Retrofit of reinforced concrete frames with buckling‐restrained braces

Damage to buildings observed in recent earthquakes suggests that many old reinforced concrete structures may be vulnerable to the effects of severe earthquakes. One suitable seismic retrofit solution is the installation of steel braces to increase the strength and ductility of a building. Steel bracings have some compelling advantages such as their comparatively low weight, their suitability for prefabrication, and the possibility of openings for utilities, access, and light. The braces are typically connected to steel frames that are fixed to the concrete structure using post‐installed concrete anchors along the perimeter. However, these framed steel braces are not without some disadvantages such as heavier steel usage and greater difficulties during the installation. Therefore, braces without steel frames appear to be an attractive alternative. In this study, braces were connected to gussets furnished with anchor brackets, which were fixed by means of a few post‐installed concrete anchors. The clear structural system and the increased utilization of the anchors allowed the anchorage to be designed precisely and economically. The use of buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) provides additional benefits in comparison with conventional braces. BRBs improve the energy dissipation efficiency and allow the limitation of the brace force to be taken up by the highly stressed anchorage. Cyclic loading tests were conducted to investigate the seismic performance of BRBs connected with post‐installed anchors used to retrofit reinforced concrete frames. The tests showed that the proposed design method is feasible and increases strength as well as ductility to an adequate seismic performance level. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local ground effects in near-field and far-field areas on seismically protected buildings

This paper presents a 2-D numerical study on the nonlinear seismic response of buildings equipped with two types of energy dissipators, which dissipate energy activating two different mechanisms. Three types of reinforced concrete buildings with 3, 7 and 15 stories, respectively representative of short, medium and long period ranges, are considered. Dissipators are placed on steel diagonal braces at all the floors; their sliding threshold (or yielding) forces are taken as 100% of those generated by the equivalent static lateral forces recommended by EC8 for a ductile moment resisting frame. The input consists of six recorded earthquakes, 3 representatives of near-field earthquakes and 3 representatives of far-field earthquakes. Each input is considered once from the bedrock and once filtered by a common ground with several layers of different thicknesses. The responses of the buildings are discussed and compared emphasizing the filtering effects produced by the ground.     

七层钢筋混凝土异型柱支撑框架结构模型振动台试验研究

七层钢筋混凝土异型柱支撑框架结构体系的模型，缩尺比为１：３，在振动台上进行了模拟地震动试验，结果表明：该体系的抗震性能较好，可使斜杆在预估地震强度的作用下先开裂并继续工作，从而减轻主体结构的地震破坏。并指出，该体系应进一步实现抗裂抗倒双重设防准则与其设计方法，研究发挥支撑的消能减震作用。这种抗震结构体系，已在天津市的轻质节能建筑中采用。     

Seismic performance of hybrid ductile‐rocking braced frame system

A new hybrid ductile‐rocking seismic‐resistant design is proposed which consists of a code‐designed buckling‐restrained braced frame (BRBF) that yields along its height and also partially rocks on its foundation. The goal of this system is to cost‐effectively improve the performance of BRBFs, by reducing drift concentrations and residual deformations, while taking advantage of their large ductility and their reliable limit on seismic forces and accelerations along a building's height. A lock‐up device ensures that the full code‐compliant lateral strength can be achieved after a limited amount of column uplift, and supplemental energy dissipation elements are used to reduce the rocking response. This paper outlines the mechanics of the system and then presents analyses on rocking frames with both ductile and elastic braces in order to highlight the large higher mode demands on elastic rocking frames. A parametric study using nonlinear time‐history analysis of BRBF structures designed according to the proposed procedure for Los Angeles, California is then presented. This study investigates the system's seismic response and the effect of different energy dissipation element properties and allowable base rotation values before the lock‐up is engaged. Finally, the effect of vertical mass modeling on analysis results was investigated. These studies demonstrated that the hybrid ductile‐rocking system can in fact improve the global peak and residual deformation response as well as reduce brace damage. This enhanced performance could eliminate the need for expensive repairs or demolition that are otherwise to be expected for conventional ductile fixed base buildings that sustain severe damage.     

双防线可恢复性能斜交网格结构耗能机制和抗震性能研究

为提高斜交网格结构的抗震性能,提出一种双防线可恢复性能斜交网格结构。双防线可恢复性能斜交网格结构采用剪切耗能段和特定梁端塑形铰进行集中耗能,使主体结构构件保持弹性。剪切耗能段不承受和传递重力荷载,易在震后修复或更换,使建筑可迅速恢复功能。为实现目标耗能机制,对等效能量塑形设计法进行改进以适用于可恢复性能斜交网格结构,并进行结构设计举例。采用OpenSees软件对所设计结构建立详细的有限元计算模型,进行非线性动力时程分析,以验证双防线耗能机制并评估抗震性能。分析结果表明:（1）小震、中震和大震下的结构顶部位移角分别为0.28%、0.8%和1.7%,与性能设计目标基本相同;（2）中震时剪切耗能段屈服,特定梁端未出现塑性铰;（3）大震时,特定梁端出现塑性铰以增加结构耗能能力,剪切耗能段屈服且处于延性范围内。因此新型可恢复性能斜交网格结构具有有效的双防线耗能机制,在中震后可迅速修复,在大震中可保持延性,实现"中震可修,大震不倒"的性能目标。     

Performance evaluation of retrofitting strategies for non-seismically designed RC buildings using steel braces

Recent major earthquakes around the world have evidenced that research in earthquake engineering must be directed to the vulnerability assessment of existing constructions lacking appropriate seismic resisting characteristics. Their retrofit or replacement should be made in order to reduce vulnerability, and consequent risk, to currently accepted levels. In this work, the efficiency of ductile steel eccentrically-braced systems in the seismic retrofitting of existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings is studied. The retrofit technique studied consists in a bracing system with an energy dissipation device, designed to dissipate energy by shear deformation. The numerical model was calibrated with cyclic test results on a full-scale structure. The models used for the RC frame and masonry represent their real behavior and influence in the global structural response. The steel bracing system was modeled with strut rigid elements. The model for the energy dissipater device reproduces rigorously the behavior of the shear-link observed in the cyclic tests, namely in terms of shear, drift and energy dissipation. With the calibrated numerical model, a series of non-linear dynamic analyses were performed, for different earthquake input motions, intending to study: the influence of the retrofitting system in the response of bare and infilled structures; the influence of the location and strength of the retrofitting system.     

运用防屈曲支撑的混凝土框架结构的抗震性能研究

简要介绍地震安全社区的实现途径以及防屈曲支撑的构成和性能参数。运用ABAQUS软件对有无安装防屈曲支撑的钢筋混凝土框架模型进行动力时程分析,总结分析防屈曲支撑对钢筋混凝土框架结构的减震效果。结果表明,防屈曲支撑能大大降低钢筋混凝土框架结构在罕遇地震作用下的层间位移角,提高建筑物抗震性能,使地震安全社区中抗震设防烈度为Ⅶ度的建筑物能够抵御Ⅷ度罕遇地震。     

Control of the earthquake and wind dynamic response of steel‐framed buildings by using additional braces and/or viscoelastic dampers

The insertion of steel braces equipped with viscoelastic dampers (VEDs) (‘dissipative braces’) is a very effective technique to improve the seismic or wind behaviour of framed buildings. The main purpose of this work is to compare the earthquake and wind dynamic response of steel‐framed buildings with VEDs and achieve optimal properties of dampers and supporting braces. To this end, a numerical investigation is carried out with reference to the steel K‐braced framed structure of a 15‐storey office building, which is designed according to the provisions of Eurocodes 1 and 3, and to four structures derived from the first one by the insertion of additional diagonal braces and/or VEDs. With regard to the VEDs, the following cases are examined: absence of dampers; insertion of dampers supported by the existing K‐braces in each of the structures with or without additional diagonal braces; insertion of dampers supported by additional diagonal braces. Dynamic analyses are carried out in the time domain using a step‐by‐step initial stress‐like iterative procedure. For this purpose, the frame members and the VEDs are idealized, respectively, by a bilinear model, which allows the simulation of the nonlinear behaviour under seismic loads, and a six‐element generalized model, which can be considered as an in‐parallel‐combination of two Maxwell models and one Kelvin model. Artificially generated accelerograms, whose response spectra match those adopted by Eurocode 8 for a medium subsoil class and for different levels of peak ground acceleration, are considered to simulate seismic loads. Along‐wind loads are considered assuming, at each storey, time histories of the wind velocity for a return period T_r=5 years, according to an equivalent spectrum technique. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic behavior of concrete filled steel tubular arch structures

Shaking table tests of a 1:10 scale arch model performed to investigate the seismic behavior and resistance ofconcrete filled steel tubular (CFT) arch structures are described in this paper. The El-Centro record and Shanghai artificial wave were adopted as the input excitation. The entire test process can be divided into three stages depending on the lateral brace configurations, i.e., fully (five) braced, two braces removed, and all braces removed. A total of 46 tests, starting from the elastic state to failure condition, have been conducted. The natural vibration frequencies, responses of acceleration, displacement and strain were measured. From the test results, it is demonstrated that the CFT arch structures are capable of resisting severe ground motions and that CFT arches offer a credible alternative to reinforced concrete arches, especially in regions of high seismic intensity.     

Aluminium shear-links for enhanced seismic resistance

An aluminium beam shear-link is developed for earthquake-resistant structures. The aluminium beam is designed to yield in shear mode to limit the maximum lateral force which is transmitted to primary structural members and to provide significant energy dissipation potential. Aluminium was chosen because of its low yield strength, which enables the use of thicker webs, reducing the problems of web buckling. Cyclic load tests on medium scale (1:4) models were conducted to study the hysteretic behaviour and energy dissipation potential of shear-links made of two alloys of aluminium (3003-O and 6061-O). The links were also tested at faster rates (cycling frequencies of 5, 10 and 17 Hz) to determine the effect of strain rate. The links exhibited very ductile shear yielding and excellent energy dissipation capacity. Unpinched and full hysteresis loops were observed until 10 per cent shear strain, and a relatively small influence of strain rates was observed on the link's performance. Simple design equations are developed to proportion these shear-links, using data from the cyclic load tests. In chevron-type braced systems, the shear-link is sandwiched between the tops of diagonal braces and a girder from the floor above, resulting in yielding at a lateral force less than that required to buckle the compression brace. A Shear-Link Braced Frame (SLBF) system was designed and its seismic performance was compared to that of an Ordinary Concentric Braced Frame (OCBF) with chevron braces. The SLBF system demonstrated more uniform distribution of storey drifts, reduced base shear, and a larger energy dissipation capacity per unit drift. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of plastic energy dissipation capacity of steel beams suffering ductile fracture under various loading histories

The energy dissipation capacity of a structure is a very important index that indicates the structural performance in energy‐based seismic design. This index depends greatly on the structural components that form the whole system. Owing to the wide use of the strong‐column weak‐beam strength hierarchy where steel beams dissipate the majority of earthquake input energy to the structures, it is necessary to evaluate the energy dissipation capacity of the beams. Under cyclic loadings such as seismic effects, the damage of the beams accumulates. Therefore, loading history is known to be the most pivotal factor influencing the deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the beams. Seismic loadings with significantly different characteristics are applied to structural beams during different types of earthquakes and there is no unique appropriate loading protocol that can represent all types of seismic loadings. This paper focuses on the effects of various loading histories on the deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the beams. Cyclic loading tests of steel beams were performed. In addition, some experimental results from published tests were also collected to form a database. This database was used to evaluate the energy dissipation capacity of steel beams suffering from ductile fracture under various loading histories. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on a new shear wall system with shaking table test and finite element analysis

A new seismic energy dissipation shear wall structure is proposed in this paper. The new shear wall is one with purposely built‐in vertical slits within the wall panel, and rubber belts as seismic energy dissipation devices are installed in the vertical slits. In order to verify this concept, shaking table tests of a 10‐storey shear wall model with rubber belts filled in the vertical slits were carried out, and comparison of seismic behaviour was made between the new shear wall system and a shear wall with reinforced concrete connecting beams as energy dissipation. Furthermore, the seismic behaviour of this new shear wall is analysed by a finite element time history analysis method. The test and analysis show that the new shear wall system has a very good ability to dissipate seismic energy and is easy to use in engineering practice. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conceptual study of X-braced frames with different steel grades using cyclic half-scale tests

In this paper,an experimental and analytical study of two half-scale steel X-braced frames with equal nominal shear strength under cyclic loading is described.In these tests,all members except the braces are similar.The braces are made of various steel grades to monitor the effects of seismic excitation.Internal stiffeners are employed to limit the local buckling and increase the fracture life of the steel bracing.A heavy central core is introduced at the intersection of the braces to decrease their effective length.Recent seismic specifications are considered in the design of the X-braced frame members to verify their efficiency.The failure modes of the X-braced frames are also illustrated.It is observed that the energy dissipation capacity,ultimate load capacity and ductility of the system increase considerably by using lower grade steel and proposed detailing.Analytical modeling of the specimens using nonlinear finite element software supports the experimental findings.     

Seismic retrofitting with buckling restrained braces: Application to an existing non-ductile RC framed building

This paper assesses the seismic performance of typical reinforced concrete (RC) existing framed structures designed for gravity loads only. The sample two-storey structural system exhibits high vulnerability, i.e. low lateral resistance and limited translation ductility; hence an effective strategy scheme for seismic retrofitting was deemed necessary. Such a scheme comprises buckling restrained braces (BRBs) placed along the perimeter frames of the multi-storey building. The adopted design approach assumes that the global response of the inelastic framed structure is the sum of the elastic frame (primary system) and the system comprising perimeter diagonal braces (secondary system); the latter braces absorb and dissipate a large amount of hysteretic energy under earthquake ground motions. Comprehensive nonlinear static (pushover) and dynamic (response history) analyses were carried out for both the as-built and retrofitted structures to investigate the efficiency of the adopted intervention strategy. A set of seven code-compliant natural earthquake records was selected and employed to perform inelastic response history analyses at serviceability (operational and damageability limit states, OLS and DLS) and ultimate limit states (life safety and collapse prevention limit states, LSLS and CPLS). Both global and local lateral displacements are notably reduced after the seismic retrofit of the existing system. In the as-built structure, the damage is primarily concentrated at the second floor (storey mechanism); the computed interstorey drifts are 2.43% at CPLS and 1.92% at LSLS for modal distribution of lateral forces. Conversely, for the retrofitted system, the estimated values of interstorey drifts (d/h) are halved; the maximum d/h are 0.84% at CPLS (along the Y-direction) and 0.65% at LSLS (yet along the Y-direction). The values of the global overstrength Ω vary between 2.14 and 2.54 for the retrofitted structure; similarly, the translation ductility μ_Δ-values range between 2.07 and 2.36. The response factor (R- or q-factor) is on average equal to 5.0. It is also found that, for the braced frame, under moderate-to-high magnitude earthquakes, the average period elongation is about 30%, while for the existing building the elongation is negligible (lower than 5%). The inelastic response of the existing structure is extremely limited. Conversely, BRBs are effective to enhance the ductility and energy dissipation of the sample as-built structural system. Extensive nonlinear dynamic analyses showed that more than 60% of input seismic energy is dissipated by the BRBs at ultimate limit states. The estimated maximum axial ductility of the braces is about 10; the latter value of translation ductility is compliant with BRBs available on the market. At DLS, the latter devices exhibit an elastic behaviour. It can thus be concluded that, under moderate and high magnitude earthquakes, the damage is concentrated in the added dampers and the response of the existing RC framed structure (bare frame) is chiefly elastic.     

Impact of seismic excitation characteristics on the efficiency of tuned liquid column dampers

Various types of passive control systems have been used to suppress the seismic response of structures in recent years. Among these systems, Tuned Liquid Column Dampers （TLCDs） dissipate the input earthquake energy by combining the effects of the movement of the liquid mass in the container, the restoring force on the liquid due to the gravity loads and the damping due to the liquid movement through orifices. In this study, the effects of seismic excitation characteristics such as frequency content and soil condition on the seismic performance of TLCDs are investigated using nonlinear time-history analyses. In this regard, among the past earthquake ground motion records of Iran, 16 records with different parameters were selected. In the structural model developed, the attached TLCD is simulated as a Tuned Mass Damper （TMD） having the same vibration period and damping ratio as the original TLCD. The numerical results show that the seismic excitation characteristics have a substantial role on the displacement reduction capability of TLCDs and they should be considered accordingly in the design of TLCDs.     

ASEISMIC CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN METHOD FOR MULTI-STOREY COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Using a newly introduced ductile low-rise shear wall with vertical keyways, a seismic resistance design approach for a practical type of composite structure, which consists of a reinforced concrete frame in the bottom floors and masonry structures in the upper floors, has been presented. The purpose of the new design approach is to improve the earthquake resistance of the whole structure by increasing the energy dissipation capacity in the bottom part of the structure. Non-linear analysis shows that, by adopting the newly proposed ductile low-rise shear wall in the bottom of the structure, the lateral deflection of the structure is not much more than that of a structure using conventional solid low-rise shear walls under a small or moderate earthquake excitation, and that even under the attack of a severe earthquake, a stable structural response can be expected for the proposed structure. Thus it is easy for such a structure to achieve the design objective of ‘minor damage in a small earthquake and prevention of collapse in a severe earthquake’ and the design method is of practical value for similar types of composite structures.     

滑移摩擦隔震系统在多向地面运动作用下的试验研究

基础隔震通常只考虑隔离水平地面运动，而对竖向地面运动的影响注意不够，本文进行了滑移摩擦隔震系统的振动台房屋模型试验，研究多向地面运动输入时上部结构反应和隔震系统的性能，试验中分别对模型输入了不同方向的地震动，其中包括水平单向、水平双向、水平和竖向及三向地震动输入，对试验结果进行了分析比较，结果表明竖向地震动输入对上部结构的水平地震反应有显著影响，同时在橡胶隔震支座中产生了竖向拉力。     

Development of elasto-plastic viscous damper finite element model for reinforced concrete frames

By advancing the technologies regarding seismic control of structures and development of earthquake resistance systems in the past decades application of different types of earthquake energy dissipation system has incredibly increased. Viscous damper device as a famous and the simplest earthquake energy dissipation system is implemented in many new structures and numerous number of researches have been done on the performance of viscous dampers in structures subjected to earthquake. The experience of recent severe earthquakes indicates that sometimes the earthquake energy dissipation devices are damaged during earthquakes and there is no function for structural control system. So, damage of earthquake energy dissipation systems such as viscous damper device must be considered during design of earthquake resistance structures.This paper demonstrates the development of three-dimensional elasto-plastic viscous damper element consisting of elastic damper in the middle part and two plastic hinges at both ends of the element which are compatible with the constitutive model to reinforce concrete structures and are capable to detect failure and damage in viscous damper device connections during earthquake excitation. The finite element model consists of reinforced concrete frame element and viscous damper element is developed and special finite element algorithm using Newmark׳s direct step-by-step integration is developed for inelastic dynamic analysis of structure with supplementary elasto-plastic viscous damper element. So based on all the developed components an especial finite computer program has been codified for “Nonlinear Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Buildings with Earthquake Energy Dissipation System”. The evaluation of seismic response of structure and damage detection in structural members and damper device was carried out by 3D modeling, of 3 story reinforced concrete frame building under earthquake multi-support excitation.     

Shaking table tests on reinforced concrete frames without and with passive control systems

An extensive experimental program of shaking table tests on reduced‐scale structural models was carried out within the activities of the MANSIDE project, for the development of new seismic isolation and energy dissipation devices based on shape memory alloys (SMAs). The aim of the experimental program was to compare the behaviour of structures endowed with innovative SMA‐based devices to the behaviour of conventional structures and of structures endowed with currently used passive control systems. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the main results of the shaking table tests carried out on the models with and without special braces. Two different types of energy dissipating and re‐centring braces have been considered to enhance the seismic performances of the tested model. They are based on the hysteretic properties of steel elements and on the superelastic properties of SMAs, respectively. The addition of passive control braces in the reinforced concrete frame resulted in significant benefits on the overall seismic behaviour. The seismic intensity producing structural collapse was considerably raised, interstorey drifts and shear forces in columns were drastically reduced. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

两种摩擦耗能器的比较试验研究

对两种不同形式的摩擦耗能器进行了低周反复荷载试验。工其工作性能和耗能性能，并进行了带有不同摩擦片和不带摩擦片的对比试验，分析了影响耗能器性能的因素，试验结果表明，摩擦耗能支撑具有稳定的滞回性能和极好的耗能能力，摩擦片的类型与性能对摩擦耗能支撑的性能有较大的影响。