• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.487-495
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• 2013

As the first step to suggest effective ways of using direct analysis method considering current situations of construction fields in Korea, analytical approach is used to verify direct analysis method which adapts initial imperfection limitation of Korean specification of building construction. The main analytical variables are size of frames, axial load ratio, axial load distribution, value of notional loads, location of notional loads, and applied method of notional loads. The results show that the use of initial imperfection limitation of Korean specification, L/700 is suitable, and the recommendable method to use direct analysis method is applied notional loads based on L/700 as minimum lateral load at each story, even if B2 is less than 1.5 and lateral loads exist.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.471-487
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• 2004

Modular steel scaffolds are commonly used as supporting scaffolds in building construction, and traditionally, the load carrying capacities of these scaffolds are obtained from limited full-scale tests with little rational design. Structural failure of these scaffolds occurs from time to time due to inadequate design, poor installation and over-loads on sites. In general, multi-storey modular steel scaffolds are very slender structures which exhibit significant non-linear behaviour. Hence, secondary moments due to both $P-{\delta}$ and $P-{\Delta}$ effects should be properly accounted for in the non-linear analyses. Moreover, while the structural behaviour of these scaffolds is known to be very sensitive to the types and the magnitudes of restraints provided from attached members and supports, yet it is always difficult to quantify these restraints in either test or practical conditions. The problem is further complicated due to the presence of initial geometrical imperfections in the scaffolds, including both member out-of-straightness and storey out-of-plumbness, and hence, initial geometrical imperfections should be carefully incorporated. This paper presents an extensive numerical study on three different approaches in analyzing and designing multi-storey modular steel scaffolds, namely, a) Eigenmode Imperfection Approach, b) Notional Load Approach, and c) Critical Load Approach. It should be noted that the three approaches adopt different ways to allow for the non-linear behaviour of the scaffolds in the presence of initial geometrical imperfections. Moreover, their suitability and accuracy in predicting the structural behaviour of modular steel scaffolds are discussed and compared thoroughly. The study aims to develop a simplified and yet reliable design approach for safe prediction on the load carrying capacities of multi-storey modular steel scaffolds, so that engineers can ensure safe and effective use of these scaffolds in building construction.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.103-113
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• 1996

This paper presents practical notional-load plastic-hinge method for a two-dimensional steel structure design. The proposed method incorporates the refined plastic-hinge concept for spread of plasticity together with a practical notional-load approach. The proposed method can assess realistically both strength and behavior of a structural system and its individual members in a direct manner. As a result, the method can be used for design without tedious separate member capacity checks, including the calculation of K-factor. The strengths predicted by the proposed method are then compared with those predicted by the exact plastic-zone analysis as well as by the conventional LRFD procedure. A good agreement is generally observed. The displacement predictions are compared with the plastic-zone solutions. Analysis and design guidelines in using the proporsed method are given in detail. Analysis and design procedures are recommended. Member sizes determined by the proposed method are compared with those determined by the LRFD method. It is concluded that the procedures are suitable for adoption in practice.