• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.355-365
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• 2013

The paper reports results of recent studies on the effects of column support conditions on the lateral displacements of moment frames at incipient collapse. The article presents a number of exercises in the plastic theory of structures that lead to useful design formulae. It has been shown that Drift Shifting (DS) is caused due to differences in the stiffnesses of adjoining columns, and that changes in drift ratios are more pronounced at first level column joints in both fixed as well as pinned base frames. In well proportioned moment frames, DS in the upper levels could be minimized, even reduced to zero. It has been demonstrated that DS can be eliminated in properly designed fixed and grade beam supported (GBS) moment frames. Several examples, including symbolic P-delta effects, have been provided to demonstrate the validity and the applications of the proposed ideas to the design and drift control of moment frames. The proposed methodology is exact within the bounds of the theoretical assumptions and is well suited for preliminary design and teaching purposes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2023

Reinforced concrete (RC) moment frames are used as lateral seismic load resisting systems in mid- and high-rise buildings in different regions of the world. Based on the seismic design provisions and construction details presented in design codes, RC frames with different levels of ductility (ordinary, intermediate, and special) can be designed and constructed. In Iran, there are RC buildings with various uses which have been constructed based on different editions of design codes. The seismic performance of RC structures (particularly moment frames) in real seismic events is of great importance. In this paper, the observations made on damaged RC moment frames after the destructive Sarpol-e Zahab earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.3 are reported. Different levels of damage from the development of cracks in the structural and non-structural elements to the total collapse of buildings were observed. Furthermore, undesirable failure modes which are not expected in ductile seismic-resistant buildings were frequently observed in the damaged buildings. The RC moment frames built based on the previous editions of the design codes showed partial or total collapse in this seismic event. The extensive destruction of RC moment frames compared with the other structural systems (such as braced steel frames and confined masonry buildings) was attributed not only to the deficiencies in the construction practice of these buildings but also to the design procedure. In addition, the failure and collapse of masonry infills in RC moment frames were frequent modes of failure in this seismic event. In this paper, the main reasons related to design practice which led to extensive damage in the RC moment frames and their collapse are addressed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2012

Implementation of openings in beams web has been introduced as an innovative method for improving seismic performance of steel moment frames. In this paper, several steel moment frames have been studied in order to evaluate the effect of openings in beams web. The beam sections with web opening have been modeled as a simplified super-element to be used in designing frames and to determine opening configurations. Finite element models of designed frames were generated and nonlinear static pushover analysis was conducted. The efficient location for openings along the beam length was discovered and the effects of beams with web openings on local and global behavioral characteristics of frames were discussed. Base on the results, seismic performance of steel moment frames was improved by creating openings in beams web, in terms of reduction in stress level of frame sensitive areas such as beam to column connections and panel zones.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.445-461
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• 2018

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effects of the number of spans, height of spans, number of floors, height of floors, column to beam moment of inertia ratio, and plastic joints distance of beams from columns on the ductility of moment frames. For the facility in controlling the ductility of the frames, this paper offers a simple relation instead of complex equations of different codes. For this purpose, 500 analyzed and designed frames were randomly selected, and their ductility was calculated by the use of nonlinear static analysis. The results cleared that the column-to-beam moment of inertia ratio had the highest effect on ductility, and if this relation was more than 2.8, there would be no need for using the complex relations of codes for controlling the ductility of frames. Finally, the ductility of the most frames of this research could be estimated by using the combination of genetic algorithm and artificial neural networks properly.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2011

The connection type of steel moment frames in the country is mostly fabricated in factories so that it is fairly ductile due to good quality control. Based on references, the domestic connection satisfies the performance limit for steel intermediate moment frames specified by the AISC. However, the current KBC2009 building code specifies various systems for steel moment frames such as ordinary, intermediate, and special moment frames while the former KBC2005 only did so for a ductile moment frame. This induces the necessity of investigating which system is appropriate in the country when the domestic connection is applied. Therefore, this study was aimed at finding a proper design method by comparing the ductile moment frame in KBC2005 and the intermediate moment frames in KBC2009. The results showed that seismic design parameters for the ductile moment frames can be reasonable for satisfying the performance objective.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.467-484
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• 2015

Seismic performances of dual steel moment-resisting frames with mixed use of rigid and semi-rigid connections were investigated to control of the base shear, story drifts and the ductility demand of the elements. To this end, nonlinear seismic responses of three groups of frames with three, eight and fifteen story were evaluated. These frames with rigid, semi-rigid and combined configuration of rigid and semi-rigid connections were analyzed under five earthquake records and their responses were compared in ultimate limit state of rigid frame. This study showed that in all frames, it could be found a state of semi-rigidity and connections configuration which behaved better than rigid frame, with consideration of the base shear and story drifts criterion. Finally, some criteria were suggested to locate the best place of the semi-rigid connections for improvement of the seismic performance of steel moment-resisting frames.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2015

The rotation capacity of the moment connections could significantly influence on the seismic performance of steel moment resisting frames. Current seismic provisions require that beam-to-column connections in Intermediate Moment Frames (IMF) should have a drift capacity as large as 0.02 radian. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the rotation capacity of moment connections on the seismic performance of high-rise IMFs. For this purpose, thirty- and forty-story high-rise IMFs were designed according to the current seismic design provisions. The seismic performance of designed model frames was evaluated according to FEMA P695. This study showed that the forty-story IMF satisfied the seismic performance objective specified in FEMA P695 when the rotation capacity of the connections was larger than 0.02. However, thirty-story IMFs satisfied the performance objective when the connection rotation capacity is larger than 0.03.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2020

Lightly reinforced concrete (RC) moment frames may suffer significant damage during large earthquake events. Most buildings with RC moment frames were designed without considering seismic loads. The load-displacement response of gravity load designed frames could be altered by masonry infill walls. The objective of this study is to investigate the load-displacement response of gravity load designed frames with masonry infill walls. For this purpose, three-story gravity load designed frames with masonry infill walls were considered. The masonry infilled RC frames demonstrated larger lateral strength and stiffness than bare RC frames, whereas their drift capacity was less than that of bare frames. A specimen with a partial-height infill wall showed the least drift capacity and energy dissipation capacity. This specimen failed in shear, whereas other specimens experienced a relatively ductile failure mode (flexure-shear failure).

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.1
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• pp.69-84
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• 2023

The use of steel pipe dampers (SPD) as fuses or interchangeable elements in the steel moment-resisting frames (MRF) is one of the newest methods for improving seismic performance. In the present study, the performance of steel pipe dampers in MRF has been investigated. Evaluation of MRF with and without SPD models were performed using the finite element method by ABAQUS. For validation, an MRF and MRF with steel pipe dampers were modeled that had been experimentally tested and reported in previous experimental research and a good agreement was observed. The behavior of these dampers in frames of 3, 6, and 9 stories was studied by modeling the damper directly. Nonlinear time history dynamic analysis was used. It was observed that by increasing the number of stories in the buildings, steel pipe dampers should be used to perform properly against earthquakes. The installation of steel pipe dampers in steel moment-resisting frames shows that the drift ratio between the floors is reduced and the seismic performance of these frames is improved.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.223-234
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• 2023

The use of displacement-dependent rotational friction dampers (RFD) as fuses or interchangeable elements in the moment-resisting frames (MRF) is one of the newest methods for improving seismic performance. In the present study, the performance of rotational friction dampers in MRF has been investigated. Evaluation of MRF with and without RFD models was performed using the finite element method by ABAQUS. For validation, an MRF and MRF with rotational friction dampers were modeled that had been experimentally tested and reported in previous experimental research and a good agreement was observed. The behavior of these dampers in frames of 3-, 6-, and 9-story was studied by modeling the damper directly. Nonlinear time history dynamic analysis was used. It was observed that by increasing the number of stories in the buildings, rotational friction dampers should be used to perform properly against earthquakes. The installation of rotational friction dampers in steel moment-resisting frames shows that the drift ratio between the floors is reduced and the seismic performance of these frames is improved.