• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-27
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• 2015

In this paper Fragility Curves (FCs) relevant to existing RC framed building types representative of the Italian building population designed only to vertical load and regular in-plan have been derived from an extensive campaign of non-linear dynamic analyses. In the generation of the FCs, damage states according to the EMS98 scale have been considered while the intensity measure has been defined by adopting an integral parameter, such as the Housner intensity. FCs have been generated by varying different parameters, including building age, number of storeys, presence and position of infill panels, plan dimensions, external beams stiffness and concrete strength. In order to verify the effectiveness of the damage prediction, comparisons were made between the results obtained from the proposed FCs with those deriving from both prominent fragility studies available in the technical literature and damage distributions observed in past earthquakes. Results show that damage grades obtained by adopting the proposed FCs are generally lower than those provided by the other approaches considered. A comparison with real damage data, shows that the proposed FCs generally estimate more severe damage distributions than those observed in past earthquakes, although they give lower differences with respect to the other approaches.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2017

Single-storey industrial buildings are one of the most often type of structures built among various skeletal framed steel constructions. These metallic buildings offer an exceptional opportunity to minimise the material employed, contributing to a more sustainable construction. In particular, the mansard portal frame is a typology made up of broken beams that involves different lengths and discontinuous slopes. This study aims the weight reduction of the standard mansard portal frame with design purposes by means of varying four parameters: the kink position, the eaves-apex slope, the span and the columns height. In this work, we suggest some guidelines that can improve the economical competitive capabilities of their structural design. In all the cases analysed, the joints of the portal frame are placed over the theoretical non-funicular shape to uniform loads. This allows reducing the bending moment and the shear force, but increasing the axial force. In addition, the performance of mansard and typical pitched portal frames submitted to the same boundary conditions is compared in terms of efficiency in the use of steel. In the large majority of the cases, mansard typologies are lighter than the common pitched frames and, hence, more economical.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.361-373
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• 2018

This paper presents the development of finite element (FE) models to simulate the behavior of diagonally stiffened steel plate shear wall systems (SPSWs) with differently shaped openings subjected to a cyclic load. This walling system has the potential to be used for shear elements that resist lateral loads in steel-framed buildings. A number of $\text\tiny{^1/_2}$-scale one-story buildings that were un-stiffened, stiffened and stiffened with opening SPSWs are modeled and simulated using the finite element method based on experimental data from previous research. After validating the finite element (FE) models, the effects of infill plate thickness on the cyclic behavior of steel shear walls are investigated. Furthermore, triple diagonal stiffeners are added to the steel infill plates of the SPSWs, and the effects are studied. Moreover, the effects of a number of differently shaped openings applied to the infill plate are studied. The results indicate that the bearing capacity and shear resistance are affected positively by increasing the infill plate thickness and by adding triple diagonal stiffeners. In addition, the cyclic behavior of SPSWs is improved, even with an opening in the SPSWs.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.1435-1452
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• 2015

The performance of masonry infilled frames during the past earthquakes shows that the infill panels play a major role as earthquake-resistant elements. Experimental observations regarding the influence of infill panels on increasing stiffness and strength of reinforced concrete structures reveal that such panels can be used in order to strengthen reinforced concrete frames. The present study examines the influence of infill panels on seismic behavior of RC frame structures. For this purpose, several low- and mid-rise RC frames (two-, four-, seven-, and ten story) were numerically investigated. Reinforced masonry infill panels were then placed within the frames and the models were subjected to several nonlinear incremental static and dynamic analyses. In order to determine the acceptance criteria and modeling parameters for frames as well as reinforced masonry panels, the Iranian Guideline for Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Masonry Buildings (Issue No. 376), the Iranian Guideline for Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Structures (Issue No. 360) and FEMA Guidelines (FEMA 273 and 356) were used. The results of analyses showed that the use of reinforced masonry infill panels in RC frame structures can have beneficial effects on structural performance. It was confirmed that the use of masonry infill panels results in an increment in strength and stiffness of the framed buildings, followed by a reduction in displacement demand for the structural systems.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2015

Usually the analyses of structures are carried out by assuming the base of structures to be fixed. However, the soil beneath foundation alters the earthquake loading and varies the response of structure. Hence, it is not realistic to analyze structures by considering it to be fixed. The importance of soil-structure interaction was realized from the past failures of massive structures by neglecting the effect of soil in seismic analysis. The analysis of massive structures requires soil flexibility to be considered to avoid failure and ensure safety. Present study, considers the seismic behavior of multi-storey reinforced concrete narrow and wide buildings of various heights with and without shear wall supported on raft foundation incorporating the effect of soil flexibility. Analysis of the three dimensional models of six different shear wall positions founded on four different soils has been carried out using finite element software LS DYNA. The study investigates the differences in spectral acceleration coefficient (Sa/g), base shear and storey shear obtained following the seismic provisions of Indian standard code IS: 1893 (2002) (IS) and International building code IBC: 2012 (IBC). The base shear values obtained as per IBC provisions are higher than IS values.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.459-474
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• 2019

This study develops a novel recursive algorithm to significantly enhance the computation efficiency of a recently proposed stochastic subspace identification (SSI) methodology based on an alternative stabilization diagram. Exemplified by the measurements taken from the two investigated office buildings, it is first demonstrated that merely one sixth of computation time and one fifth of computer memory are required with the new recursive algorithm. Such a progress would enable the realization of on-line and almost real-time monitoring for these two steel framed structures. This recursive SSI algorithm is further applied to analyze 20 months of monitoring data and comprehensively assess the environmental effects. It is certified that the root-mean-square (RMS) response can be utilized as an excellent index to represent most of the environmental effects and its variation strongly correlates with that of the modal frequency. More detailed examination by comparing the monthly correlation coefficient discloses that larger variations in modal frequency induced by greater RMS responses would typically lead to a higher correlation.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.43-50
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to improve the seismic performance of RC framed buildings such as piloti buildings and school facilities. For this purpose, a half size RC frame specimen (SFD) was made and the inside of frame was reinforced with steel frame and S type strut steel damper. The experimental results are compared with those of the previous studies under the same conditions. The comparative specimens are non-reinforced specimen (BF) and damper reinforced specimen (AFD) that confined the column with an aramid sheet. As a result of comparing the maximum strength, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity, SFD specimen was evaluated to be better than comparative specimens. According to the experimental results and FE analysis results, it was confirmed that the shear deformation was concentrated in the steel damper. And it was showed that cracks were concentrated at the upper and lower ends of the strut of the S type damper, and the final failure was observed at struts. From this, it was verified that the steel damper appropriately dissipates energy due to the lateral load.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.551-562
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• 2022

The building production system has been analysed by the dichotomy "employer-contractor" relationship, which failed to take into account of the role and function of multiple stakeholders within the life-cycle supply chain. This is further observed in the current conflict resolution model, which, in my argument, struggles to contribute to industrialize the building production and achieve better efficiency and effectiveness as expected. The purpose of this paper is to critically assess the issues of current programme-based conflict resolution model, and discuss alternative models how they can be modelled and applied to the construction projects. The conclusions of findings are; First, the current model is framed around the contracts and dispute resolutions based on the legal concept of "claimant and respondent" where one party(s) advances a claim once and the other(s) objects, as such it fails to reflect the nature of construction projects where multiple stakeholders are involved concurrently and for a long period of life-cycle of buildings. Second, an alternative is "Six-stakeholders model" which represents the multiple stakeholders and clarifies the flow of obligation-liability-monetary relationships among participants for a long period of life-cycle of buildings. Further, with reference to both historical and recent cases, a reflection and insight into pros and cons of programming method is added, especially as to why this method is considered to have become a mandate of the modern construction management, and how academics and practitioners should deal with it more cautiously and prudently.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.173-193
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• 2013

In this paper, influence of geometric configurations of multi-story bracing on shear lag behaviour of braced tube structures is investigated. The shear lag of 24-, 36- and 72-story braced tube structures are assessed considering all possible configurations of overall X and Chevron bracing types. Based on the analytical results, empirical equations, useful for the preliminary design phase, are proposed to provide the optimum number of stories that braced, in order to exert minimum shear lag on structures. Studying the interaction behaviour of a tube and different bracing types along with paying attention to the shear lag behaviour, a better explanation about the reasons behind the efficiency of a specific bracing module in decreasing the shear lag is developed. The analytical results show that there are distinct differences between the anatomy of braced tube structures with X and Chevron bracing regarding the shear lag behaviour.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.351-364
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• 2017

In this study effects of various parameters like a number of bays, the stiffness of the structure along with the height of the structure was examined. The fundamental period of vibration T of the building is an important parameter for evaluation of seismic base shear. Empirical equations which are given in the Indian seismic code for the calculation of the fundamental period of a framed structure, primarily as a function of height, and do not consider the effect of number of bays and stiffness of the structure. Building periods predicted by these expressions are widely used in practice, although it has been observed that there is scope for further improvement in these equations since the height alone is inadequate to explain the period variability. The aim of this study is to find the effects of a number of bays in both the directions, the stiffness of the structure and propose a new period equation which incorporates a number of bays, plan area, stiffness along with the height of the structure.