• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.83-109
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• 2013

A simple damper optimization method is proposed to find optimal damper allocation for shear buildings under both target added damping ratio and interstorey drift ratio (IDR). The damping coefficients of added dampers are considered as design variables. The cost, which is defined as the sum of damping coefficient of added dampers, is minimized under a target added damping ratio and the upper and the lower constraint of the design variables. In the first stage of proposed algorithm, Simulated Annealing, Nelder Mead and Differential Evolution numerical algorithms are used to solve the proposed optimization problem. The candidate optimal design obtained in the first stage is tested in terms of the IDRs using linear time history analyses for a design earthquake in the second stage. If all IDRs are below the allowable level, iteration of the algorithm is stopped; otherwise, the iteration continues increasing the target damping ratio. By this way, a structural response IDR is also taken into consideration using a snap-back test. In this study, the effects of the selection of upper limit for added dampers, the storey mass distribution and the storey stiffness distribution are all investigated in terms of damper distributions, cost function, added damping ratio and IDRs for 6-storey shear building models. The results of the proposed method are compared with two existing methods in the literature. Optimal designs are also compared with uniform designs according to both IDRs and added damping ratios. The numerical results show that the proposed damper optimization method is easy to apply and is efficient to find optimal damper distribution for a target damping ratio and allowable IDR value.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.6
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• pp.699-714
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• 2020

Force based design (FBD) approach is prevalent in most of the national seismic design codes world over. Direct displacement based design (DDBD) and energy based design (EBD) approaches are relatively new methods of seismic design which claims to be more rational and predictive than the FBD. These three design approaches are conceptually distinct and imparts different strength, stiffness and ductility property to structural members for same plan configuration. In present study behavioural assessment of frame of six storey RC building designed using FBD, DDBD and EBD approaches has been performed. Lateral storey forces distribution, reinforcement design and results of nonlinear performance using static and dynamic methods have been compared. For the three approaches, considerable difference in lateral storey forces distribution and reinforcement design has been observed. Nonlinear pushover analysis and time history analysis results show that in FBD frame plastic deformation is concentrated in the lower storey, in EBD frame large plastic deformation is concentrated in the middle storeys though the inelastic hinges are well distributed over the height and, in DDBD frame plastic deformation is approximately uniform over the height. Overall the six storey frame designed using DDBD approach seems to be more rational than the other two methods.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.791-818
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• 2015

RC buildings constitute the prevailing type of construction in earthquake-prone region like Kathmandu Valley. Most of these building constructions were based on conventional methods. In this context, the present paper studied the seismic behaviour of existing RC buildings in Kathmandu Valley. For this, four representative building structures with different design and construction, namely a building: (a) representing the non-engineered construction (RC1 and RC2) and (b) engineered construction (RC3 and RC4) has been selected for analysis. The dynamic properties of the case study building models are analyzed and the corresponding interaction with seismic action is studied by means of non-linear analyses. The structural response measures such as capacity curve, inter-storey drift and the effect of geometric non-linearities are evaluated for the two orthogonal directions. The effect of plan and vertical irregularity on the performance of the structures was studied by comparing the results of two engineered buildings. This was achieved through non-linear dynamic analysis with a synthetic earthquake subjected to X, Y and $45^{\circ}$ loading directions. The nature of the capacity curve represents the strong impact of the P-delta effect, leading to a reduction of the global lateral stiffness and reducing the strength of the structure. The non-engineered structures experience inter-storey drift demands higher than the engineered building models. Moreover, these buildings have very low lateral resistant, lesser the stiffness and limited ductility. Finally, a seismic safety assessment is performed based on the proposed drift limits. Result indicates that most of the existing buildings in Nepal exhibit inadequate seismic performance.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.367-388
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• 2016

Eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) represent an attractive lateral load resisting steel system to be used in areas of high seismicity. In order to assess the likely damage for a given intensity of ground shaking, fragility functions can be used to identify the probability of exceeding a certain damage limit-state, given a certain response of a structure. This paper focuses on developing a set of fragility functions for EBF structures, considering that damage can be directly linked to the interstorey drift demand at each storey. This is done by performing a Monte Carlo Simulation of an analytical expression for the drift capacity of an EBF, where each term of the expression relies on either experimental testing results or mechanics-based reasoning. The analysis provides a set of fragility functions that can be used for three damage limit-states: concrete slab repair, damage requiring heat straightening of the link and damage requiring link replacement. Depending on the level of detail known about the EBF structure, in terms of its link section size, link length and storey number within a structure, the resulting fragility function can be refined and its associated dispersion reduced. This is done by using an analytical expression to estimate the median value of interstorey drift, which can be used in conjunction with an informed assumption of dispersion, or alternatively by using a MATLAB based tool that calculates the median and dispersion for each damage limit-state for a given set of user specified inputs about the EBF. However, a set of general fragility functions is also provided to enable quick assessment of the seismic performance of EBF structures at a regional scale.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.293-311
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• 2016

A parametric study on the nonlinear seismic response of isolated reinforced concrete structural frame is presented. Three prototype frames designed according to the 1954 Hellenic seismic code, with number of floor ranging from 1 to 3 were considered. These low rise frames are representative of many existing reinforced concrete buildings in Greece. The efficacy of the implementation of both lead rubber bearings (LRB) and friction pendulum isolators (FPI) base isolation systems were examined. The selection of the isolation devices was made according to the ratio $T_{is}/T_{fb}$, where Tis is the period of the base isolation system and $T_{bf}$ is the period of the fixed-base building. The main purpose of this comprehensive study is to investigate the effect of the isolation system period on the seismic response of inadequately designed low rise buildings. Thus, the implementation of isolation systems which correspond to the ratio $T_{is}/T_{fb}$ that values from 3 to 5 is studied. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed to investigate the response of the isolated structures using a set of three natural seismic ground motions. The evaluation of each retrofitting case was made in terms of storey drift and storey shear force while in view of serviceability it was made in terms of storey acceleration. Finally, the maximum developed displacements and the residual displacements of the isolation systems are presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.483-496
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• 2017

Earthquake excitations may induce important amount of seismic energy into structures. Current design philosophy mainly deals with the plastic deformations of replaceable energy dissipating devices rather than damages accumulated on structural members. Since earthquake damage is substantially concentrated on these devices they could be replaced after severe earthquakes. In this study, the efficiency of steel cushion (SC) on seismic improvement of a vulnerable reinforced concrete (RC) frame is determined by means of several numerical simulations. The cyclic shear behaviors of SCs were determined by performing quasi-static tests. The test results were the main basis of the theoretical model of SCs which were used in the numerical analysis. These analyses were performed on three types of RC frames namely bare frame (BF), full-braced frame (F-BF) and semi-braced frame (S-BF). According to analysis results; implementation of SCs has considerable effects in reducing the storey shear forces and storey drifts. Moreover plastic energy demands of structural elements were reduced which indicates a significant improvement in seismic behavior of the RC frame preventing damage accumulation on structural elements. Full-braced frame having SCs with the thickness of 25 mm has better performance than semi-braced frame interms of energy dissipation. However, global energy dissipation demand of S-BF and F-BF having SCs with the thickness of 18 mm are almost similar.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.717-732
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• 2011

Nonlinear dynamic analysis and evaluation of eccentric braced steel frames (EBF) equipped with friction damper (FD) is studied in this research. Previous studies about assessment of seismic performance of steel braced frame with FD have been generally limited to installing this device in confluence of cross in concentrically braced frame such chevron and x-bracing. Investigation is carried out with three types of steel frames namely 5, 10 and 15 storeys, representing the short, medium and high structures respectively in series of nonlinear dynamic analysis and 10 slip force values subjected to three different earthquake records. The proper place of FD, rather than providing them at all level is also studied in 15 storey frame. Four dimensionless indices namely roof displacement, base shear, dissipated energy and relative performance index (RPI) are determined in about 100 nonlinear dynamic analyses. Then average values of maximum roof displacement, base shear, energy dissipated and storey drift under three records for both EBF and EBF equipped with friction damper are obtained. The result indicates that FD reduces the response compared to EBF and is more efficient than EBF for taller storey frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2013

Soft storey failure mechanism is a common collapse mode for masonry-infilled (MI) reinforced concrete (RC) buildings subjected to severe earthquakes. Simple analytical equations correlating global with local ductility demands are derived from pushover (PO) analyses for seismic assessments of regular MI RC frames, considering the critical interstorey drift ratio, number of storeys and lateral loading configurations. The reliability of the equations is investigated using incremental dynamic analyses for MI RC frames of up to 7 storeys. Using the analytical ductility relationship and a coefficient-based method (CBM), the response spectral accelerations and period shift factors of low-rise MI RC frames are computed. The results are verified through published shake table test results. In general applications, the analytical ductility relationships thus derived can be used to bypass the onerous PO analysis while accurately predicting the local ductility demands for seismic assessment of regular MI RC frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.283-295
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• 2019

During the seismic performance assessment of existing buildings, staircases are generally not taken into account as structural members but as dead load. Staircases, as secondary structural members, not only serve for connecting successive floors but also provide considerable amount of strength and stiffness to the building which can modify its seismic behaviour considerably. In this parametric study, the influence of staircases on the seismic response of substandard RC frame buildings which differ in number of storey and span, presence of staircase and its position has been examined. Modal Analyses and bi-directional Non-Linear Time History Analyses (NLTHA) were conducted to compare several engineering demand parameters (EDPs) such as inter-storey drift ratio (ISDR), floor accelerations, modal properties, member shear forces and plastic hinge distribution. Additionally, short column effect, variation in shear forces of columns that are attached to the staircase slab, failure and deformation in staircase models have also been investigated. As the staircase was considered in the analytical model, a different damage pattern can be developed especially in the structural components close to staircase.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.905-924
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• 2016

Several two-dimensional analytical beam column joint models with varying complexities have been proposed in quantifying joint flexibility during seismic vulnerability assessment of non-ductile reinforced concrete (RC) frames. Notable models are the single component rotational spring element and the super element joint model that can effectively capture the governing inelastic mechanisms under severe ground motions. Even though both models have been extensively calibrated and verified using quasi-static test of joint sub-assemblages, a comparative study of the inelastic seismic responses under nonlinear time history analysis (NTHA) of RC frames has not been thoroughly evaluated. This study employs three hypothetical case study RC frames subjected to increasing ground motion intensities to study their inherent variations. Results indicate that the super element joint model overestimates the transient drift ratio at the first story and becomes highly un-conservative by under-predicting the drift ratios at the roof level when compared to the single-component model and the conventional rigid joint assumption. In addition, between these story levels, a decline in the drift ratios is observed as the story level increased. However, from this limited study, there is no consistent evidence to suggest that care should be taken in selecting either a single or multi component joint model for seismic risk assessment of buildings when a global demand measure such as maximum inter-storey drift is employed in the seismic assessment framework.