Search results for "Seismic load"

Prediction of the out-of-plane response of infilled frames under seismic loads by a new fiber-section macro-model

2016

This chapter suggests that an extension of the capability of the traditional inplane macro-models to capture the simultaneous in-plane and Out-Of-Plane (OOP) response of infills. A new simplified macro-model for the assessment of both in plane and out-of-plane responses of infilled frames was developed and validated. The possibility to simulate the arching action is achieved by using distributed plasticity fiber-section elements, able to directly account for the coupling between axial load and bending moment. The arching action is explicitly introduced by the use of fiber-section beam-column elements, which can model the coupling between axial-load and bending moment. The model presented is…

Dynamic shakedown of structures under repeated seismic loads

1995

Elastic, perfectly plastic structures are considered under the action of repeated short-duration exitations of seismic type acting in an unknown time sequence, but belonging to a given polyhedral excitation domain. The basic excitations (vertices of the polyhedron) are chosen as discrete-spectrum waves each with frequencies coincident with the first natural frequencies of the structure, and amplitudes related to the ground features and earthquake intensity (according to the Kanai and Tajimi filter model) in such a way that every admissible excitation-obtained as a linear convex combination of the basic ones-has a maximum power not exceeding a given value. In the framework of unrestricted dy…

Theoretical approaches for modelling buckling effects in rebars of RC members

2017

Buckling of longitudinal bars in reinforced concrete (RC) members is definitely a critical issue in framed structures subjected to seismic loads. Second order effects can affect the compressive stress–strain law of steel bars, influencing ductility calculations of RC structures. Moreover, literature studies show that buckling can occur over a length wider than stirrups’ pitch (global buckling mode), involving more stirrups and inducing large deflections in the bar. If the critical length is not carefully estimated, stirrups’ failure can occur, causing also the sudden loss of confining effects in concrete. This paper presents the results of different approaches for calculating the crit…

Evaluation of the shakedown limit load multiplier for stochastic seismic actions

2017

A new approach for the evaluation of the shakedown limit load multiplier for structures subjected to a combination of quasi-statically variable loads and seismic actions is presented. The common case of frame structures constituted by elastic perfectly plastic material is considered. The acting load history during the lifetime of the structure will be defined as a suitable combination of never ending quasi-statical loads, variable within an appropriate given domain, and stochastic seismic actions occurring for limited time interval. The proposed approach utilizes the Monte Carlo method in order to generate a suitable large number of seismic acceleration histories and the corresponding shake…

On the optimal design of base isolation devices

2013

The paper deals with the optimal design of a base isolation system for a given structure subjected to seismic loads. In particular, an appropriate minimum displacement seismic protection device optimal design formulation is proposed for an assigned elastic perfectly plastic steel frame constrained to behave in conditions of elastic shakedown. The chosen base isolation device is constituted by elastomeric isolators. Suitable combinations of fixed and seismic loads are considered. According to the unrestricted shakedown theory, the seismic input is given as any load history appertaining to a suitably defined seismic load admissibility domain. The relevant dynamic structural response is obtain…

Optimal design algorithm for seismic retrofitting of RC columns with steel jacketing technique

2020

Abstract Steel jacketing (SJ) of beams and columns is widely employed as retrofitting technique to provide additional deformation and strength capacity to existing reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. The latter are many times designed without considering seismic loads, or present inadequate seismic detailing. The use of SJ is generally associated with non-negligible costs depending on the amount of structural work and non-structural manufacturing and materials. Moreover, this kind of intervention results in noticeable downtime for the building. This paper presents a new optimization framework which is aimed at obtaining minimization of retrofitting costs by optimizing the position an…

Analysis and design of elastic plastic structures subjected to dynamic loads

In the last decades, the concept of “optimization” has reached considerable value in many different fields of scientific research and, in particular, it has assumed great importance in the field of structural mechanics. The present study describes and shows the scientific path followed in the three years of doctoral studies. The state of the art concerning the optimization of elastic plastic structures subjected to quasi-static loads was already well established at the beginning of the Ph.D. course. Actually, it was already faced the study of structures subjected to quasi-static cyclic loads able to ensure different structural behaviors in relation to different intensity levels of the appli…

Optimal design of elastic plastic frames accounting for seismic protection devices

2013

The optimal design of elastic perfectly plastic steel frames with or without suitable protection devices and subjected to static as well as seismic loadings is studied. Two minimum volume problem formulations are proposed, on the grounds of the so-called statical approach, accounting for three different resistance limits: the purely elastic limit, the (elastic) shakedown limit and the instantaneous collapse limit. The adopted load combinations are characterized by the presence of fixed loads, of quasi-static perfect cyclic loads and dynamic (seismic) loads. The linear elastic effects of the dynamic actions are studied by utilizing a modal technique. The proposed treatment is referred to the…

Optimization of structures with unrestricted dynamic shakedown constraints

2015

The unrestricted dynamic shakedown theory is here utilized with the aim to formulate different optimal design problems for structures mainly subjected to seismic loads. In particular, reference is made to plane frame structures constituted by elastic perfectly plastic material subjected to load combinations characterized by the presence of simultaneous fixed and seismic actions. The design problems, formulated on the ground of a statical approach, are devoted to structures with and without seismic protection devices, with special emphasis to seismic isolators. For the proposed design problem formulations different constraints are utilized; actually, for structures without protection devices…

Discrete variable design of frames subjected to seismic actions accounting for element slenderness

2015

An optimal design problem formulation of elastic plastic frames under different combinations of fixed and seismic loads is presented. The optimal structure must behave elastically for the fixed loads, shakedown for serviceability conditions and prevent instantaneous collapse for fixed and high seismic loads. P-Delta effects and element buckling are considered. An appropriate modal technique is utilized. The design variables can have components in a continuous field or, alternatively, in chosen discrete sets or, yet, both kind of variables can be present. The design problem is formulated on the ground of a statical approach. The applications are related to steel frames.