• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.283-292
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• 2015

In the moment frame subjected to earthquake loads, beam-column joint is structurally important for ductile behavior of a system. ACI Committee 352 proposed guidelines for designing beam-column joint details. The guidelines, however, need to be updated because of the lack of data regarding several factors that may improve the performance of joints. The purpose of this study is to investigate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete exterior joints with high-strength materials and unbonded tendons. Three specimens with different joint shear demand-to-strength ratios were constructed and tested, where headed bars were used to anchor the beam bars into the joint. All specimens showed satisfactory seismic behavior including moment strength of 1.3 times the nominal moment, ductile performance (ductility factor = at least 2.4), and sufficiently large dissipated energy.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.49-74
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• 2018

Generally, beam-column joints are taken into account as rigid in assessment of seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Experimental and numerical studies have proved that ignoring nonlinearities in the joint core might crucially affect seismic performance of RC structures. On the other hand, to improve seismic behaviour of such structures, several strengthening techniques of beam-column joints have been studied and adopted in practical applications. Among these strengthening techniques, the application of FRP materials has extensively increased, especially in case of exterior RC beam-column joints. In current paper, to simulate the inelastic response in the core of RC beam-column joints strengthened by FRP sheets, a practical joint model has been proposed so that the effect of FRP sheets on characteristics of an RC joint were considered in principal tensile stress-joint rotation relations. To determine these relations, a combination of experimental results and a mechanically-based model has been developed. To verify the proposed model, it was applied to experimental specimens available in the literature. Results revealed that the model could predict inelastic response of as-built and FRP strengthened joints with reasonable precision. The simple analytic procedure and the use of experimentally computed parameters would make the model sufficiently suitable for practical applications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.655-661
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• 2007

A new steel connection method using wedges known as Self-Locking Connector has been developed. In this study, experimental investigation was conducted to verify the seismic performance of steel beam-to-column joints with Self-Locking Connectors. Cyclic-loading tests were performed on two beam-to-column joints with Self-Locking Connectors. The two beam-to-column joint specimens were of the cantilever-type and had the same details. Test results showed that beam-to-column joints with Self-Locking Connectors were able to developa total rotation capacity of 0.06 radian, which is greater than the 0.04 radian required for Special Moment Frames. Moreover, their energy absorption capacity was much greater than that of conventional joints.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.621-634
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• 2018

Flush end-plate (FEP) beam-to-column joints are commonly used for gravity load resisting parts in steel multi-storey buildings. However, in seismic resisting structures FEP joints should also provide rotation capacity consistent with the global structural displacements. The current version of EN1993-1-8 recommends a criterion aiming at controlling the thickness of the end-plate in order to avoid brittle failure of the connection, which has been developed for monotonic loading conditions assuming elastic-perfectly plastic behaviour of the connection's components in line with the theory of the component method. Hence, contrary to the design philosophy of the hierarchy of resistances implemented in EN1998-1, the over strength and the hardening of the plastic components are not directly accounted for. In light of these considerations, this paper describes and discusses the results obtained from parametric finite element simulations aiming at investigating the moment-rotation response of FEP joints under cyclic actions. The influence of bolt diameter, thickness of end-plate, number of bolt rows and shape of beam profile on the joint response is discussed and design requirements are proposed to enhance the ductility of the joints.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.91-99
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• 2024

Piping systems are crucial facilities used in various industries, particularly in areas related to daily life and safety. Piping systems are fixed to the main structures of buildings and facilities but do not support external loads and serve as non-structural elements performing specific functions. Piping systems are affected by relative displacements owing to phase differences arising from different behaviors between two support points under seismic loads; this can cause damage owing to the displacement-dominant cyclic behavior. Fittings and joints in piping systems are representative elements that are vulnerable to seismic loads. To evaluate the seismic performance and limit states of fittings and joints in piping systems, a high-stroke actuator is required to simulate relative displacements. However, this is challenging because only few facilities can conduct these experiments. Therefore, element-level experiments are required to evaluate the seismic performance and limit states of piping systems connected by fittings and joints. This study proposed a method to evaluate the seismic performance of an elbow specimen that includes fittings and joints that are vulnerable to seismic loads in vertical piping systems. The elbow specimen was created by connecting straight pipes to both ends of a 90° pipe elbow using flexible groove joints. The seismic performance of the elbow specimen was evaluated using a cyclic loading protocol based on deformation angles. To determine the margin of the evaluated seismic performance, the limit states were assessed by applying cyclic loading with a constant amplitude.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.313-326
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• 2020

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars have been introduced as an effective alternative for the conventional steel reinforcement in concrete structures to mitigate the costly consequences of steel corrosion. However, despite the superior performance of these composite materials in terms of corrosion, the effect of replacing steel reinforcement with GFRP on the seismic performance of concrete structures is not fully covered yet. To address some of the key parameters in the seismic behavior of GFRP-reinforced concrete (RC) structures, two full-scale beam-column joints reinforced with GFRP bars and stirrups were constructed and tested under two phases of loading, each simulating a severe ground motion. The objective was to investigate the effect of damage due to earthquakes on the service and ultimate behavior of GFRP-RC moment-resisting frames. The main parameters under investigation were geometrical configuration (interior or exterior beam-column joint) and joint shear stress. The performance of the specimens was measured in terms of lateral load-drift response, energy dissipation, mode of failure and stress distribution. Moreover, the effect of concrete damage due to earthquake loading on the performance of beam-column joints under service loading was investigated and a modified damage index was proposed to quantify the magnitude of damage in GFRP-RC beam-column joints under dynamic loading. Test results indicated that the geometrical configuration significantly affects the level of concrete damage and energy dissipation. Moreover, the level of residual damage in GFRP-RC beam-column joints after undergoing lateral displacements was related to reinforcement ratio of the main beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.641-652
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• 2017

In general, conventional analysis and design of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures overlook the role of beam-column (RCBC) joints. Nowadays, the rigid joint model is one of the most common for RCBC joints: the joint is assumed to be rigid (unable to deform) and stronger than the adjacent beams and columns (does not fail before them). This model is popular because (i) the application of the capacity design principles excludes the possibility of the joint failing before the adjacent beams and (ii) many believe that the actual behaviour of RCBC joints designed according to the seismic codes produced mainly after the 1980s can be assumed to be nominally rigid. This study investigates the relevance of the deformation of RCBC joints in a standard pushover analysis at several levels: frame, storey, element and cross-section. Accordingly, a RC frame designed according to preliminary versions of EN 1992-1-1 and EN 1998-1 was analysed, considering the nonlinear behaviour of beams and columns by means of a standard sectional fibre model. Two alternative models were used for the RCBC joints: the rigid model and an explicit component based nonlinear model. The effect of RCBC joints modelling was found to be twofold: (i) the flexibility of the joints substantially increases the frame lateral deformation for a given load (30 to 50%), and (ii) in terms of seismic performance, it was found that joint flexibility (ii-1) appears to have a minor effect on the force and displacement corresponding to the performance point (seismic demand assessed at frame level), but (ii-2) has a major influence on the seismic demand when assessed at storey, element and cross-section levels.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.555-572
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• 2015

This paper presents an experimental study of three two-dimensional (2D/planar) steel reinforced concrete (SRC) T-shaped column-RC beam hybrid joints and six 3D SRC T-shaped column-steel beam hybrid joints under low cyclic reversed loads. Considering different categories of steel configuration types in column cross section and horizontal loading angles for the specimens were selected, and a reliable structural testing system for the spatial loading was employed in the tests. The load-displacement curves, carrying capacity, energy dissipation capacity, ductility and deformation characteristics of the test subassemblies were analyzed. Especially, the seismic performance discrepancies between planar hybrid joints and 3D hybrid joints were intensively compared. The failure modes for planar loading and spatial loading observed in the tests showed that the shear-diagonal compressive failure was the dominating failure mode for all the specimens. In addition, the 3D hybrid joints illustrated plumper hysteretic loops for the columns configured with solid-web steel, but a little more pinched hysteretic loops for the columns configured with T-shaped steel or channel-shaped steel, better energy dissipation capacity & ductility, and larger interlayer deformation capacity than those of the planar hybrid joints. Furthermore, it was revealed that the hysteretic loops for the specimens under $45^{\circ}$ loading angle are generally plumper than those for the specimens under $30^{\circ}$ loading angle. Finally, the effects of steel configuration type and loading angle on the seismic damage for the specimens were analyzed by means of the Park-Ang model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.627-639
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• 2004

The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of metal-plate-connected truss joints subjected to cyclic loading conditions that simulated seismic events in the lives of the joints. We also investigated the duration of load factor for these joints. We tested tension splice joints and heel joints from a standard 9.2-m Fink truss constructed from $38-{\times}89-mm$ Douglas-fir lumber: 10 tension splice joints for static condition and for each of 6 cyclic loading conditions (70 joints total) and 10 heel joints for static condition and for each of 3 cyclic loading conditions (40 joints total). We evaluated results by comparing the strengths of the control group (static) with those of the cyclic loading groups. None of the cyclic loading conditions showed any strength degradation; however, there was significant stiffness degradation for both types of joint. The results of this research show that the current duration of load factor of 1.6 for earthquake loading is adequate for these joints.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2024

Once the foundation displacement of the transmission tower occurs, additional stress will be generated on the tower members, which will affect the seismic response of transmission tower-line systems (TTLSs). Furthermore, existing research has shown that the reciprocating slippage of joints needs to be considered in the seismic analysis. The hysteretic behavior of joints is obtained by model tests or numerical simulations, which leads to the low modeling efficiency of TTLSs. Therefore, this paper first utilized numerical simulation and model tests to construct a BP neural network for predicting the skeleton curve of joints, and then a numerical model for a TTLS considering the bolt slippage was established. Then, the seismic response of the TTLS under foundation displacement was studied, and the member stress changes and the failed member distribution of the tower were analyzed. The influence of foundation displacement on the seismic performance were discussed. The results showed that the trained BP neural network could accurately predict the hysteresis performance of joints. The slippage could offset part of the additional stress caused by foundation settlement and reduce the stress of some members when the TTLS with foundation settlement was under earthquakes. The failure members were mainly distributed at the diagonal members of the tower leg adjacent to the foundation settlement and that of the tower body. To accurately analyze the seismic performance of TTLSs, the influence of foundation displacement and the joint effect should be considered, and the BP neural network can be used to improve modeling efficiency.