• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 1997

The influence of bi-directional earthquake-induced loading on eccentric (plan-asymmetric) building systems has been investigated. In the first part of the study, comparisons have been made with equivalent results from uni-directional studies. The results are important in developing analytical models appropriate to the formulation of design recommendations. It is concluded that for valid comparisons, both perpendicular horizontal earthquake components must be considered when using models with transversely-orientated elements. In the second part of the study, an assessment has been made of a simplified, unidirectional (lateral) design approach. For stiffness-eccentric systems, the latter approach gives accurate and reasonably conservative estimates of the critical flexible-edge deformation, but may under estimate the stiff-edge element ductility demand by a factor of two in the short-period range.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 1997

A numerical procedure for dynamic analysis of structures including lateral-torsional coupling, axial force effect and soil-structure interaction is presented in this study. A simple soil-structure system model has been designed for microcomputer applications capable of reflecting both kinematic and inertial soil-foundation interaction as well as the effect of this interaction on the superstructure response. A parametric study focusing on inertial soil-structure interaction is carried out through a simplified nine-degree of freedom building model with different foundation conditions. The inertial soil-structure interaction and axial force effects on a 20-storey building excited by an Australian earthquake is analysed through its top floor displacement time history and envelope values of structural maximum displacement and shear force.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.125-145
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• 2011

Pushover analysis has gained significant popularity as an analytical tool for realistic determination of the inelastic behaviour of RC structures. Though significant work has been done to evaluate the demands realistically, the evaluation of capacity and realistic failure modes has taken a back seat. In order to throw light on the inelastic behaviour and capacity evaluation for the RC framed structures, a 3D Reinforced concrete frame structure was tested under monotonically increasing lateral pushover loads, in a parabolic pattern, till failure. The structure consisted of three storeys and had 2 bays along the two orthogonal directions. The structure was gradually pushed in small increments of load and the corresponding displacements were monitored continuously, leading to a pushover curve for the structure as a result of the test along with other relevant information such as strains on reinforcement bars at critical locations, failure modes etc. The major failure modes were observed as flexural failure of beams and columns, torsional failure of transverse beams and joint shear failure. The analysis of the structure was by considering all these failure modes. In order to have a comparison, the analysis was performed as three different cases. In one case, only the flexural hinges were modelled for critical locations in beams and columns; in second the torsional hinges for transverse beams were included in the analysis and in the third case, joint shear hinges were also included in the analysis. It is shown that modelling and capturing all the failure modes is practically possible and such an analysis can provide the realistic insight into the behaviour of the structure.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.741-777
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• 2016

A simplified approach of assessing torsionally balanced (TB) and torsionally unbalanced (TU) low-medium rise buildings of up to 30 m in height is presented in this paper for regions of low-to-moderate seismicity. The Generalised Force Method of Analysis for TB buildings which is illustrated in the early part of the paper involves calculation of the deflection profile of the building in a 2D analysis in order that a capacity diagram can be constructed to intercept with the acceleration-displacement response spectrum diagram representing seismic actions. This approach of calculation on the planar model of a building which involves applying lateral forces to the building (waiving away the need of a dynamic analysis and yet obtaining similar results) has been adapted for determining the deflection behaviour of a TU building in the later part of the paper. Another key original contribution to knowledge is taking into account the strong dependence of the torsional response behaviour of the building on the periodic properties of the applied excitations in relation to the natural periods of vibration of the building. Many of the trends presented are not reflected in provisions of major codes of practices for the seismic design of buildings. The deflection behaviour of the building in response to displacement controlled (DC) excitations is in stark contrast to behaviour in acceleration controlled (AC), or velocity controlled (VC), conditions, and is much easier to generalise. Although DC conditions are rare with buildings not exceeding 30 m in height displacement estimates based on such conditions can be taken as upper bound estimates in order that a conservative prediction of the displacement profile at the edge of a TU building can be obtained conveniently by the use of a constant amplification factor to scale results from planar analysis.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1885-1895
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• 1997

As track density needs to increase to the order of 10, 000 tpi, the suspension has become a critical component in hard disk drives. One of the main obstacles to attain high track density is the structural resonances of the suspension in lateral direction. We investigate the suspension dynamics through the experimental modal analysis and the finite element method. An LDV (Laser Doppler Vibrometer) is employed to measure the response of the suspension which is excited by a shaker and an inpulse hammer for the free condition and the loaded condition, respectively. After comparing the experimental and numerical results, we study how the initial geometry of the bend region affects the suspension dynamics. It is found that the natural frequency of the sway mode decreases as the bend ratio and the bend angle increase. The shape of torsional mode changes as the mass of a slider increases, resulting in a local decrease in the natural frequency.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.459-477
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• 2007

A bi-directional tuned mass damper (BTMD) in which a mass connected by two translational springs and two viscous dampers in two orthogonal directions has been introduced to control coupled lateral and torsional vibrations of asymmetric building. An efficient control strategy has been presented in this context to control displacements as well as acceleration responses of asymmetric buildings having asymmetry in both plan and elevation. The building is idealized as a simplified 3D model with two translational and a rotational degrees of freedom for each floor. The principles of rigid body transformation have been incorporated to account for eccentricity between center of mass and center of rigidity. The effective and robust design of BTMD for controlling the vibrations in structures has been presented. The redundancy of optimum design has been checked. Non dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA) has been used for tuning optimum stages and locations of BTMDs and its parameters for control of vibration of seismically excited buildings. The optimal locations have been observed to be reasonably compact and practically implementable.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.647-656
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• 2017

This paper presents an experimental study on the behaviour of steel beams with different types of web openings. Steel beams with web openings became progressively more accepted as a well-organized structural form in steel construction since their existence. Their complicated design and profiling method provides better flexibility in beam proportioning for strength, depth, size and location of holes. The objective of this study is to carry out the experiments on steel beams with different types of web openings and performed non-linear finite element (FE) analysis of the beams that were considered in the experimental study in order to determine their ultimate load capacity and failure modes for comparison. Ten full scale models of steel beam with web openings have been tested in the experimental investigation. The finite element method has been used to predict their entire response to increasing values of external loading until they lose their load carrying capacity. FE model of each specimen that is utilized in the experimental studies is carried out. These models are used to simulate the experimental work to verify test results and to investigate the nonlinear behaviour of failure modes such as local buckling, lateral torsional buckling, web-post buckling, shear buckling and Vierendeel bending of beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.463-472
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• 2021

Fully rigid floor diaphragm is one of the main assumptions that are widely used in common practices due to its simple application. However, determining the exact degree of diaphragms flexibility cannot be easily accomplished without finite element modeling, which is an expensive and time-consuming procedure. Therefore, it is always possible that apparently rigid diaphragms, based on prescriptive limitations of seismic codes, experience some degrees of flexibility during the earthquakes. Since diaphragm flexibility has more uncertainties in asymmetric-plan structures, this study focuses on errors resulting from probable floor diaphragm flexibility of torsionally restrained structures. The analytical models used in this study were single-story buildings with asymmetric plan and RC shear walls. Although floor system is not considered explicitly, a wide range of considered diaphragm flexibility, from fully rigid to quite flexible, allows the results to be generalizable to a lot of lateral load resisting systems as well as floor systems. It has been shown that in addition to previously known effects of diaphragm flexibility, presence of orthogonal side elements during design procedure with rigid diaphragm assumption and rapid reduction in their absorbed forces can also be an important source to increase errors due to flexibility. Accordingly, from the obtained results the authors suggest designers to consider the possibility of diaphragm flexibility and its adverse effects, especially in torsionally restrained systems in their common designs.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.81-91
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• 2003

Recently, many high-rise reinforced concrete(RC) bearing-wall structures of multiple uses have been constructed, which have the irregularities of weak(or soft) story and torsion at the lower stories simultaneously. The study stated herein was performed to investigate seismic performance of such a high-rise RC structure through a series of shaking table tests of a 1: 12 model. Based on the observations of the test results, the conclusions are drawn as follows: 1) Accidental torsion due to the uncertainty on the properties of structure can be reasonably predicted by using the dynamic analysis than by using lateral force procedure. 2) The mode coupled by translation and torsion induced the overturning moments not only in the direction of excitations but also in the perpendicular direction: The axial forces in columns due to this transverse overturning moment cannot be adequately predicted using the existing mode analysis technique, and 3) the hysteretic curve and the strength diagram between base shear and torque(BST) clearly reveal the predominant mode of vibrations and the failure mode.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2003

A four-story reinforced concrete moment resisting frame damaged from an ultimate limit state earthquake is upgraded with prestressing cable bracing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the bracing configuration effects on the 3-D building response using thee different locations of the bracing systems for the retrofitted building. Since the previous work done by the author proved that static incremental loads to collapse analysis as a substitute to dynamic non-linear time history analysis was a valid alternative tool. Thus, static load to collapse analysis is solely applied to evaluate the seismic performance parameters of both the original and upgraded buildings in this study. In results, the exterior bracing system is effective in restraining torsional behavior of the structure under seismic loads, and no sudden failure occurs in this system that enhances the ductility of the building due to the gradual change of building stiffness as the lateral load increases.