• International Journal of Highway Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.2 s.28
• /
• pp.95-104
• /
• 2006

Hysteresis is a common feature exhibited in hydraulic properties of an unsaturated soil. This study focuses on hysteresis observed in a compacted weathered granite subgrade soils based on the pressure plate laboratory tests. It was found that the Soil-Water Characteristics Curve of a soil is hysteretic and unique. The results also show that the wetting and drying curves predicted using the Fredlund and Xing model is quite close to the laboratory-measured results. For a specific matric suction, water content or coefficient of permeability on a wetting curve is always lower than those found on a drying curve.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.641-654
• /
• 2019

This paper investigates the seismic response of a typical non-navigable continuous girder bridge isolated with friction sliding bearings of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao link projects in China. The effectiveness of the friction pendulum system (FPS) and accuracy of the numerical model were evaluated by a 1/20 scaled bridge model using shaking table tests. Based on the hysteretic properties of friction pendulum system (FPS), double concave friction pendulum (DCFP), and triple friction pendulum system (TFPS), seismic response analyses of isolated bridges with the three sliding-type bearings are systematically carried out considering soil-pile interaction under offshore soft clay conditions. The fast nonlinear analysis (FNA) method and response spectrum are employed to investigate the seismic response of isolated offshore bridge structures. The numerical results show that the implementation of the three sliding-type bearings effectively reduce the base shear and bending moment of the reinforced concrete pier, at the cost of increasing the absolute displacement of the bridge superstructure. Furthermore, the TFPS and DCFP bearings show better isolation effect than FPS bearing for the example continuous girder bridge.

• International journal of steel structures
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.1741-1753
• /
• 2018

Metallic dampers are sacrificial devices (fuses) that dissipate significant energy during earthquakes while protecting other parts of structures from possible damage. In addition to numerous implementation opportunities of other base isolation systems, U-shaped dampers (UD) are one of the widely investigated and used devices in practice especially in Japan. The present study focuses on enhancing seismic performance of these types of dampers by changing their geometric properties. UDs with perforated (i.e. with holes) and/or nonparallel arms are developed for this purpose. For a better comparison, the criterion of equal material volume (or mass) has been utilized. Three dimensional finite element models of the new type of UDs are formed and investigated numerically under selected displacement histories. Based on the obtained hysteretic curves; dissipated energy intensities, effective stiffness ratios, reaction forces, effective damping ratios are evaluated in this parametric study. It is found that both damper types have merits in use of seismic applications and that the selection of the damper configuration is dependent on the design specific issues.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.87 no.5
• /
• pp.405-418
• /
• 2023

This study focused on the effectiveness of seismic isolation technique in case of a reinforced concrete structure with soft story defined as the stiffness irregularity between adjacent stories. In this context, a seismically isolated 3-story reinforced concrete structure was analyzed by gradually increasing the first story height (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 m). The seismic isolation system of the structure is assumed to be composed of lead rubber bearings (LRB). In the analyses, isolators were modeled by both deteriorating (temperature-dependent analyses) and non-deteriorating (bounding analyses) hysteretic representations. The deterioration in strength of isolator is due to temperature rise in the lead core during cyclic motion. The ground motion pairs used in bi-directional nonlinear dynamic analyses were selected and scaled according to codified procedures. In the analyses, different isolation periods (Tiso) and characteristic strength to weight ratios (Q/W) were considered in order to determine the sensitivity of structural response to the isolator properties. Response quantities under consideration are floor accelerations, and interstory drift ratios. Analyses results are compared for both hysteretic representations of LRBs. Results are also used to assess the significance of the ratio between the horizontal stiffnesses of soft story and isolation system. It is revealed that seismic isolation is a viable method to reduce structural damage in structures with soft story.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.161-175
• /
• 2023

High-damping rubber bearings (HDRB) are commonly used as seismic isolation devices to protect civil engineering structures from earthquakes. However, the nonlinear hysteresis characteristics of the HDRB, such as their dependence on material properties and hardening phenomena, make predicting their behavior during earthquakes difficult. This study proposes a hysteretic model that can accurately predicts the behavior of shear deformation considering the nonlinearity when designing the seismic isolation structures using HDR bearings. To model the hysteretic characteristics of the HDR, dynamic loading tests were performed by applying sinusoidal and random waves on scaled-down specimens. The test results show that the nonlinear characteristics of the HDR strongly correlate with the shear strain experienced in the past. Furthermore, when shear deformation occurred above a certain level, the hardening phenomenon, wherein the stiffness increased rapidly, was confirmed. Based on the experimental results, the dynamic characteristics of the HDR, equivalent stiffness, equivalent damping ratio, and strain energy were quantitatively evaluated and analyzed. In this study, an improved bilinear HDR model that can reproduce the dependence on shear deformation and hardening phenomena was developed. Additionally, by proposing an objective parameter-setting procedure based on the experimental results, the model was devised such that similar parameters could be set by anyone. Further, an actual dynamic analysis could be performed by modeling with minimal parameters. The proposed model corresponded with the experimental results and successfully reproduced the mechanical characteristics evaluated from experimental results within an error margin of 10%.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.183-193
• /
• 2022

Structural health monitoring and structural vibration control are multidisciplinary and frontier research directions of civil engineering. As intelligent materials that integrate sensing and actuation capabilities, shape memory alloys (SMAs) exhibit multiple excellent characteristics, such as shape memory effect, superelasticity, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and high energy density. Moreover, SMAs possess excellent resistance sensing properties and large deformation ability. Superfine NiTi SMA wires have potential applications in structural health monitoring and micro-drive system. In this study, the mechanical properties and electrical resistance sensing characteristics of superfine NiTi SMA wires were experimentally investigated. The mechanical parameters such as residual strain, hysteretic energy, secant stiffness, and equivalent damping ratio were analyzed at different training strain amplitudes and numbers of loading-unloading cycles. The results demonstrate that the detwinning process shortened with increasing training amplitude, while austenitic mechanical properties were not affected. In addition, superfine SMA wires showed good strain-resistance linear correlation, and the loading rate had little effect on their mechanical properties and electrical resistance sensing characteristics. This study aims to provide an experimental basis for the application of superfine SMA wires in engineering.

• Computational Structural Engineering
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.71-78
• /
• 1993

A method to estimate damage of bridge structures is developed using system identification approach. Dynamic behavior of damaged structures is represented by a non-linear hysteretic moment model. Structural properties can be evaluated through system identification. To incorporate variability of the structural properties and uncertainties of structural response, damage is represented as random quantities. Numerical example is shown for the bridge structure under different ground excitation.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.377-396
• /
• 2011

In seismic design and structural assessment using the displacement-based approach, real structures are simplified into equivalent single-degree-of-freedom systems with equivalent properties, namely period and damping. In this work, equations for the optimal pair of equivalent properties are derived using statistical procedures on equivalent linearization and defined in terms of the ductility ratio and initial period of vibration. The modified Clough hysteretic model and 30 artificial accelerograms, compatible with the acceleration spectra for firm and soft soils, defined by the Japanese Design Specifications for Highway Bridges are used in the analysis. The results obtained with the proposed equations are verified and their limitations are discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.241-256
• /
• 2000

The major sources of energy dissipation in steel frames with partially restrained (PR) connections are evaluated. Available experimental results are used to verify the mathematical model used in this study. The verified model is then used to quantify the energy dissipation in PR connections due to hysteretic behavior, due to viscous damping and at plastic hinges if they are formed. Observations are made for two load conditions: a sinusoidal load applied at the top of the frame, and a sinusoidal ground acceleration applied at the base of the frame representing a seismic loading condition. This analytical study confirms the general behavior, observed during experimental investigations, that PR connections reduce the overall stiffness of frames, but add a major source of energy dissipation. As the connections become stiffer, the contribution of PR connections in dissipating energy becomes less significant. A connection with a T ratio (representing its stiffness) of at least 0.9 should not be considered as fully restrained as is commonly assumed, since the energy dissipation characteristics are different. The flexibility of PR connections alters the fundamental frequency of the frame. Depending on the situation, it may bring the frame closer to or further from the resonance condition. If the frame approaches the resonance condition, the effect of damping is expected to be very important. However, if the frame moves away from the resonance condition, the energy dissipation at the PR connections is expected to be significant with an increase in the deformation of the frame, particularly for low damping values. For low damping values, the dissipation of energy at plastic hinges is comparable to that due to viscous damping, and increases as the frame approaches failure. For the range of parameters considered in this study, the energy dissipations at the PR connections and at the plastic hinges are of the same order of magnitude. The study quantitatively confirms the general observations made in experimental investigations for steel frames with PR connections; however, proper consideration of the stiffness of PR connections and other dynamic properties is essential in predicting the dynamic behavior.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.305-325
• /
• 2020

Beams of steel frame-tube structures (SFTSs) typically have span-to-depth ratios of less than five. This makes a flexural beam unsuitable for such an application because the plastic hinges at the beam-ends cannot be adequately developed. This leads to lower ductility and energy dissipation capacities of SFTSs. To address this, SFTSs with bolted web-connected replaceable shear links (SFTS-BWSLs) are proposed. In this structural system, a web-connected replaceable shear link with a back-to-back double channel section is placed at the mid-length of the deep beam to act as a ductile fuse. This allows energy from earthquakes to be dissipated through link shear deformation. SFTS and SFTS-BWSL buildings were examined in this study. Several sub-structures were selected from each designed building and finite element models were established to study their respective hysteretic performance. The seismic behavior of each designed building was observed through static and dynamic analyses. The results indicate that the SFTS-BWSL and SFTS have similar initial lateral stiffness and shear leg properties. The SFTS-BWSL had lower strength, but higher ductility and energy dissipation capacities. Compared to the SFTS, the SFTS-BWSL had lower interstory drift, base shear force, and story shear force during earthquakes. This design approach could concentrate plasticity on the shear link while maintaining the residual interstory drift at less than 0.5%. The SFTS-BWSL is a reliable resistant system that can be repaired by replacing shear links damaged due to earthquakes.