Hybrid experimental performance of a full‐scale two‐story buckling‐restrained braced RC frame

This paper proposes a novel implementation of buckling‐restrained braces (BRB) in new reinforced concrete (RC) frame construction. Seismic design and analysis methods for using a proposed steel cast‐in anchor bracket (CAB) to transfer normal and shear forces between the BRB and RC members are investigated. A full‐scale two‐story RC frame with BRBs (BRB‐RCF) is tested using hybrid and cyclic loading test procedures. The BRBs were arranged in a zigzag configuration and designed to resist 70% of the story shear. The gusset design incorporates the BRB axial and RCF actions, while the beam and column members comply with ACI 318‐14 seismic design provisions. Test results confirm that the BRBs enhanced the RCF stiffness, strength, and ductility. The hysteresis energy dissipation ratios in the four hybrid tests range from 60% to 94% in the two stories, indicating that BRBs can effectively dissipate seismic input energy. When the inter‐story drift ratio for both stories reached 3.5% in the cyclic loading test, the overall lateral force versus deformation response was still very stable. No failure of the proposed steel CABs and RC discontinuity regions was observed. This study demonstrates that the proposed design and construction methods for the CABs are effective and practical for real applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

建筑物震害空间分布模拟GIS方法

提出了一个基于GIS技术的建筑物震害空间分布模拟方法，该方法首先利用GIS的模拟活化技术把地震影响场，建筑震害预测等分析模型形成可供空间分析使用的二次数据，并纳入城市基础数据库之中，构成综合基础数据库。然后利用GIS把多重空间数据进行空间复合，给出城市建筑物震害的空间分布及其统计特征，并识别出城市建筑物的重灾区。最后利用东营市建筑区为例，说明该方法的实用性和有效性。     

Base isolation for retrofitting historic buildings: Evaluation of seismic performance through experimental investigation

An experimental test program on a full‐scale model representing a sub‐assemblage of the cloister facade of the Sao Vicente de Fora monastery, retrofitted through base isolation, has been recently carried out at the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. In this paper an overview of the laboratory model and the experimental results is provided. In particular, firstly the test model is described, including the geometry and mechanical properties of the masonry specimen and the design of the isolation devices; then the testing method and the sub‐structuring of the isolation system are described and the seismic inputs adopted for the pseudo‐dynamic tests are defined. Finally, the experimental results are discussed and compared to the analogous results obtained on the ‘as is’, fixed‐base sub‐assemblage model. The implications of the test outcomes are emphasized and developments of this research line are presented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic design and hybrid tests of a full‐scale three‐story buckling‐restrained braced frame using welded end connections and thin profile

A series of hybrid and cyclic loading tests were conducted on a three‐story single‐bay full‐scale buckling‐restrained braced frame (BRBF) at the Taiwan National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in 2010. Six buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) including two thin BRBs and four end‐slotted BRBs, all using welded end connection details, were installed in the frame specimen. The BRBF was designed to sustain a design basis earthquake in Los Angeles. In the first hybrid test, the maximum inter‐story drift reached nearly 0.030 rad in the second story and one of the thin BRBs in the first story locally bulged and fractured subsequently before the test ended. After replacing the BRBs in the first story with a new pair, a second hybrid test with the same but reversed direction ground motion was applied. The maximum inter‐story drifts reached more than 0.030 rad and some cracks were found on the gusset welds in the second story. The frame responses were satisfactorily predicted by both OpenSees and PISA3D analytical models. The cyclic loading test with triangular lateral force distribution was conducted right after the second hybrid test. The maximum inter‐story drift reached 0.032, 0.031, and 0.008 rad for the first to the third story, respectively. This paper then presents the findings on the local bulging failure of the steel casing by using cyclic test results of two thin BRB specimens. It is found that the steel casing bulging resistance can be computed from an equivalent beam model constructed from the steel core plate width and restraining concrete thickness. This paper concludes with the recommendations on the seismic design of thin BRB steel casings against local bulging failure. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of a capacity spectrum seismic design approach against cyclic and seismic experiments on full‐scale precast RC structures

Within the last decades, simplified methods alternative to dynamic nonlinear analysis have been developed to estimate the seismic performance of structures toward a performance‐oriented design. Considering drift as the main parameter correlated with structural damage, its estimation is of main importance to assess the structural performance. While traditional force‐based design deals with calibrated force reduction factors based on the expected structural ductility, other methods are based on the definition of a viscous damping factor defined as a function of the expected energy dissipated by the structure. An example is the capacity spectrum method. This method can be applied even without any a priori calibration or designer arbitrariness. This allows considering several peculiarities of the seismic behavior of precast structures, which may be influenced by nontraditional hysteresis of connections and members, interaction with the cladding panels, P‐δ effects, etc. The paper aims at verifying the soundness and accuracy of this method through the comparison of its predictions against the results of cyclic and pseudodynamic tests on precast structures, including single‐ and multistory buildings either stiff or flexible, obtained on full‐scale building prototypes tested within the framework of recent research projects (namely, “Precast Structures EC8,” “Safecast,” and “Safecladding”). Two simple methodologies of determination of the equivalent viscous damping from a force‐displacement cycle, based on the dissipated energy in relation to 2 different estimates of the elastic strain energy, are addressed and compared. Comments on the possible use of this procedure for the estimation of the seismic performance of precast structures are provided.     

Closed‐form solution for seismic response of adjacent buildings with linear quadratic Gaussian controllers

Closed‐form solution for seismic response of adjacent buildings connected by hydraulic actuators with linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controllers is presented in this paper. The equations of motion of actively controlled adjacent buildings against earthquake are first established. The complex modal superposition method is then used to determine dynamic characteristics, including modal damping ratio, of actively controlled adjacent buildings. The closed‐form solution for seismic response of the system is finally derived in terms of the complex dynamic characteristics, the pseudo‐excitation method and the residue theorem. By using the closed‐form solution, extensive parametric studies can be carried out for the system of many degrees of freedom. The beneficial parameters of LQG controllers for achieving the maximum response reduction of both buildings using reasonable control forces can be identified. The effectiveness of LQG controllers for this particular application is evaluated in this study. The results show that for the adjacent buildings of different dynamic properties, if the parameters of LQG controllers are selected appropriately, the modal damping ratios of the system can be significantly increased and the seismic responses of both buildings can be considerably reduced. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A methodology for defining seismic scenario‐structure‐based limit state criteria for rc high‐rise wall buildings using net drift

As a result of population growth and consequent urbanization, the number of high‐rise buildings is rapidly growing worldwide resulting in increased exposure to multiple‐scenario earthquakes and associated risk. The wide range in frequency contents of possible strong ground motions can have an impact on the seismic response, vulnerability and limit states definitions of RC high‐rise wall structures. Motivated by the pressing need to derive more accurate fragility relations to be used in seismic risk assessment and mitigation of such structures, a methodology is proposed to obtain reliable, Seismic Scenario‐Structure‐Based (SSSB) definitions of limit state criteria. A 30‐story wall building, located in a multi‐seismic scenario study region, is utilized to illustrate the methodology. The building is designed following modern codes and then modeled using nonlinear fiber‐based approach. Uncertainty in ground motions is accounted for by the selection of forty real earthquake records representing two seismic scenarios. Seismic scenario‐based building local response at increasing earthquake intensities is mapped using Multi‐Record Incremental Dynamic Analyses (MRIDAs) with a new scalar intensity measure. Net Inter‐Story Drift (NISD) is selected as a global damage measure based on a parametric study involving seven buildings ranging from 20 to 50 stories. This damage measure is used to link local damage events, including shear, to global response under different seismic scenarios. While the study concludes by proposing SSSB limit state criteria for the sample building, the proposed methodology arrives at a reliable definition of limit state criteria for an inventory of RC high‐rise wall buildings under multiple earthquake scenarios. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large‐scale real‐time hybrid simulation of a three‐story steel frame building with magneto‐rheological dampers

A series of large‐scale real‐time hybrid simulations (RTHSs) are conducted on a 0.6‐scale 3‐story steel frame building with magneto‐rheological (MR) dampers. The lateral force resisting system of the prototype building for the study consists of moment resisting frames and damped brace frames (DBFs). The experimental substructure for the RTHS is the DBF with the MR dampers, whereas the remaining structural components of the building including the moment resisting frame and gravity frames are modeled via a nonlinear analytical substructure. Performing RTHS with an experimental substructure that consists of the complete DBF enables the effects of member and connection component deformations on system and damper performance to be accurately accounted for. Data from these tests enable numerical simulation models to be calibrated, provide an understanding and validation of the in‐situ performance of MR dampers, and a means of experimentally validating performance‐based seismic design procedures for real structures. The details of the RTHS procedure are given, including the test setup, the integration algorithm, and actuator control. The results from a series of RTHS are presented that includes actuator control, damper behavior, and the structural response for different MR control laws. The use of the MR dampers is experimentally demonstrated to reduce the response of the structure to strong ground motions. Comparisons of the RTHS results are made with numerical simulations. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that RTHS can be conducted on realistic structural systems with dampers to enable advancements in resilient earthquake resistant design to be achieved. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bidirectional substructure pseudo‐dynamic tests and analysis of a full‐scale two‐story buckling‐restrained braced frame

A two‐story buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) frame was tested under bidirectional in‐plane and out‐of‐plane loading to evaluate the BRB stability and gusset plate design. The test comprised pseudo‐dynamic loadings using the 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake scaled to the 50%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years and a cyclic regime of increasing amplitudes of up to 3.0% story drift ratio (SDR). The specimen had a unique configuration where the beams were connected to the columns through shear tabs welded to the column flanges and bolted to the beam webs. Stable hysteretic behavior with only minor cracking at the gusset‐to‐column welds was observed under the pseudo‐dynamic tests, with maximum in‐plane and out‐of‐plane SDRs of 2.24% and 1.47% respectively. Stable behavior continued into the cyclic test where fracture of the gusset‐to‐column welds occurred in the first cycle to simultaneous bidirectional SDR of 3.0%. The observed BRB stability is consistent with a methodology developed for BRB frames under simultaneous in‐plane and out‐of‐plane drifts. The specimen behavior was studied using a finite element model. It was shown that gusset plates are subjected to a combination of BRB force and frame action demands, with the latter increasing the gusset‐to‐beam and gusset‐to‐column interface demands by an average of 69% and 83% respectively. Consistent with the test results, failure at the gusset‐to‐column interfaces is computed when frame action demands are included, thus confirming that not considering frame action demands may results in unconservative gusset plate designs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shaking‐table tests of a full‐scale single‐story masonry veneer wood‐frame structure

This paper presents the findings of shaking‐table experiments conducted to examine the seismic performance of a full‐scale, one‐story, wood‐framed structure with masonry veneer. The structure was designed and constructed in accordance with current U.S. code provisions. The veneer was attached to the wood backing with two kinds of metal anchors, corrugated ties fastened with 8d nails and rigid ties fastened with #8 screws. The tests have shown that the use of nails to fasten veneer anchors to the wood studs is highly unreliable due to the high variation of the nail extraction capacity, which can be influenced by the moisture content of the wood. Other than this, both the wood frame and the masonry veneer performed well under severe ground motions far exceeding a design level earthquake for Seismic Design Category D. Good performance was observed for the rigid veneer ties, which were attached to the wood studs with screws. The results have shown that the veneer walls parallel to the direction of shaking helped to restrain the motion of the wood structure and therefore should not be simply treated as added mass. The detailing of wood roof diaphragms requires special attention in consideration of the out‐of‐plane inertia force of the veneer that can be transmitted through the top plate of the wood‐stud wall to the rim joist. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conceptual design and full‐scale experimentation of cladding panel connection systems of precast buildings

Despite the long series of European research projects that has led to the setting of fully reliable seismic design criteria for precast structures, recent earthquakes have shown that a weak point still exists in the proportioning of the connection systems of cladding wall panels. Following this finding, this paper outlines an organic setting of the design problem of precast concrete structures including cladding–structure interaction and describes three possible solutions, namely, the isostatic, integrated, and dissipative systems. The related fastening arrangements, with the use of existing and innovative connection devices, are also described. This paper comments on the results of the pseudo‐dynamic and cyclic tests performed at ELSA Laboratory of the European Joint Research Centre of Ispra (Italy) on a full‐scale prototype of precast structure. The conception and the experimental performance of the structure with nine different configurations of either vertical or horizontal wall panel claddings are presented. The analysis of the results highlights the effectiveness of the different solutions in a comparative way. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large‐scale real‐time hybrid simulation involving multiple experimental substructures and adaptive actuator delay compensation

Real‐time hybrid simulation provides a viable method to experimentally evaluate the performance of structural systems subjected to earthquakes. The structural system is divided into substructures, where part of the system is modeled by experimental substructures, whereas the remaining part is modeled analytically. The displacements in a real‐time hybrid simulation are imposed by servo‐hydraulic actuators to the experimental substructures. Actuator delay compensation has been shown by numerous researchers to vitally achieve reliable real‐time hybrid simulation results. Several studies have been performed on servo‐hydraulic actuator delay compensation involving single experimental substructure with single actuator. Research on real‐time hybrid simulation involving multiple experimental substructures, however, is limited. The effect of actuator delay during a real‐time hybrid simulation with multiple experimental substructures presents challenges. The restoring forces from experimental substructures may be coupled to two or more degrees of freedom (DOF) of the structural system, and the delay in each actuator must be adequately compensated. This paper first presents a stability analysis of actuator delay for real‐time hybrid simulation of a multiple‐DOF linear elastic structure to illustrate the effect of coupled DOFs on the stability of the simulation. An adaptive compensation method then proposed for the stable and accurate control of multiple actuators for a real‐time hybrid simulation. Real‐time hybrid simulation of a two‐story four‐bay steel moment‐resisting frame with large‐scale magneto‐rheological dampers in passive‐on mode subjected to the design basis earthquake is used to experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the compensation method in minimizing actuator delay in multiple experimental substructures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computation of bridge seismic fragility by large‐scale simulation for probabilistic resilience analysis

Seismic resilience of structures and infrastructure systems is a fast developing concept in the field of disaster management, promoting communities that are resistant and quickly recoverable in case of an extreme event. In this contest, probabilistic seismic demand and fragility analyses are two key elements of the seismic resilience assessment in the majority of the proposed methodologies. Several techniques are available to calculate fragility curves for different types of structures. In particular, to assess the seismic performance of the regional transportation infrastructure, methods for the fragility curve estimation for entire classes of bridges are required. These methods usually rely on a set of assumptions, partially because of the limited information. Other assumptions were introduced at the time when computational resources were inadequate for a purely numerical approach and closed‐form solutions were a convenient alternative. For instance, some of these popular assumptions are aimed at simplifying the model of the engineering demand. In this paper, a simulation‐based methodology is proposed, to take advantage of the computational resources widely available today and avoid such assumptions on the demand. The resulting increase in accuracy is estimated on a typical class of bridges (multi‐span simply supported). Most importantly, the quantitative impact of the assumptions is assessed in the context of a life‐cycle loss estimation analysis and resilience analysis. The results show that some assumptions preserve an acceptable level of accuracy, but others introduce a considerable error in the fragility curves and, in turn, in the expected resilience and life‐cycle losses of the structure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and validation of a metallic haunch seismic retrofit solution for existing under‐designed RC frame buildings

The feasibility and efficiency of a seismic retrofit solution for existing reinforced concrete frame systems, designed before the introduction of modern seismic‐oriented design codes in the mid 1970s, is conceptually presented and experimentally investigated. A diagonal metallic haunch system is introduced at the beam–column connections to protect the joint panel zone from extensive damage and brittle shear mechanisms, while inverting the hierarchy of strength within the beam–column subassemblies and forming a plastic hinge in the beam. A complete step‐by‐step design procedure is suggested for the proposed retrofit strategy to achieve the desired reversal of strength hierarchy. Analytical formulations of the internal force flow at the beam–column‐joint level are derived for the retrofitted joints. The study is particularly focused on exterior beam–column joints, since it is recognized that they are the most vulnerable, due to their lack of a reliable joint shear transfer mechanism. Results from an experimental program carried out to validate the concept and the design procedure are also presented. The program consisted of quasi‐static cyclic tests on four exterior, ? scaled, beam–column joint subassemblies, typical of pre‐1970 construction practice using plain round bars with end‐hooks, with limited joint transverse reinforcement and detailed without capacity design considerations. The first (control specimen) emulated the as‐built connection while the three others incorporated the proposed retrofitted configurations. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed solution for upgrading non‐seismically designed RC frames and also confirmed the applicability of the proposed design procedure and of the analytical derivations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A macro‐model with nonlinear springs for seismic analysis of URM buildings

Seismic assessment of existing unreinforced masonry buildings represents a current challenge in structural engineering. Many historical masonry buildings in earthquake regions were not designed to withstand seismic loading; thus, these structures often do not meet the basic safety requirements recommended by current seismic codes and need to be strengthened considering the results from realistic structural analysis. This paper presents an efficient modelling strategy for representing the nonlinear response of unreinforced masonry components under in‐plane cyclic loading, which can be used for practical and accurate seismic assessment of masonry buildings. According to the proposed strategy, generic masonry perforated walls are modelled using an equivalent frame approach, where each masonry component is described utilising multi‐spring nonlinear elements connected by rigid links. When modelling piers and spandrels, nonlinear springs are placed at the two ends of the masonry element for describing the flexural behaviour and in the middle for representing the response in shear. Specific hysteretic rules allowing for degradation of stiffness and strength are then used for modelling the member response under cyclic loading. The accuracy and the significant potential of the proposed modelling approach are shown in several numerical examples, including comparisons against experimental results and the nonlinear dynamic analysis of a building structure. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Code‐based record selection methods for seismic performance assessment of buildings

The recent concerns regarding the seismic safety of the existing building stock have highlighted the need for an improvement of current seismic assessment procedures. Alongside with the development of more advanced commercial software tools and computational capacities, nonlinear dynamic analysis is progressively becoming a common and preferable procedure in the seismic assessment of buildings. Besides the complexity associated with the formulation of the mathematical model, major issues arise related with the definition of the seismic action, which can lead to different levels of uncertainty in terms of local and global building response. Aiming to address this issue, a comparative study of different code‐based record selection methods proposed by Eurocode 8, ASCE41‐13 and NZS1170.5:2004 is presented herein. The various methods are employed in the seismic assessment of four steel buildings, designed according to different criteria, and the obtained results are compared and discussed. Special attention is devoted to the influence of the number of real ground motion records selected on the estimation of the mean seismic response and, importantly, to the efficiency that is achieved when an additional selection criteria, based on the control of the spectral mismatch of each individual record with respect to the reference response spectrum, is adopted. The sufficiency of the methods with respect to the pairs of M–R of the selected group of records and the robustness of the scaling procedure are also examined. The paper closes with a study which demonstrates the suitability of a simplified probability‐based approach recently proposed for estimating mean seismic demands. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design and full‐scale experimental evaluation of a seismically endurant steel buckling‐restrained brace system

This paper presents the results of 12 full‐scale tests on buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) specimens. A simple‐to‐fabricate all‐steel encasing joined by high‐strength bolts was used as the buckling‐restrainer mechanism. Steel BRBs offer significant energy dissipation capability through nondeteriorating inelastic response of an internal ductile core. However, seismic performance of BRBs is characterized by interaction between several factors. In this experimental study, the effects of core‐restrainer interfacial condition, gap size, loading history, bolt spacing, and restraining capacity are evaluated. A simple hinge detail is introduced at the brace ends to reduce the flexural demand on the framing components. Tested specimens with bare steel contact surfaces exhibited satisfactory performance under the American Institute of Steel Construction qualification test protocol. The BRBs with friction‐control self‐adhesive polymer liners and a graphite‐based dry lubricant displayed larger cumulative inelastic ductility under large‐amplitude cyclic loading, exceeding current code minimum requirements. The BRB system is also examined under repeated fast‐rate seismic deformation history. This system showed significant ductility capacity and remarkable endurance under dynamic loading. Furthermore, performance is qualified under long‐duration loading history from subduction zone's megathrust type of earthquake. Predictable and stable performance of the proposed hinge detail was confirmed by the test results. Internally imposed normal thrust on the restrainer is measured using series of instrumented bolts. Weak‐ and strong‐axis buckling responses of the core are examined. Higher post‐yield stiffness was achieved when the latter governed, which could be advantageous to the overall seismic response of braced frames incorporating BRBs.     

Seismic response of 20‐story base‐isolated and fixed‐base reinforced concrete structural wall buildings at a near‐fault site

This paper investigates numerically the seismic response of six seismically base‐isolated (BI) 20‐story reinforced concrete buildings and compares their response to that of a fixed‐base (FB) building with a similar structural system above ground. Located in Berkeley, California, 2 km from the Hayward fault, the buildings are designed with a core wall that provides most of the lateral force resistance above ground. For the BI buildings, the following are investigated: two isolation systems (both implemented below a three‐story basement), isolation periods equal to 4, 5, and 6 s, and two levels of flexural strength of the wall. The first isolation system combines tension‐resistant friction pendulum bearings and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers (NFVDs); the second combines low‐friction tension‐resistant crosslinear bearings, lead‐rubber bearings, and NFVDs. The designs of all buildings satisfy ASCE 7‐10 requirements, except that one component of horizontal excitation, is used in the 2D nonlinear response history analysis. Analysis is performed for a set of ground motions scaled to the design earthquake and to the maximum considered earthquake (MCE). At both the design earthquake and the MCE, the FB building develops large inelastic deformations and shear forces in the wall and large floor accelerations. At the MCE, four of the BI buildings experience nominally elastic response of the wall, with floor accelerations and shear forces being 0.25 to 0.55 times those experienced by the FB building. The response of the FB and four of the BI buildings to four unscaled historical pulse‐like near‐fault ground motions is also studied. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic FE simulation of four‐story steel frame modeled by solid elements and its validation using results of full‐scale shake‐table test

Dynamic finite element analyses of a four‐story steel building frame modeled as a fine mesh of solid elements are performed using E‐Simulator, which is a parallel finite element analysis software package for precisely simulating collapse behaviors of civil and building structures. E‐Simulator is under development at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED), Japan. A full‐scale shake‐table test for a four‐story frame was conducted using E‐Defense at NIED, which is the largest shaking table in the world. A mesh of the entire structure of a four‐story frame with approximately 19 million degrees of freedom is constructed using solid elements. The density of the mesh is determined by referring to the results of elastic–plastic buckling analyses of a column of the frame using meshes of different densities. Therefore, the analysis model of the frame is well verified. Seismic response analyses under 60, 100, and 115% excitations of the JR Takatori record of the 1995 Hyogoken‐Nanbu earthquake are performed. Note that the simulation does not reproduce the collapse under the 100% excitation of the Takatori record in the E‐Defense test. Therefore, simulations for the 115% case are also performed. The results obtained by E‐Simulator are compared with those obtained by the E‐Defense full‐scale test in order to validate the results obtained by E‐Simulator. The shear forces and interstory drift angles of the first story obtained by the simulation and the test are in good agreement. Both the response of the entire frame and the local deformation as a result of elastic–plastic buckling are simulated simultaneously using E‐Simulator. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical study of a full‐scale six‐story reinforced concrete wall‐frame structure tested at E‐Defense

A full‐scale shake table test on a six‐story reinforced concrete wall frame structure was carried out at E‐Defense, the world's largest three‐dimensional earthquake simulation facility, in January 2006. Story collapse induced from shear failure of shear critical members (e.g., short columns and shear walls) was successfully produced in the test. Insights gained into the seismic behavior of a full‐scale specimen subjected to severe earthquake loads are presented in this paper. To reproduce the collapse process of the specimen and evaluate the ability of analytical tools to predict post‐peak behavior, numerical simulation was also conducted, modeling the seismic behavior of each member with different kinds of models, which differ primarily in their ability to simulate strength decay. Simulated results showed good agreement with the strength‐degrading features observed in post‐peak regions where shear failure of members and concentrated deformation occurred in the first story. The simulated results tended to underestimate observed values such as maximum base shear and maximum displacement. The effects of member model characteristics, torsional response, and earthquake load dimensions (i.e., three‐dimensional effects) on the collapse process of the specimen were also investigated through comprehensive dynamic analyses, which highlighted the following seismic characteristics of the full‐scale specimen: (i) a model that is incapable of simulating a specimen's strength deterioration is inadequate to simulate the post‐peak behavior of the specimen; (ii) the torsional response generated from uniaxial eccentricity in the longitudinal direction was more significant in the elastic range than in the inelastic range; and (iii) three‐dimensional earthquake loads (X–Y–Z axes) generated larger maximum displacement than any other loading cases such as two‐dimensional (X–Y or Y–Z axes) or one‐dimensional (Y axis only) excitation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.