• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.257-270
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• 2017

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the strength and behavior of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) frames with ferrocement and fiber reinforced concrete infill panel. Seven numbers of $1/4^{th}$ scaled down model of one bay-three storey frames were tested under reverse cyclic loading. Ferrocement infilled frames and fiber reinforced concrete infilled frames with varying volume fraction of reinforcement in infill panels viz; 0.20%, 0.30%, and 0.40% were tested and compared with the bare frame. The experimental results indicate that the strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of infilled frames were considerably improved when compared with the bare frame. In the case of infilled frames with equal volume fraction of reinforcement in infill panels, the strength and stiffness of frames with fiber reinforced concrete infill panels were slightly higher than those with ferrocement infill panels. Increase in volume fraction of reinforcement in the infill panels exhibited only marginal improvement in the strength and behavior of the infilled frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.227-241
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• 2020

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the effect of beam to column connection rigidity on the behavior of infilled steel frames. Five half scale, single-story and single-bay specimens, including four infilled frames, as well as, one bare frame, were tested under in-plane lateral cyclic reversal loading. The connections of beam to column for bare frame as well as two infill specimens were rigid, whereas those of others were pinned. For each frame type, two different infill panels were considered: (1) masonry infill, (2) masonry infill strengthened with shotcrete. The experimental results show that the infilled frames with pinned connections have less stiffness, strength and potential of energy dissipation compared to those with rigid connections. Furthermore, the validity of analytical methods proposed in the literature was examined by comparing the experimental data with analytical ones. It is shown that the analytical methods overestimate the stiffness of infilled frame with pinned connections; however, the strength estimation of both infilled frames with rigid and pinned connections is acceptable.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.443-456
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• 2019

Although numerous researchers demonstrated the significant difference in performance between the various beam-to-column connection types, most of the previous studies in the area of infilled steel frames focused on the behaviour of frames with welded connections. Therefore, there is a need for conducting studies on infilled steel frames with other common connection types (extended endplate with and without rib stiffeners, flush endplate and shear connections). In this paper, firstly, a two-dimensional finite-element model simulating the cyclic response of infilled steel frames was presented. The infill-frame interaction, as well as the interactions between connections' components, were properly modelled. Using the previously-validated model, a parametric study on infilled steel frames with five different beam-to-column connection types, under cyclic loading, was carried out. Several parameters, including infill material, fracture energy of masonry and infill thickness, were investigated. The results showed that the infilled frames with welded connections had the highest initial stiffness and load-carrying capacity. However, the infilled frames with extended endplate connections (without rib stiffeners) showed the greatest energy dissipation capacity and about 96% of the load-carrying capacity of frames with welded connections which indicates that this type of connection could have the best performance among the studied connection types. Finally, a simplified analytical model for estimating the stiffness and strength of infilled steel frames (with different beam-to-column connection types) subjected to lateral cyclic loading, was suggested.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.103-119
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• 2024

In this paper, the non-linear behavior of masonry-infill and bare steel frames using different beam-column connections under monotonic static loading was investigated through a parametric study. Numerical models were carried out using one- and two-dimensional modelling to validate the experimental results. After validating the experimental results by using these models, a parametric study was carried out to model the behavior of these frames using flushed, extended, and welded connections. The results showed that using the welded or extended connection is more efficient than using the flushed type in masonry-infilled steel frames, since the lateral capacities, initial stiffness, and toughness have been increased by 155%, 601%, and 165%, respectively in the case of using welded connections compared with those used in bare frames. The FE investigation was broadened to study the influence of the variation of the uniaxial column loads on the lateral capacities of the bare/infill steel frames. As the results showed when increasing the amount of uniaxial loading on the columns, whether in tension or compression, causes the lateral load capacity of the columns to decrease by 26% for welded infilled steel frames. Finally, the influence of using different types of beam-to-column connections on the vertical capacities of the bare/infill steel frames under settlement effect was also studied. As a result, it was found that, the vertical load capacity of all types of frames and with using any type of connections is severely reduced, and this decrease may reach 62% for welded infilled frames. Furthermore, the flushed masonry-infilled steel frame has a higher resistance to the vertical loads than the flushed bare steel frame by 133%.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.469-486
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• 2006

The main objective of this study was to investigate the seismic behavior of damaged reinforced concrete frames rehabilitated by introducing cast in place reinforced concrete infills. Four bare and five infilled frames were constructed and tested. Each specimen consisted of two (twin) 1/3-scale, one-bay and two-story reinforced concrete frames. Test specimens were tested under reversed-cyclic lateral loading until considerable damage occurred. RC infills were then introduced to the damaged specimens. One bare specimen was infilled without being subjected to any damage. All infilled frames were then tested under reversed-cyclic lateral loading until failure. While some of the test frames were detailed properly according to the current Turkish seismic code, others were built with the common deficiencies observed in existing residential buildings. The variables investigated were the effects of the damage level and deficiencies in the bare frame on the seismic behavior of the infilled frame. The deficiencies in the frame were; low concrete strength, inadequate confinement at member ends, 90 degree hooks in column and beam ties and inadequate length of lapped splices in column longitudinal bars made above the floor levels. Test results revealed that both the lateral strength and lateral stiffness increased significantly with the introduction of reinforced concrete infills even when the frame had the deficiencies mentioned above. The deficiency which affected the behavior of infilled frames most adversely was the presence of lap splices in column longitudinal reinforcement.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2006

This paper presents the results of a series of tests carried out on cold-formed steel rectangular hollow and concrete infilled beam to column connections and frames. A stub column was chosen such that overall buckling does not influence the connection behaviour. The beam chosen was a short-span cantilever with a concentrated load applied at the free end. The beam was connected to the columns along the strong and weak axes of columns and these connections were tested to failure. Twelve experiments were conducted on cold-formed steel direct welded tubular beam to column connections and twelve experiments on connections with concrete infilled column subjected to monotonic loading. In all the experiments conducted, the stiffness of the connection, the ductility characteristics and the moment rotation behaviour were studied. The dominant mode of failure in hollow section connections was chord face yielding and not weld failure. Provision of concrete infill increases the stiffness and the ultimate moment carrying capacity substantially, irrespective of the axis of loading of the column. Weld failure and bearing failure due to transverse compression occurred in connections with concrete infilled columns. Six single-bay two storied frames both with and without concrete infill, and columns loaded along the major and minor axes were tested to failure. Concentrated load was applied at the midspan of first floor beam. The change in behaviour of the frame due to provision of infill in the column and in the entire frame was compared with hollow frames. Failure of the weld at the junction of the beam occurred for frames with infilled columns. Design expressions are suggested for the yielding of the column face in hollow sections and bearing failure in infilled columns which closely predicted the experimental failure loads.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 2024

In this study, the failure mechanisms of masonry-infilled frames, commonly employed in modern construction, are analyzed at the mesoscale. An equation has been formulated to predict various failure modes of masonry-infilled frames by examining 1392 frames. The equation takes into account variables such as the height-to-width ratio, compressive strength of the masonry prism, and plastic moment capacity of the frame section. The study reveals that the compressive strength of the masonry prism and the height-to-width ratio exert the most significant influence on the lateral strength of masonry-infilled frames with a height-to-width ratio ranging from 0.2 to 1.2. The developed equation demonstrates substantial agreement with previously reported relationships, indicating high accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights into the lateral strength of infill masonry frames, which can contribute to their improved evaluation and design.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.453-456
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• 2004

RC frames built prior to the advent of the philosophy of ductile concrete is one type of existing construction susceptible to damage. Strengthening and stiffening of such frames has been accomplished by infilled frames with cast-in-place, reinforced concrete walls. Placement of CIP shear walls within strategic bays of a structure appears to be a logical and economical method to strengthen a reinforced concrete frame and to stiffen a building in order to reduce architectural and mechanical damage. This study investigates the seismic performance of cast-in place infilled shear wall within existing frames. The object of this study is to clarify the seismic capacity and characteristics in the hysteretic behavior of bare frame, CIP infilled shear wall and CIP infilled wall reinforced diagonal bars.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.123-137
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• 2022

The fundamental period (FP) is one of the most critical parameters for the seismic design of structures. In the reinforced concrete (RC) infilled frame, the infill walls significantly affect the FP because they change the stiffness and mass of the structure. Although several formulas have been proposed for estimating the FP of the RC infilled frame, they are often associated with high bias and variance. In this study, an efficient soft computing model, namely the group method of data handling (GMDH), is proposed to predict the FP of regular RC infilled frames. For this purpose, 4026 data sets are obtained from the open literature, and the quality of the database is examined and evaluated in detail. Based on the cleaning database, several GMDH models are constructed and the best prediction model, which considers the height of the building, the span length, the opening percentage, and the infill wall stiffness as the input variables for predicting the FP of regular RC infilled frames, is chosen. The performance of the proposed GMDH model is further underscored through comparison of its FP predictions with those of existing design codes and empirical models. The accuracy of the proposed GMDH model is proven to be superior to others. Finally, explicit formulas and a graphical user-friendly interface (GUI) tool are developed to apply the GMDH model for practical use. They can provide a rapid prediction and design for the FP of regular RC infilled frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.609-627
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• 2016

Results of an experimental program are presented in this paper for the influence of vertical load on the in-plane behavior of masonry infilled steel frames. Five half-scaled single-story, single-bay steel frame specimens were tested under cyclic lateral loading. The specimens included four infilled frames and one bare frame. Two similar specimens as well as the bare frame had moment-resisting steel frames, while the remaining two specimens had pinned steel frames. For each frame type, one specimen was tested under simultaneous vertical and lateral loading, whereas the other was subjected only to lateral loading. The experimental results show that the vertical load changes the cracking patterns and failure modes of the infill panels. It improves dissipated hysteresis energy and equivalent viscous damping. Global responses of specimens, including stiffness and maximum strength, do no change by vertical loading considerably. Regarding the ductility, the presence of vertical load is ignorable in the specimen with moment-resisting frame. However, it increases the ductility of the infilled pinned frame specimen, leading to an enhancement in the m-factor by at least 2.5 times. In summary, it is concluded that the influence of the vertical load on the lateral response of infilled frames can be conservatively ignored.