• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.487-498
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• 2024

Steel moment resisting frames (MRFs) typically have inter-story drift concentrations at lower stories during earthquakes as found from previous research. Hinged walls (HWs) can be used as structural strengthening components to force the MRFs deform uniformly along the building height. However, large moment demands are often observed on HWs and make the design of HWs non-economical. This paper proposes a method to reduce the moment demand on HWs using a ductile connection system between the MRFs and the HWs. The ductile connection system is designed with a yield strength and energy dissipation capacity, for the purpose of limiting the seismic forces transferred to the HWs and dissipating seismic energy. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed using 10 far-filed earthquakes at maximum considered earthquake level. The analysis results show that the proposed ductile connection system can reduce: (1) seismic moment demands in the HWs; (2) floor accelerations; (3) the connection force between HWs and MRFs.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.35-54
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• 2015

The performance of a newly generated steel connection known as SidePlateTM moment connection for seismic loading and progressive collapse phenomenon has been investigated in this paper. The seismic evaluation portion of the study included a thorough study on of interstory drift angles and flexural strengths based on 2010 AISC Seismic Provisions while the acceptance criteria provided in UFC 4-023-03 guideline to resist progressive collapse must be satisfied by the rotational capacity of the connections. The results showed that the SidePlate moment connection was capable of attaining adequate rotational capacity and developing full inelastic capacity of the connecting beam. Moreover, the proposed connection demonstrated an exceptional performance for keeping away the plastic hinges from the connection and exceeding interstory drift angle of 0.06 rad with no fracture developments in beam flange groove-welded joints. The test results indicated that this type of connection had strength, stiffness and ductility to be categorized as a rigid, full-strength and ductile connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.271-286
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• 2017

The use of Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) provides an alternative for steel buildings in seismic zones, with the advantage over WF columns that the HSS columns have similar resistance along both axes and enhanced performance under flexure, compression and torsion with respect to other columns sections. The HSS columns have shown satisfactory performance under seismic loads, such as observed in buildings with steel moment frames in the Honshu earthquake (2011). The purpose of this research is to propose a new moment connection, EP-HSS ("End-plate to Hollow Structural Section"), using a wide flange beam and HSS column where the end plate falls outside the range of prequalification established in the ANSI/AISC 358-10 Specification, as an alternative to the traditional configuration of steel moment frames established in current codes. The connection was researched through analytical, numerical (FEM), and experimental studies. The results showed that the EP-HSS allowed the development of inelastic action on the beam only, avoiding stress concentrations in the column and developing significant energy dissipation. The experiments followed the qualification protocols established in the ANSI/AISC 341-10 Specification satisfying the required performance for highly ductile connections in seismic zones, thereby ensuring satisfactory performance under seismic actions without brittle failure mechanisms.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.507-518
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• 2013

The seismic performance of six types of weak-axis steel moment connections was investigated through cyclic testing of six full-scale specimens. These weak-axis moment connections were the column-tree type, WUF-B type, FF-W type, WFP type, BFP-B type and DST type weak-axis connections. The testing results showed that each of these weak-axis connection types achieved excellent seismic performance, except the WFP and the WUF-B types. The WFP and WUF-B connections displayed poor seismic performance because a fracture appeared prematurely at the weld joint due to stress concentrations. The column-tree type connection showed the best seismic behavior such that the story drift ratio could reach 5%.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.27-34
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• 2020

This paper examines the seismic performance and structural design of the ceiling bracket-type modular connection. The bracket-type system reduces the cross-sectional area loss of members and combines units using fitting steel plate, and it has been developed to be fit for medium-story and higher-story buildings. In particular, this study conducted the cyclic loading test for the performance of the C-type and L-type brackets, and compared the results. The test results were also compared with the commercial FEA program. In addition, the structural design process for the bracket-type modular connection was presented. The two connections, proposed as a result of the test results, were all found to secure the seismic performance level of the special moment steel frame. In the case of initial stiffness, the L-type bracket connection was found to be great, but in the case of the maximum moment or fully plastic moment, it was different depending on the loading direction.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.19-28
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• 2018

Key factors that ensure competitiveness of modular unit include consistent high quality and connection condition that ensures high structural performance while minimizing the overall scale of the on-site process. However, it is difficult to evaluate the structural performance of the connection of modular unit, and its structural analysis and design method can be different depending on the connection to its development, which affects the seismic performance of its final design. In particular, securing the seismic performance is the key to designing modular systems of mid-to-high-rise structure. In this paper, therefore, the seismic performance of the modular system with bracket-typed fully restrained moment connections according to stiffness and the shapes of various connection members was evaluated through experimental and analytical methods. To verify the seismic performance, a cyclic loading test of the connection joint of the proposed modular system was conducted. As a result of this study, theoretical values and experimental results were compared with the initial stiffness, hysteresis behavior and maximum bending moment of the modular system. Also, the connection joint was modeled, using the commercial program ANSYS, which was then followed by finite element analysis of the system. According to the results of the experiment, the maximum resisting force of the proposed connection exceeded the theoretical parameters, which indicated that a rigid joint structural performance could be secured. These results almost satisfied the criteria for connection bending strength of special moment frame listed on KBC2016.

• 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.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.617-630
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• 2010

Different types of moment resisting connections are commonly used to transfer the induced seismic moments between frame elements in an earthquake resisting structure. The local connection behavior may drastically affect the global seismic response of the structure. In this study, the finite element and experimental seismic investigations are implemented on two frequently used connection type to evaluate the local behavior and to reveal the failure modes. An alternative connection type is then proposed to eliminate the unfavorable brittle fracture modes resulted from probable poor welding quality. This will develop a reliable predefined ductile plastic mechanism forming away from the critical locations. Employing this technique, the structural reliability of the moment resisting connections shall be improved by achieving a controllable energy dissipation source in form of yielding of the cover plates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2017

This paper focuses on the seismic performance of pallet-type steel storage rack structures in their down aisle direction. As evidenced by experimental research, the seismic response of storage racks in the down-aisle direction is strongly affected by the nonlinear moment-rotation response of the beam-to-column connections. In their down-aisle direction, rack structures are designed to resist lateral seismic loads with typical moment frames utilizing proprietary beam-to-column moment-resisting connections. These connections are mostly boltless hooked type connections and they exhibit significantly large rotations resulting in large lateral frame displacements when subjected to strong ground motions. In this paper, typical hooked boltless beam-to-column connections are studied experimentally to obtain their non-linear reversed cyclic moment-rotation response. Additionally, a compound type connection involving the standard hooks and additional bolts were also tested under similar conditions. The simple introduction of the additional bolts within the hooked connection is considered to be a practical way of structural upgrade in the connection. The experimentally evaluated characteristics of the connections are compared in terms of some important performance indicators such as maximum moment and rotation capacity, change in stiffness and accumulated energy levels within the cyclic loading protocol. Finally, the obtained characteristics were used to carry out seismic performance assessment of rack frames incorporating the tested beam-to-column connections. The assessment involves a displacement based approach that utilizes a simple analytical model that captures the seismic behavior of racks in their down-aisle direction. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method of upgrading appears to be a very practical and effective way of increasing the seismic performance of hooked connections and hence the rack frames in their down-aisle direction.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2024

This study presents code-compliant seismic details by addressing dry mechanical splices for precast concrete (PC) beam-column connections in the ACI 318-19 code. To this end, critical observations of previous test results on precast beam-column connection specimens with the proposed seismic detail are briefly reported in this study, along with a typical reinforced concrete (RC) monolithic connection. On this basis, nonlinear dynamic models were developed to verify seismic responses of the PC emulative moment-resisting frame systems. As the current design code allows only the emulative design approach, this study aims at identifying the seismic performances of PC moment frame systems depending on their emulative levels, for which two extreme cases were intentionally chosen as the non-emulative (unbonded self-centering with marginal energy dissipation) and fully-emulative connection details. Their corresponding hysteresis models were set by using commercial finite element analysis software. According to the current seismic design provisions, a typical five-story building was designed as a target PC building. Subsequently, nonlinear dynamic time history analyses were performed with seven ground motions to investigate the impact of emulation level or hysteresis models (i.e., energy dissipation performance) on system responses between the emulative and non-emulative PC moment frames. The analytical results showed that both the base shear and story drift ratio were substantially reduced in the emulative system compared to that of the non-emulative one, and it indicates the importance of the code-compliant (i.e., emulative) connection details on the seismic performance of the precast building.