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Steel concentrically braced frames (CBFs) are a popular method of resisting lateral loads. Current AISC seismic design requirements for special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) prescribe geometric limits to promote ductile yielding and buckling of the brace and use capacity design to size the adjacent non-yielding components. Newer design methods, in particular the balanced design procedure (BDP), adapt the AISC method to increase the ductility of the SCBF system by adding sequentially yielding mechanisms. However, older CBFs (NCBFs) may not meet the geometric, strength, or detailing requirements of SCBFs. The resulting seismic deficiencies can lead to substandard performance, which is concerning because many of these NCBFs are still in use today. The objective of this study is to determine new retrofit strategies and methodologies to improve the seismic performance of NCBFs. The research includes four tests designed to investigate the performance of retrofitted NCBFs. These results were combined with prior tests conducted at the UW which simulated existing and retrofitted NCBFs. Using all of the data, new evaluation and retrofit methodologies were investigated based on the BDP. The evaluation of NCBFs seeks to: (1) identify seismic deficiencies withing the frame and (2) establish a hierarchy of yielding and failure that relates the deficiencies to the performance of the frame. The retrofit methodology aims to size the new components to promote secondary yield mechanisms (in addition to brace yielding) thereby maximizing the frame drift. Examples of applying the retrofit method to a suite of seismically deficient CBFs are provided.
Concentrically braced frames (CBFs) are lateral-load resisting systems that consist of diagonal braces which are framed concentrically with the intersection of either beam-to-column connections or opposing braces. Since the early 1990s, seismic design of special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) has placed stringent design and detailing requirements on the braces, gusset plates and related connections. By contrast, CBFs designed before the early 1990's were designed to much less restrictive specifications than SCBFs. There are few tests of these older CBFs, resulting in uncertainty about their performance and about viable retrofit options. Older CBFs are common in current infrastructure, so the uncertainty in their performance poses a substantial risk. This research project seeks to address this uncertainty. A series of tests have been undertaken to investigate the response of both existing and retrofitted older CBFs. The experimental data from these tests is used to validate evaluation approaches for older CBFs and can be used for future development of numerical models. The retrofitted systems demonstrate practical methods to increase system ductility and improve seismic performance by mitigating damage. Finally, tools to aid in the seismic evaluation and retrofit of CBFs per ASCE 41 are proposed.
New steel buildings designed according to the seismic provisions of the National building Code of Canada (NBCC) (NRCC 2010) and the steel structures design standard CSA S16 (CSA 2009) are conceived to safely resist seismic loads and develop sufficient ductility while maintaining adequate strength and stiffness. The special seismic design and detailing requirements for steel structures were introduced in the 1989 edition of the CSA standard. Thus, the structures designed prior to 1990's may not develop the ductile seismic response. To date, very limited research in Canada has been devoted into the seismic evaluation of existing concentrically braced frames designed in accordance with the 1980's codes.
Concentrically braced frame (CBF) structural systems resist lateral loads using braces framed diagonally between frame work points defined at the intersection of beam, column, and brace centerlines. In the past few decades, research on CBFs has primarily focused on improving seismic detailing requirements for new construction. Braced frames designed prior to 1988, termed non-seismic concentrically braced frames (NCBFs), had much less stringent design requirements the consequences of which include high variability in the beam-to-connection detail, an inability to develop the yield capacity of the brace, and unknown controlling failure modes. Evaluation and retrofit of existing NCBF systems can be challenging in part due to the lack of experimental research evaluating the variety of connection details and deficiencies present in existing NCBF infrastructure. As part of a large NSF supported effort to provide guidance on the seismic evaluation and retrofit of NCBFs, five NCBF frames focusing on bolted beam-to-column connections were designed and tested at the University of Washington Structural Research Laboratory. The results are compared to the results of nine previous NCBF tests using measured response parameters and observed performance. It was found that the brace type along with the continuity, flexibility, and deficiencies of the connection could dramatically impact the deformation capacity, failure mode, and yielding hierarchy observed in an NCBF. Backbone curves developed for all fourteen experiments provide modeling parameters to be used in the development of modified procedures for evaluation and retrofit of braced frames.
Concentrically braced frames (CBFs) have been used in steel construction as seismic-force-resisting systems for many decades and constitute a substantial proportion of existing building infrastructure. Until about 1990, CBFs were designed without the codified capacity-based and other ductile design provisions that ensure safety in today's special CBFs (SCBFs) used in regions with high seismic risk. Thousands of these older and potentially nonductile CBFs (NCBFs) remain in service in the high-seismicity areas of the west coast of the US and other more moderately seismically vulnerable regions. These NCBFs utilize a wide variety of connections, components, and frame configurations with deficiencies expected to lead to significant damage and potential collapse in earthquakes. Seismic retrofit of NCBFs may be necessary to ensure occupant safety and building functionality, but current engineering guidance for determining retrofit need and type is limited. The state of practice evaluates the seismic vulnerability of CBFs using simplistic models for braces, beams, and columns, and the nonlinear behavior of connections is typically not considered; it is clear that the vulnerability depends on more complex component behavior. To develop more comprehensive engineering methods that can accurately estimate the vulnerability of NCBFs and the improved performance of retrofitted NCBFs, integrated experimental and computational research programs were conducted. First, two series of large-scale experiments of existing and retrofitted NCBF subassemblages were performed to investigate brace, connection, and beam deficiencies common to NCBFs. The experiments identified critical deficiencies but also beneficial yielding mechanisms (e.g., bolt-hole elongation, beam yielding in the chevron configuration, etc.) which could be retained in retrofit. Experimentally validated, nonlinear modeling approaches capable of simulating brace fracture, connection fracture, weak frame elements, and post-fracture response of components with secondary yielding mechanisms were then developed to advance numerical simulation capabilities. These models were used to enable system-level response-history analysis for seismic performance evaluation. Specifically, the seismic performance (including collapse) of three- and nine-story buildings were investigated at multiple (5) hazard levels. The models were also used to evaluate retrofit strategies; these results combined with the experimental work were used to develop a cost-effective seismic retrofit methodology based on balancing yielding mechanisms and suppressing severe failure modes.
This study investigates the seismic performance of an existing four-story steel frame structure in need of a retrofit using two types of retrofit methods: Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSW) and Concentrically Braced Frames (CBF). Steel moment resisting frames are prevalent lateral load resisting frames in high seismic regions and have been the focus of intense research due to the observed beam-column fractures during the Northridge earthquake. The brittle joints of pre-Northridge steel moment frames pose life-safety issues for many existing buildings where earthquake loads govern the lateral loading case. To mitigate these issues, many such buildings are in need of retrofit to achieve an acceptable level of ductility. This paper describes the analysis and design process for a seismic retrofit using SPSWs and CBFs for a four-story steel moment frame in Los Angeles area. The performance criterion of existing frame system is determined by performing a nonlinear static 'pushover' analysis to a target displacement. The seismic performance level is evaluated to compare and contrast the system's behavior in terms of their stiffness, ductility and deformation.
Self-centering concentrically braced frame (SC-CBF) systems have been developed to increase the drift capacity of braced frame systems prior to damage to reduce post-earthquake damages in braced frames. However, due to special details required by the SC-CBF system, the construction cost of an SC-CBF is expected to be higher than that of a conventional CBF. While recent experimental research has shown better seismic performance of SC-CBF system subjected to design basis earthquakes, superior seismic performance of this system needs to be demonstrated for both structural and nonstructural components in all ground motion levels and more building configurations. Moreover, Stakeholders would be attracted to utilize SC-CBF if higher construction cost of this system can be paid back by lower earthquake induced losses during life time of the building. In this study, the seismic performance and economic effectiveness of SC-CBFs are assessed and compared with CBF system in three building configurations. First, probabilistic demand formulations are developed for engineering demand parameters (inter-story drift, residual drift and peak floor acceleration) using results of nonlinear time history analysis of the buildings under suites of ground motions. Then, Seismic fragility curves, engineering demand (inter-story drift, peak floor acceleration and residual drift) hazard curve and annual probabilities of exceeding damage states are used to evaluate and compare seismic performance of two systems. Finally, expected annual loss and life cycle cost of buildings are evaluated for prototype buildings considering both direct and indirect losses and prevailing uncertainties in all levels of loss analysis. These values are used evaluate economic benefit of using SC-CBF system instead of CBF system and pay-off time (time when the higher construction cost of SC-CBF system is paid back by the lower losses in earthquakes) for building configurations. Additionally, parametric study is performed to find acceptable increase in cost of SC-CBFs comparing to CBFs and impact of economic discount factor, ground motion suite and building occupancies on economic effectiveness of the SC-CBF system in three configurations. Results of this study indicates that, SC-CBF system generally shows better seismic performance due to damages to structural and non-structural drift sensitive components but worse performance due to damages to acceleration sensitive components. Therefore, loss mitigation in structural and non-structural damages are major source of economic benefit in SC-CBFs. SC-CBF system is not feasible for high rise buildings and low seismic active locations. If the cost of SC-CBFs are twice as CBF frames, the higher cost is paid back in a reasonable time during the life time of the buildings. SC-CBFs are more feasible for banks/financial institutions than general office buildings.
Concentrically braced frames (CBFs) are broadly used as lateral-load resisting systems in buildings throughout the US. In high seismic regions, special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) where ductility under seismic loading is necessary. Their large elastic stiffness and strength efficiently sustains the seismic demands during smaller, more frequent earthquakes. During large, infrequent earthquakes, SCBFs exhibit highly nonlinear behavior due to brace buckling and yielding and the inelastic behavior induced by secondary deformation of the framing system. These response modes reduce the system demands relative to an elastic system without supplemental damping. In design the re reduced demands are estimated using a response modification coefficient, commonly termed the R factor. The R factor values are important to the seismic performance of a building. Procedures put forth in FEMAP695 developed to R factors through a formalized procedure with the objective of consistent level of collapse potential for all building types. The primary objective of the research was to evaluate the seismic performance of SCBFs. To achieve this goal, an improved model including a proposed gusset plate connection model for SCBFs that permits accurate simulation of inelastic deformations of the brace, gusset plate connections, beams and columns and brace fracture was developed and validated using a large number of experiments. Response history analyses were conducted using the validated model. A series of different story-height SCBF buildings were designed and evaluated. The FEMAP695 method and an alternate procedure were applied to SCBFs and NCBFs. NCBFs are designed without ductile detailing. The evaluation using P695 method shows contrary results to the alternate evaluation procedure and the current knowledge in which short-story SCBF structures are more venerable than taller counterparts and NCBFs are more vulnerable than SCBFs.