. Since concrete functions as a wave conduit, the stress wave response can be only detected when the wave path between the actuator and the sensor is filled with concrete. For the sake of monitoring the grouting progress, the steel tube specimen was grouted in four stages, and each stage held three days for cement drying. Experimental results show that the received sensor signals in time domain clearly indicate the change of the signal amplitude before and after the wave path is filled with concrete. Further, a wavelet packet-based energy index matrix (WPEIM) was developed to compute signal energy of the received signals. The computed signal energies of the sensors shown in the WPEIM demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method in the monitoring of the grouting progress.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.497-506
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• 2017

A low damage self-centering braced frame equipped with post-tensioning strands is capable of directing damage to replaceable butterfly-shaped fuses. This paper investigates the seismic performance of rocking braced frame under near-field pulse-like ground motions compared to far-field records. A non-linear time history analysis is performed for twelve self-centering archetypes. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to examine the influences of ground motion types and modeling parameters. Findings represent the proper efficiency of the self-centering system under both far-field and near-field pulse-like ground motions.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.179-190
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• 2016

A single rigid footing constructed on sandy-clay soil was modeled and analyzed using FLAC software under static conditions and vertical ground motion using three accelerograms. Dynamic analysis was repeated by changing the elastic and plastic parameters of the soil by changing the percentage of cement grouting (2, 4 and 6 %). The load-settlement curves were plotted and their bearing capacities compared under different conditions. Vertical settlement contours and time histories of settlement were plotted and analyzed for treated and untreated soil for the different percentages of cement. The results demonstrate that adding 2, 4 and 6 % of cement under specific conditions increased the dynamic bearing capacity 2.7, 4.2 and 7.0 times, respectively.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.521-542
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• 2013

In this study a truss model is used for the geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of a thin shallow arch subject to snap-through. Thanks to the very simple geometry of a truss, the equilibrium conditions can be easily written and the global stiffness matrix can be easily updated with respect to the deformed structure, within each step of the analysis. A very coarse discretization is applied; so, in a very simple way, the high frequency modes are suppressed from the beginning and there is no need to develop a complicated reduced-order technique. Two short computer programs have been developed for the geometrically nonlinear static analysis by displacement control of a plane truss model of a structure as well as for its dynamic analysis by the step-by-step time integration algorithm of trapezoidal rule, combined with a predictor-corrector technique. These two short, fully documented computer programs are applied on the geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of a specific thin shallow arch subject to snap-through.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.131-146
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• 2015

In the present paper a three-dimensional non-linear truss element and a short computer program for the modeling and predicting approximate lateral deflections in thin glass plates by the method of incremental loading are proposed. Due to the out-of-plane large deflections of thin glass plates compared to the plate thickness within each loading increment, the equilibrium and stiffness conditions are written with respect to the deformed structure. An application is presented on a thin fully tempered monolithic rectangular glass plate, laterally supported around its perimeter subjected to uniform wind pressure. The results of the analysis are compared with published experimental results and found to have satisfactory approximation. It is also observed that the large deflections of a glass plate lead to a part substitution of the bending plate behavior by a tensioned membrane behavior which is favorable.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.51-69
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• 2001

Whereas the potential of static inelastic analysis methods is recognised in earthquake design and assessment, especially in contrast with elastic analysis under scaled forces, they have inherent shortcomings. In this paper, critical issues in the application of inelastic static (pushover) analysis are discussed and their effect on the obtained results appraised. Areas of possible developments that would render the method more applicable to the prediction of dynamic response are explored. New developments towards a fully adaptive pushover method accounting for spread of inelasticity, geometric nonlinearity, full multi-modal, spectral amplification and period elongation, within a framework of fibre modelling of materials, are discussed and preliminary results are given. These developments lead to static analysis results that are closer than ever to inelastic time-history analysis. It is concluded that there is great scope for improvements of this simple and powerful technique that would increase confidence in its employment as the primary tool for seismic analysis in practice.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.617-630
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• 2010

Different types of moment resisting connections are commonly used to transfer the induced seismic moments between frame elements in an earthquake resisting structure. The local connection behavior may drastically affect the global seismic response of the structure. In this study, the finite element and experimental seismic investigations are implemented on two frequently used connection type to evaluate the local behavior and to reveal the failure modes. An alternative connection type is then proposed to eliminate the unfavorable brittle fracture modes resulted from probable poor welding quality. This will develop a reliable predefined ductile plastic mechanism forming away from the critical locations. Employing this technique, the structural reliability of the moment resisting connections shall be improved by achieving a controllable energy dissipation source in form of yielding of the cover plates.