Identification of damage in reinforced concrete structures from earthquake records- optimal location of sensors

A method for the localization of structural damage in seismically excited reinforced concrete (RC) structures using a measured acceleration response time series is presented. From the measured response of some or all storeys, the two lowest smoothed eigenfrequencies and mode shape coordinates are estimated. These estimated values are used as an input to a developed substructure iteration method where local storey damages are estimated in such a way that these smoothed values are reproduced. The local damage indicator of a substructure is defined as the average reduction of the stiffness matrix of the initial undamaged substructure. The method is applied to simulated data of a six-storey, two-bay test frame (scale 1:5) that is to be tested at the Structural Laboratory of Aalborg University, Denmark. The simulations are performed using the non-linear finite element program SARCOF. Special emphasis is put on the investigation of the optimal location of measurement sensors, i.e. at which locations along the structure is the most information about the damage distribution gained. In all cases it is assumed that measurements are performed at top storey and ground surface, and the investigations are concentrated on putting one or two more measurement points in between. The two cases where the structure is excited in the first and second mode are investigated, and it is found that in general the sensors should be placed in the lower part of the structure. Furthermore, it is found that the method provides good results even when only the measurements at top storey and ground surface are used.     

Pseudo‐dynamic seismic response of reinforced concrete frames infilled with non‐structural brick masonry

This paper presents pseudo‐dynamic test results on the in‐plane seismic behaviour of infilled frames. Thirteen single‐storey, single‐bay, half‐size‐scale, reinforced concrete‐frame specimens, most of which infilled with non‐structural masonry made of perforated bricks and cement mortar are tested. The infills are in contact with frames, without any connector; openings are not covered. The frames are different in their strength and details, reinforcement grade, and aspect ratio. Seismic input is the 1976 Tolmezzo (Friuli, Italy) ground acceleration, to which specimens are subjected two times: virgin and damaged by the previous test. The global seismic response of initially virgin infilled specimens considerably differs from that of bare specimens. This follows a dramatic change of properties: compared to a bare frame, the initial stiffness increases by one order of magnitude, and the peak strength more than doubles. The peak drift lessens; however, the displacement ductility demand does not. The energy demand is greater. Nevertheless, the influence of infill decreases as damage proceeds. Displacement time histories of damaged specimens are quite similar. At the local level, infill causes asymmetry and concentration of the frame deformation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Midbroken reinforced concrete shear frames due to earthquakes. A hysteretic model to quantify damage at the storey level

A nonlinear hysteretic model for the response and local damage analyses of reinforced concrete shear frames subject to earthquake excitation is proposed, and, the model is applied to analyse midbroken reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to earthquake loads. Each storey of the shear frame is represented by a Clough and Johnston hysteretic oscillator with degrading elastic fraction of the restoring force. The local damage is numerically quantified in the domain [0,1] using the maximum softening damage indicators which are defined in closed form based on the variation of the eigenfrequency of the local oscillators due to the local stiffness and strength deterioration. The proposed method of response and damage analyses is illustrated using a sample 5 storey shear frame with a weak third storey in stiffness and/or strength subject to sinusoidal and simulated earthquake excitations for which the horizontal component of the ground motion is modeled as a stationary Gaussian stochastic process with Kanai-Tajimi spectrum, multiplied by an envelope function.     

C F RP加固震损钢筋混凝土框架结构的抗整体性倒塌能力分析

首先介绍了CFRP加固受损钢筋混凝土柱的数值模拟方法,通过OpenSees软件进行了建模分析,数值模拟结果与试验结果的对比验证了该数值模型的有效性;其次,对一6层钢筋混凝土框架以受极罕遇地震影响进行预损,采用损伤指数和折减系数的方法建立震损钢筋混凝土框架的分析模型,并选择5种不同的CFRP加固方案对其进行加固;最后,对CFRP加固的震损RC框架进行增量动力分析。定量的评价了CFRP加固震损RC框架的抗整体性倒塌能力和抗倒塌安全储备。结果表明:CFRP加固能有效提高震损钢筋混凝土框架结构的抗震性能。加固部位的选择对加固效果的影响很大,在所选用的5种CFRP加固方案中,对底层及第2层的梁柱进行加固的方案对提高震损钢筋混凝土框架的抗整体性倒塌能力效果最佳。     

Seismic reliability of steel moment resisting framed buildings retrofitted with buckling restrained braces

The present paper investigates the seismic reliability of the application of buckling restrained braces (BRBs) for seismic retrofitting of steel moment resisting framed buildings through fragility analysis. Samples of regular three‐storey and eight‐storey steel moment resisting frames were designed with lateral stiffness insufficient to comply with the code drift limitations imposed for steel moment resisting frame systems in earthquake‐prone regions. The frames were then retrofitted with concentrically chevron conventional braces and BRBs. To obtain robust estimators of the seismic reliability, a database including a wide range of natural earthquake ground motion records with markedly different characteristics was used in the fragility analysis. Nonlinear time history analyses were utilized to analyze the structures subjected to these earthquake records. The improvement of seismic reliability achieved through the use of conventional braces and BRBs was evaluated by comparing the fragility curves of the three‐storey and eight‐storey model frames before and after retrofits, considering the probabilities of four distinct damage states. Moreover, the feasibility of mitigating the seismic response of moment resisting steel structures by using conventional braces and BRBs was determined through seismic risk analysis. The results obtained indicate that both conventional braces and especially BRBs improve significantly the seismic behavior of the original building by increasing the median values of the structural fragility curves and reducing the probabilities of exceedance of each damage state. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of masonry infills on seismic performance of a 3‐storey R/C frame with non‐seismic detailing

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of masonry infills on the seismic performance of low‐rise reinforced concrete (RC) frames with non‐seismic detailing. For this purpose, a 2‐bay 3‐storey masonry‐infilled RC frame was selected and a 1 : 5 scale model was constructed according to the Korean practice of non‐seismic detailing and the similitude law. Then, a series of earthquake simulation tests and a pushover test were performed on this model. When the results of these tests are compared with those in the case of the bare frame, it can be recognized that the masonry infills contribute to the large increase in the stiffness and strength of the global structure whereas they also accompany the increase of earthquake inertia forces. The failure mode of the masonry‐infilled frame was that of shear failure due to the bed‐joint sliding of the masonry infills while that of the bare frame appeared to be the soft‐storey plastic mechanism at the first storey. However, it is judged that the masonry infills can be beneficial to the seismic performance of the structure since the amount of the increase in strength appears to be greater than that in the induced earthquake inertia forces while the deformation capacity of the global structure remains almost the same regardless of the presence of the masonry infills. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An experimental study of a midbroken 2-bay, 6-storey reinforced concrete frame subject to earthquakes

A 2-bay, 6-storey model test reinforced concrete frame (scale l:5) subjected to sequential earthquakes of increasing magnitude is considered in this paper. The frame was designed with a weak storey, in which the columns are weakened by using thinner and weaker reinforcement bars. The aim of the work is to study the global response to a damaging strong motion earthquake event of such buildings. Special emphasis is put on examining to what extent damage in the weak storey can be identified from global response measurements during an earthquake where the structure survives, and what level of excitation is necessary in order to identify the weak storey. Furthermore, emphasis is put on examining how and where damage develops in the structure and especially how the weak storey accumulates damage. Besides the damage in each storey the structure is identified by a static load at the top storey while measuring the horizontal displacement of the stories and also visual inspection is performed. From the investigations it is found that the reason for failure in the weak storey is that the absolute value of the stiffness deteriorates to a critical value where large plastic deformations occur and the storey is not capable of transferring the shear forces from the storeys above so failure is unavoidable.     

Shaking table tests on seismic response of steel braced frames with column uplift

Previous studies have suggested that rocking vibration accompanied by uplift motion might reduce the seismic damage to buildings subjected to severe earthquake motions. This paper reports on the use of shaking table tests and numerical analyses to evaluate and compare the seismic response of base‐plate‐yielding rocking systems with columns allowed to uplift with that of fixed‐base systems. The study is performed using half‐scale three‐storey, 1 × 2 bay braced steel frames with a total height of 5.3 m. Base plates that yield due to column tension were installed at the base of each column. Two types of base plates with different thicknesses are investigated. The earthquake ground motion used for the tests and analyses is the record of the 1940 El Centro NS component with the time scale shortened by a factor of 1/√2. The maximum input acceleration is scaled to examine the structural response at various earthquake intensities. The column base shears in the rocking frames with column uplift are reduced by up to 52% as compared to the fixed‐base frames. Conversely, the maximum roof displacements of the fixed and rocking frames are about the same. It is also noted that the effect of the vertical impact on the column associated with touchdown of the base plate is small because the difference in tensile and compressive forces is primarily due to the self‐limiting tensile force in the column caused by yielding of the base plate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EFFECT OF INFILLS ON THE GLOBAL BEHAVIOUR OF R/C FRAMES: ENERGY CONSIDERATIONS FROM PSEUDODYNAMIC TESTS

A series of pseudo-dynamic tests were conducted on a full-scale four-storey reinforced concrete building designed according to Eurocodes 2 and 8. The building was 10 m long, 10 m wide, and 12⋅5 m high. It was designed as a ductility class ‘High’ structure, for typical live loads and for a peak ground acceleration of 0⋅3 g and medium soil conditions. A first test was conducted on the bare frame. The project was carried out within the framework of the European Association of Structural Mechanics Laboratories (EASML), and was designed to assess the adequacy of the damage indicators to be used in the calibration of Eurocode 8. The pseudodynamic test was conducted by using an artificially generated earth-quake derived from a real earthquake (Friuli, 1976), with nominal acceleration 50 per cent larger than the value adopted in design. The structure performed as expected. The pattern of the measured rotations was that of a weak-beam, strong-column mechanism. The fundamental frequency of the structure after the test was found to be half of the initial value, but the damage was limited and uniformly distributed. A second experimental programme was conducted as part of the work of the Network Prenormative Research in support of Eurocode 8, to study the influence of masonry infill panels on the global behaviour of the frame. Two pseudodynamic tests were conducted, with different infill patterns. A test was performed by infilling the two external frames with hollow brick masonry in all four storeys (uniform infill distribution). The test was then repeated on the structure without infills at the first storey, to create a soft-storey effect. The input signal was the same as in the tests on the bare frame. The purpose of the tests was to study the effects of the different layouts of infills, as well as to calibrate the computer models for the infills to be used in parametric analyses. In this paper the test results are presented and the performances of the structure with different infill configurations are compared. The global behaviour of the structure is compared with the predictions which could have been made with simplified approaches. In particular, single degree of freedom energy concepts are used to verify if the differences in the global behaviour could have been predicted. The differences in the single degree of freedom energy demands with respect to the bare frame may be used as a means of accounting for the presence of irregular distributions of non-structural infills in the simplified design of the frame.     

Cyclic tests on steel and concrete‐filled tube frames with Slit Walls

Cyclic loading tests were performed on three one‐storey steel frames and four three‐storey concrete‐filled tube (CFT) moment frames reinforced with a new type of earthquake‐resisting element consisting of a steel plate shear wall with vertical slits. In this shear wall system, the steel plate segments between the slits behave as a series of flexural links, which provide fairly ductile response without the need for heavy stiffening of the wall. The steel shear walls and the moment frames behaved in a ductile manner up to more than 4% drift without abrupt strength degradation or loss of axial resistance. Results of these tests and complementary analysis provide a basis for an equivalent brace model to be employed in commercially available frame analysis programs. Test and analytical results suggest that the horizontal force is carried by the bolts in the middle portion of the wall–frame connection, while the vertical forces coupled with the moment in the connection are resisted by the bolts in the edge portion of the connection, for which the friction bolts in the connection should be designed. When sufficient transverse stiffening is provided, full plastic strength and non‐degrading hysteretic behaviour can be achieved for this new type of shear wall. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental study on the seismic response of braced reinforced concrete frame with irregular columns

A 15-storey K-braced reinforced concrete model frame with irregular columns, i.e., T-shaped, L-shaped, as well as +-shaped columns, was constructed and tested on the six-degree-of-freedom shaking table at the State Key Laboratory for Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering in Tongji, China. Two types of earthquake records, El-Centro wave (south-north direction) and Shanghai artificial wave (SHAW) with various peak accelerations and principal-secondary sequences, were input and experimentally studied. Based on the shaking table tests and theoretical analysis, several observations can be made. The failure sequence of the model structure is brace→beam→column→joints, so that the design philosophy for several lines of defense has been achieved. Earthquake waves with different spectrums not only influence the magnitude and distribution of the earthquake force and the storey shear force, but also obviously affect the magnitude of the displacement response. The aftershock seismic response of previously damaged reinforced concrete braced frames with irregular columns possesses the equivalent elastic performance characteristic. Generally speaking, from the aspects of failure features and drift ratio, this type of reinforced concrete structure provides adequate earthquake resistance and can be promoted for use in China.     

钢框架结构的地震损伤研究

基于预定损伤法对钢框架构件主要设计参数进行损伤敏感度分析,研究主要设计参数与钢框架结构梁、柱损伤的关系;揭示钢框架结构梁、柱的损伤及梁、柱线刚度比、结构高宽比、柱轴压比、锈蚀率对楼层损伤的影响规律;获得楼层的损伤与整体结构损伤的关系,最终建立钢框架结构的损伤演化模型。研究成果可为建立地震激励下钢框架结构的损伤模型提供理论基础和数据支持。     

Multiplication factor for open ground storey buildings–a reliability based evaluation

Open Ground Storey(OGS) framed buildings where the ground storey is kept open without infill walls, mainly to facilitate parking, is increasing commonly in urban areas. However, vulnerability of this type of buildings has been exposed in past earthquakes. OGS buildings are conventionally designed by a bare frame analysis that ignores the stiffness of the infill walls present in the upper storeys, but doing so underestimates the inter-storey drift(ISD) and thereby the force demand in the ground storey columns. Therefore, a multiplication factor(MF) is introduced in various international codes to estimate the design forces(bending moments and shear forces) in the ground storey columns. This study focuses on the seismic performance of typical OGS buildings designed by means of MFs. The probabilistic seismic demand models, fragility curves, reliability and cost indices for various frame models including bare frames and fully infilled frames are developed. It is found that the MF scheme suggested by the Israel code is better than other international codes in terms of reliability and cost.     

An earthquake scenario for the microzonation of Sofia and the vulnerability of structures designed by use of the Eurocodes

The study of the site effects and the microzonation of a part of the metropolitan Sofia, based on the modelling of seismic ground motion along three cross-sections are performed. Realistic synthetic strong motion waveforms are computed for scenario earthquakes (M=7) applying a hybrid modelling method, based on the modal summation technique and finite differences scheme. The synthesized ground motion time histories are source and site specific. The site amplification is determined in terms of response spectra ratio (RSR). A suite of time histories and quantities of earthquake engineering interest are provided. The results of this study constitute a “database” that describes the ground shaking of the urban area. A case study of experiment-based assessment of vulnerability of a cast-in-situ single storey, industrial, reinforced concrete frame, designed according to Eurocodes 2 and 8 is presented. The main characteristics of damage index and storey drift are discussed for the purposes of microzonation.     

Effects of structural walls on the elastic–plastic earthquake responses of frame–wall buildings

Effects of structural walls on the elastic–plastic earthquake response of short- to medium-height reinforced concrete buildings were investigated. The analytical model consists of independent lumped mass systems representing walls and frames connected at each floor. The wall structure undergoes flexural as well as shear deformation and fails in shear at relatively small story drifts, the frames deforming only in shear. As a measure of structural damage, the ductility factor responses of frame structures were calculated for different combinations of base shear coefficients for the frames and walls. In buildings with relatively weak frames, the installation of structural walls did not improve the large plastic response of the frames up to the point where the walls were unfailed in shear and the ductility factors of the frame structure were suddenly reduced to a very small number. For relatively strong frames, however, the response displacements decreased gradually as the number of walls increased, whether or not the walls failed. Empirical formulas for the required base shear coefficients of the walls and frames which gave a target ductility factor response also were derived for two particular groups of accelerograms. These equations should be of practical use in designing frame-wall type buildings and in retrofitting damaged buildings. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling exterior unreinforced beam‐column joints in seismic analysis of non‐ductile RC frames

The seismic response of non‐ductile reinforced concrete (RC) buildings can be affected by the behaviour of beam‐column joints involved in the failure mechanism, especially in typical existing buildings. Conventional modelling approaches consider only beam and column flexibility, although joints can provide a significant contribution also to the overall frame deformability. In this study, the attention is focused on exterior joints without transverse reinforcement, and a possible approach to their modelling in nonlinear seismic analysis of RC frames is proposed. First, experimental tests performed by the authors are briefly presented, and their results are discussed. Second, these tests, together with other tests with similar features from literature, are employed to calibrate the joint panel deformability contribution in order to reproduce numerically the experimental joint shear stress–strain behaviour under cyclic loading. After a validation phase of this proposal, a numerical investigation of the influence of joints on the seismic behaviour of a case study RC frame – designed for gravity loads only – is performed. The preliminary failure mode classification of the joints within the analysed frame is carried out. Structural models that (i) explicitly include nonlinear behaviour of beam‐column joints exhibiting shear or anchorage failure or (ii) model joints as elements with infinite strength and stiffness are built and their seismic performance are assessed and compared. A probabilistic assessment based on nonlinear dynamic simulations is performed by means of a scaling approach to evaluate the seismic response at different damage states accounting for uncertainties in ground‐motion records. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cyclic testing of a single bay reinforced concrete frames with various types of masonry infill

In this paper, a contribution of various types of masonry infill to the behaviour of reinforced concrete frames under lateral loads is presented. As a part of the bigger project, ten one‐bay, one‐storey reinforced concrete frames were designed according to the EC8, built in a scale 1:2.5, infilled with masonry and tested under constant vertical and cyclic lateral load. The masonry wall had various strength properties, namely, high strength hollow clay brick blocks, medium strength hollow clay brick blocks and low strength lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. There were no additional shear connectors between the masonry and frame. The results showed that the composite ‘framed wall’ structure had much higher stiffness, damping and initial strength than the bare frame structure. Masonry infill filled in the load capacity gap from very low (0.05%) to drifts when the frame took over (0.75%). The structures behaved as linear monolithic elements to drifts of 0.1%, reached the maximum lateral capacities at drift of 0.3%, maintained it to drifts of 0.75% and after that their behaviour depended on the frame. Masonry infill had severe damage at drift levels of about 0.75% but contributed to the overall system resistance to drifts of about 1%. At that drift level, the frame had only minor damage and was tested to drifts of about 2% without any loss of capacity. Improvement of the ‘infill provisions’ in the codes could be sought by taking into account the contribution of a common masonry that reduces expected damages by lowering the drift levels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic behaviour of self‐centring braced frame buildings with reusable hysteretic damping brace

This paper presents the seismic behaviour of a concentrically braced frame system with self‐centring capability, in which a special type of bracing element termed reusable hysteretic damping brace (RHDB) is used. The RHDB is a passive energy dissipation device with its core energy‐dissipating component made of superelastic Nitinol wires. Compared with conventional bracing in steel structures, RHDB has a few prominent performance characteristics: damage free under frequent and design basis earthquakes in earthquake prone areas; minimal residual drifts due to the self‐centring capability of RHDB frame; and ability to survive several strong earthquakes without the need for repair or replacement. This paper also includes a brief discussion of the RHDB's mechanical configuration and analytical model for RHDB. The seismic performance study of RHDB frame was carried out through a non‐linear time history analysis of 3‐storey and 6‐storey RHDB frame buildings subjected to two suites of 20 earthquake ground motions. The analysis results were compared with buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) frames. This study shows that RHDB frame has a potential to outperform BRB frames by eliminating the residual drift problem. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

多层钢结构基础隔震性能研究

本文用算例按基底剪力法,振型反应谱法和时程分析法分析了多层基础隔震钢结构和多层钢筋混凝土结构及其对应的非隔震结构的地震力和层间剪力。