The objective of this research is developing a new method of design for cold-formed steel framed shear wall sheathed by ¾" thick USG structural panel concrete subfloor using a predictive analytical model and comparing the results obtained from the model with those achieved from real testing to verify the analytical model and predicted lateral load-carrying capacity resulted from that. Moreover, investigating the impact of various screw spacings on shear wall design parameter such as ultimate strength, yield strength, elastic stiffness, ductility ratio and amount of energy dissipation is another purpose of this research.

Cast modular components have been under development for earthquake resistant steel structures. These concepts take advantage of the versatility in geometry afforded with the casting process to create components specifically configured for ductile behavior. Two systems were developed as part of this dissertation research: (1) the Cast Modular Ductile Bracing system (CMDB); (2) the Floating Brace system (FB).The CMDB system makes use of cast components introduced at the ends and the center of the brace to produce a special bracing detail with reliable strength, stiffness and deformation capacity. The system takes advantage of the versatility in geometry offered by the casting process to create configurations that eliminate non-ductile failure modes in favor of stable inelastic deformation capacity. This thesis presents analytical research performed to determine the buckling strength and buckling direction of the bracing element based on the geometries of the cast components. Limiting geometries are determined for the cast components to control the buckling direction. Design formulas for buckling strength are proposed. The Floating Brace system is a new lateral bracing concept developed for steel special concentric braced frames. The concept uses a set of special plate details at the end of the brace to create a stiff, strong and ductile lateral bracing system. The plates are arranged such that some provide direct axial support for high initial stiffness and elimination of fatigue issues for daily service wind loads. The remaining plates are oriented transverse to the brace and thus provide ductile bending response for the rare earthquake event, in which the axial plates become sacrificial. The main bracing member and cast pieces remain elastic or nearly elastic. Thus, following the seismic event, the plates can be replaced. In this thesis, analytical studies using nonlinear finite element analysis are performed to determine the optimum: (a) relative strength of the end connection to the brace; and (b) ratio of strength between axial and transverse plates. Design equations are provided. Prototypes for each concept were developed. Castings were created. Large scale laboratory physical testing was performed as experimental verification (proof of concept) for the two systems.

O setor da construção civil é responsável por uma parcela significativa do consumo de recursos naturais, incluindo energia, emissão de CO2, água e materiais de construção. O tripé ambiente, economia e sociedade deve ser considerado de uma maneira integrada na indústria da construção civil, para atender as expectativas da sociedade e ao mesmo tempo reduzir impactos ambientais (AGOPYAN, JOHN, 2011). Novas tecnologias construtivas aliadas a novas tecnologias projetuais podem contribuir para a melhoria do ambiente construído na área de eficiência energética, desempenho térmico e impactos ambientais (FREIRE, M.; AMORIM, A., 2011). Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo principal: desenvolver um método de obtenção de dados de impactos ambientais, durante o processo de desenvolvimento do projeto, através do uso de uma ferramenta de Modelagem da Informação da Construção (\"Building Information Modeling\" - BIM), para auxiliar na tomada de decisões quanto ao sistema construtivo que proporcione menor impacto ambiental. Para essa pesquisa, foram analisados o CO2 incorporado e a energia incorporada nos materiais de construção. Para validação da pesquisa, o método adotado foi o estudo de caso onde foram analisados dois sistemas construtivos: aço leve (\"steel frame\"\') e alvenaria, aplicados em um mesmo condomínio com vinte habitações unifamiliares, que se encontram na fase de projeto. A partir da revisão da literatura foram extraídos os dados de energia e CO2 incorporado dos principais materiais de construção utilizados nos dois sistemas construtivos. Em seguida esses dados foram inseridos em uma ferramenta BIM. Primeiramente foram analisados e obtidos os resultados das vinte casas em alvenaria, em seguida realizou-se o mesmo processo para uma única casa e, para finalizar, de uma parede. Esse estudo se repete para o sistema em aço leve (\"steel frame\"). Como resultado obtém-se dados de impactos ambientais, auxiliando o profissional na escolha dos materiais de construção e sistemas construtivos com menor impacto ambiental. / The construction sector accounts for a significant portion of natural resources consumption, including energy, CO2 emissions, water and building materials. The environment, economy and society should be considered in an integrated manner in the construction industry to meet society\'s expectations while reducing environmental impacts (AGOPYAN; JOHN, 2011). New construction technologies combined with new projective technologies can contribute to the improvement of the built environment in the area of energy efficiency, thermal performance and environmental impacts (FREIRE, M.; AMORIM, A., 2011). This research aims: to develop a method of obtaining informations of environmental impacts during the project development process, through the use of a modeling tool of Information Construction (\"Building Information Modeling\" - BIM), to assist in making decisions about building system that provides lower environmental impact. For this research, the embedded CO2 and energy in building materials were analyzed. For validation of the research, the method adopted was the case study which analyzed two building systems: steel frame and masonry, applied in the same condominium with twenty houses, which are in the design phase. From the literature review were extracted energy and CO2 informations built the main building materials used in both building systems. Then these data were entered into a BIM tool. First were analyzed and the results obtained from twenty houses masonry then carried out the same process for a single house, and finally, a wall. This study is repeated for the steel frame system. As a result is obtained data of environmental impacts, assisting the professional in the choice of building materials and construction systems with lower environmental impact.

O setor da construção civil é responsável por uma parcela significativa do consumo de recursos naturais, incluindo energia, emissão de CO2, água e materiais de construção. O tripé ambiente, economia e sociedade deve ser considerado de uma maneira integrada na indústria da construção civil, para atender as expectativas da sociedade e ao mesmo tempo reduzir impactos ambientais (AGOPYAN, JOHN, 2011). Novas tecnologias construtivas aliadas a novas tecnologias projetuais podem contribuir para a melhoria do ambiente construído na área de eficiência energética, desempenho térmico e impactos ambientais (FREIRE, M.; AMORIM, A., 2011). Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo principal: desenvolver um método de obtenção de dados de impactos ambientais, durante o processo de desenvolvimento do projeto, através do uso de uma ferramenta de Modelagem da Informação da Construção (\"Building Information Modeling\" - BIM), para auxiliar na tomada de decisões quanto ao sistema construtivo que proporcione menor impacto ambiental. Para essa pesquisa, foram analisados o CO2 incorporado e a energia incorporada nos materiais de construção. Para validação da pesquisa, o método adotado foi o estudo de caso onde foram analisados dois sistemas construtivos: aço leve (\"steel frame\"\') e alvenaria, aplicados em um mesmo condomínio com vinte habitações unifamiliares, que se encontram na fase de projeto. A partir da revisão da literatura foram extraídos os dados de energia e CO2 incorporado dos principais materiais de construção utilizados nos dois sistemas construtivos. Em seguida esses dados foram inseridos em uma ferramenta BIM. Primeiramente foram analisados e obtidos os resultados das vinte casas em alvenaria, em seguida realizou-se o mesmo processo para uma única casa e, para finalizar, de uma parede. Esse estudo se repete para o sistema em aço leve (\"steel frame\"). Como resultado obtém-se dados de impactos ambientais, auxiliando o profissional na escolha dos materiais de construção e sistemas construtivos com menor impacto ambiental. / The construction sector accounts for a significant portion of natural resources consumption, including energy, CO2 emissions, water and building materials. The environment, economy and society should be considered in an integrated manner in the construction industry to meet society\'s expectations while reducing environmental impacts (AGOPYAN; JOHN, 2011). New construction technologies combined with new projective technologies can contribute to the improvement of the built environment in the area of energy efficiency, thermal performance and environmental impacts (FREIRE, M.; AMORIM, A., 2011). This research aims: to develop a method of obtaining informations of environmental impacts during the project development process, through the use of a modeling tool of Information Construction (\"Building Information Modeling\" - BIM), to assist in making decisions about building system that provides lower environmental impact. For this research, the embedded CO2 and energy in building materials were analyzed. For validation of the research, the method adopted was the case study which analyzed two building systems: steel frame and masonry, applied in the same condominium with twenty houses, which are in the design phase. From the literature review were extracted energy and CO2 informations built the main building materials used in both building systems. Then these data were entered into a BIM tool. First were analyzed and the results obtained from twenty houses masonry then carried out the same process for a single house, and finally, a wall. This study is repeated for the steel frame system. As a result is obtained data of environmental impacts, assisting the professional in the choice of building materials and construction systems with lower environmental impact.

Submitted by Izabel Franco (izabel-franco@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-20T12:24:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissGFB.pdf: 4714978 bytes, checksum: 418d994bec2ad1909fecea7a13c3a3bf (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-21T12:31:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissGFB.pdf: 4714978 bytes, checksum: 418d994bec2ad1909fecea7a13c3a3bf (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-21T12:31:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissGFB.pdf: 4714978 bytes, checksum: 418d994bec2ad1909fecea7a13c3a3bf (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-21T12:32:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissGFB.pdf: 4714978 bytes, checksum: 418d994bec2ad1909fecea7a13c3a3bf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Prefabricated building systems in Light Steel Frame - LSF are widely used in developed countries like England, Japan and USA. As constructive process, the LSF shows a progress compared to the traditional system is characterized by being an industrial building, rationalized with high productivity and require one skilled labor. The ergonomic point of view, such a system offers significant improvements in employees' working conditions and despite these improvements are significant, we can still identify ergonomic problems related to the activities of workers. In this context, this work aims, through ergonomic work analysis - AET, to survey the critical activities performed during the construction process and a diagnosis of the situations encountered on site. This research is exploratory to be keen to discover and observe phenomena, trying to describe them, classify them and interpret them and their driving was used as a research method, the case study. To capture the data, makes use of ergonomic analysis of manual work - EWA (Ergonomic Workplace Analysis), METs (The standard metabolic equivalent) and OCRA (Occupational repetitive actions) in which the following items were considered: Load-lifting, accident risk, attention, general physical activity, working postures and movements and repetitiveness of the work. Among the main findings stand out: the high risk of this accident carrying out the work due to organizational process of the company, moderate caloric expenditure in the execution of activities and high IE OCRA present in fixing activities (screwing) the structures and the sealing elements. / Sistemas construtivos pré-fabricados em Light Steel Frame - LSF são amplamente utilizados em países desenvolvidos como Inglaterra, Japão e EUA. Como processo construtivo, o LSF apresenta uma evolução quando comparado com o sistema tradicional, caracteriza-se por ser uma construção industrializada, racionalizada, com elevada produtividade e por demandar uma mão de obra capacitada. Do ponto de vista ergonômico, esse sistema apresenta melhoras significativas nas condições de trabalho dos trabalhadores e, apesar dessas melhoras serem significativas, ainda podemos identificar problemas ergonômicos relacionados às atividades dos trabalhadores. Dentro desse contexto, esse trabalho busca, por meio da análise ergonômica do trabalho – AET, realizar um levantamento das atividades críticas desenvolvidas durante o processo construtivo e realizar um diagnóstico das situações encontradas em obras. Essa pesquisa tem caráter exploratório por estar interessada em descobrir e observar fenômenos, procurando descrevê-los, classificá-los e interpretá-los e na sua condução utilizou-se como método de pesquisa o estudo de caso. Para a captura dos dados, fez-se uso de três instrumentos ergonômicos: manual de análise ergonômica do local de trabalho – EWA (Ergonomic Workplace Analysis), MET's (The Standard Metabolic Equivalent) e do OCRA (Occupational repetitive actions). Foram considerados os seguintes itens para avaliação: elevação de carga, riscos de acidente, atenção, atividade física geral, posturas de trabalho e movimentos e repetitividade do trabalho. Dentre os principais resultados obtidos, destacam-se: o elevado risco de acidente presente na execução da obra, devido ao processo organizacional da empresa, gasto calórico moderado na execução das atividades e elevado IE OCRA presente nas atividades de fixação (parafusamento) das estruturas e dos elementos de vedação.

Submitted by Alison Vanceto (alison-vanceto@hotmail.com) on 2016-10-17T11:06:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseALV.pdf: 40973633 bytes, checksum: 8603da26922df7a8ff0039e77bd0d868 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-21T13:58:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseALV.pdf: 40973633 bytes, checksum: 8603da26922df7a8ff0039e77bd0d868 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-21T13:58:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseALV.pdf: 40973633 bytes, checksum: 8603da26922df7a8ff0039e77bd0d868 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-21T13:58:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseALV.pdf: 40973633 bytes, checksum: 8603da26922df7a8ff0039e77bd0d868 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-25 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) / The Construction Industry (CI), regarding the production of single-family housing in Brazil, is still characterized by the use of techniques and technologies that are highly dependent on knowledge and manpower experience. Thus, in most projects involving the construction of single-family housing, there are handcraft features when the building site is understood as a production system. Thus, it is common to observe the pathological manifestations appearance in post-occupational analysis, in addition to non-compliance with deadlines and budgets. In this sense, this thesis suggests that the CI breaks with some technical and cultural paradigms from the use of an industrialized building system, such as Light Steel Frame (LSF) and from the use of assembly lines, focusing the industrialization of singlefamily housing production. This proposal is based on four steps involving theoretical and experimental approaches. The theoretical approaches involved the structuring of a systematic literature review, which were identified gaps in scientific knowledge and the research hypothesis, besides the development of basic theoretical framework, the product definition and production system design. The experimental approach was represented by activities related to computer simulation of the production system and its subsequent optimization. The computer simulation was performed with the ProModel® software where was simulated the production of five hundred housing units from the programming logic of the designed system. Seven scenarios were simulated, with the results of its simulation it was possible to identify the most efficient configuration from optimizing the use of some resources, identified by layout B. In addition, the main results of the simulations show that it is possible to assembly the housing unit designed at 11.14 hours, with a cycle time of 5.56 hours, with the settings of scenario seven. The purpose of this thesis and the results can be considered relevant because promote innovation for both the consumer market and to the academy, since it deals with concepts little used or known in the CI. It also enables greater speed and volume of production, facing the Brazilian housing deficit, with significant quality improvements. / A Indústria da Construção Civil (ICC), no que tange a produção de habitações unifamiliares no Brasil, ainda se caracteriza pelo uso de técnicas e tecnologias que são altamente dependentes do conhecimento e experiência do operário. Assim, na maior parte dos empreendimentos que envolvem a construção de habitações unifamiliares, verificam-se características artesanais quando se aborda o canteiro de obras como um sistema produtivo. Dessa forma, é comum se atestar o surgimento de manifestações patológicas em análises pós-ocupacionais, além do corrente descumprimento de prazos e orçamentos. Neste sentido, a presente tese sugere que a ICC rompa com alguns paradigmas técnicos e culturais a partir do uso de um sistema construtivo industrializado, como o Light Steel Frame (LSF) associado ao uso de Linhas de Montagem, com o objetivo de se industrializar a produção de habitações unifamiliares. Esta proposta se fundamentou em quatro etapas que envolveram abordagens teóricas e experimentais. As abordagens teóricas envolveram a estruturação da revisão bibliográfica sistemática, onde foram identificadas as lacunas do conhecimento científico e a hipótese de pesquisa, além do desenvolvimento do referencial teórico básico, a definição do produto e o projeto do sistema de produção. Já a abordagem experimental foi representada pelas atividades referentes à simulação computacional do sistema de produção e posterior otimização do mesmo. A simulação computacional foi executada com o software ProModel®, em que foi simulada a produção de quinhentas unidades habitacionais a partir da programação da lógica do sistema projetado. Ao todo foram simulados sete cenários; com os resultados de suas simulações foi possível identificar a configuração mais eficiente, a partir da otimização do uso de alguns recursos, identificado pelo layout B. Além disso, os principais resultados das simulações mostram que é possível montar a unidade habitacional projetada em 11,14 horas, com um tempo de ciclo de 5,56 horas com as configurações do cenário sete. A proposta dessa tese e os resultados obtidos podem ser considerados relevantes, pois promovem a inovação tanto para o mercado consumidor quanto para a academia, uma vez que lida com conceitos pouco utilizados ou conhecidos na ICC. Além disso, possibilita maior rapidez e volume de produção, frente ao déficit habitacional brasileiro, com ganhos significativos de qualidade.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-03-06T14:05:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 josehumbertogoesalves.pdf: 7726809 bytes, checksum: 2bdc724ae928df55c996d5d453664a9a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-03-06T20:24:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 josehumbertogoesalves.pdf: 7726809 bytes, checksum: 2bdc724ae928df55c996d5d453664a9a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-06T20:24:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 josehumbertogoesalves.pdf: 7726809 bytes, checksum: 2bdc724ae928df55c996d5d453664a9a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-02 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Frente ao grande número de entulhos gerados na construção civil atualmente no Brasil, surgem novos métodos construtivos, se servindo de processos mais industrializados para racionalizar os materiais de construção. O Light Steel Frame (LSF) é um desses novos métodos, baseado em perfis de aço que trabalham em conjunto através de subsistemas estruturais, não requisitando água nem produção de materiais in loco. Não só a forma de construir deve ser atualizada para melhor utilizar os recursos produtivos, como também deve-se promover melhorias no gerenciamento das construções. Em virtude disso, uma crescente tecnologia que está cada vez mais sendo agregada na construção civil é a Modelagem De Informação Da Construção, ou simplesmente BIM, da sigla em inglês. BIM permite planejar, projetar, construir, usar e manter uma construção. Para isso, não é necessário que exista um aplicativo que englobe todas essas tarefas. Por utilizar informação parametrizada, aplicativos distintos podem compartilhar uma mesma informação e gerar seus resultados, processo esse denominado de interoperabilidade. Assim, este trabalho tem como foco principal desenvolver uma ferramenta capaz de modelar estruturas em LSF, realizar um pré-cálculo estrutural e também prover meios de permitir a interoperabilidade com outros softwares. Para este fim, foi empregado o SketchUp, que possui uma interface de programação em linguagem Ruby, e possui módulos de geração de dados compatíveis com as necessidades da interoperabilidade. Como resultado, a ferramenta gerada neste trabalho alcançou desempenho satisfatório, mesmo que ainda existam muitos recursos para serem agregados. / The large amount of construction waste currently generated in Brazil demands new construction methods and more industrialized process. The Light Steel Frame (LSF) is one of those new methods based based on structural subsystems comprising steel properties, not ordering water or production of material in loco. Building and its management should be improoved. Building Information Modeling, or simply BIM, allows the planning design, building using and maintaing of building. Therefore, it is not necessary to have an application that includes all these tasks. By means of parameterized information, different applications can share the same information and generate results, a process known as interoperability. This work is mainly focused on developing a tool capable of modeling structures in LSF, performing a structural pre-analysis and also providing a means to enable interoperability with other software. To this end, we applied the SketchUp, which has a programming interface in Ruby language, and has data generation modules compatible with the interoperability needs. As a result, the generated tool in this work has achieved satisfactory performance, even though there are still many resources to be aggregated.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to perform a quantitative probabilistic based evaluation of the reliability achieved in the design of Light Steel Frame Buildings (LSFB) when designed according to the loading code, SANS 517:2009 and the new design code for cold formed steel sections, SANS 10162-2:2010. The evaluation was done as follows: A specific structure, chosen and designed according to the specifications given in SANS 517:2009, was modelled in a structural analysis program. From the analyses done it was possible to identify the most critical element for given failure modes. Spread sheets according to SANS 10162-2:2010 were developed to calculate the resistance or design values for the different failure modes. By using a First Order Reliability Method (FORM), the reliability index for each failure mode could be calculated and evaluated in three different ways. Firstly, the reliability margin implied by the design load was evaluated. It was assumed that the resistance of the profile had a deterministic value while the loads applied to the structure were taken as probabilistic, i.e. following their known distribution functions. From this evaluation it was found that the necessary level of reliability was achieved for all failure modes. Secondly, the reliability margin implied by the resistance of the profile was evaluated. The resistance of the profile was taken as probabilistic with a distribution function that could be determined from the known distribution functions of the profile parameters responsible for the capacity of the profile. The loading was assumed to have a single deterministic value. From this evaluation it could be seen that a very low level of reliability was achieved for the failure modes of shear working in on the strong axis of the profile as well as interaction between bending and axial load. This is due to the strong dependence of this failure mode to the thickness of the profile, to which no partial factor is applied in the design process. Thirdly, the reliability margin implied by both the resistance and loads was evaluated. In a real life situation both loads and resistances would have variability. The resistance and loading values were taken as probabilistic with their known distribution functions. From this evaluation it was found that the necessary level of reliability was only achieved for shear working in on the weakaxis and axial load. All other failure modes achieved a level of reliability slightly lower than the target level of reliability for South Africa. The stiffening effect of wall cladding elements were not taken into account in the analysis. The reliability of connections was also not evaluated. It can be concluded that the element reliability achieved through the use of above-mentioned codes seems to be slightly less that desired. There could be an argument for recalibrating the partial factors to achieve the desired level of element reliability. However, the cladding elements provide significant additional stiffness to the structure and there is no immediate cause for stiffness concern. Future studies should aim to quantify the contribution that the cladding elements make to the overall structural reliability. The influence of connections reliability should also be investigated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie poog om ‘n kwantitatiewe probabilisties-gebaseerde beoordeling van die betroubaarheidsindeks vir Ligte Staalraam Strukture (LSS) te bepaal wanneer dit ontwerp word volgens die belastingskode, SANS 517:2009 en die nuwe ontwerpskode vir koudgevormde staal profiele, SANS 10162-2:2010. Die beoordeling is as volg gedoen. ‘n Spesifieke strukturele model is gekies, ontwerp volgens die spesifiekasies in SANS 517:2009 en toe gemodelleer in ‘n struktuur analise program. Vanuit die analises was dit moontlik om die mees kritieke element te vind vir gegewe falings modusse. Sigblaaie, volgens SANS 10162-2:2010, is ontwikkel om die weerstand van die profile te bereken vir die falings modusse. Dit was moontlik om die betroubaarheidsindeks op drie verskillende maniere te bereken deur gebruik te maak van ‘n Eerste Orde Betroubaarheids Metode (EOBM). Eerstens is die betroubaarheids speling wat deur die belasting geimpliseer was, bepaal. Daar is aanvaar dat die weerstand van die profiel ‘n deterministiese waarde het terwyl die aangewende belasitng as probabilisties geneem is met hul bekende verdelingsfunksies. Uit hierdie beoordeling is gevind dat die nodige vlak van betroubaarheid bereik word vir alle falings modusse. Tweedens is die betroubaarheids speling wat deur die weerstand geimpliseer was, bepaal. Daar is aanvaar dat die weerstand van die profile ‘n probabilistiese verdeling het wat bepaal is uit bekende verdelingsfunksies van die profiel parameters verantwoordelik vir die kapasiteit van die profiel. Daar is aanvaar dat die belasting ‘n enkele deterministiese waarde het. Uit hierdie beoordeling is gevind dat daar ‘n baie lae vlak van betroubaarheid is vir skuif in die rigting van die sterk as, asook interaksie tussen aksiaal-las en momente. Dit is te danke aan die falings modus se sterk afhanklikheid van die dikte van die profiel. Daar word egter geen parsiële faktor aan die dikte toegeken in die ontwerp proses nie. Derdens is die betroubaarheids speling wat deur beide die weerstand en belasting geïmpliseer was, bepaal. In die werklikheid sal beide belasting en weerstand ‘n vlak van onsekerheid hê. Die weerstand en belasting is as probabilistiese waardes geneem met hul bekende verdelingsfunksies. Uit hierdie beoordeling is gevind dat slegs die falings modus vir skuif in die rigting van die swak as en aksiaal-las die nodige vlak van betroubaarheid bereik. Al die ander modusse het steeds ‘n redelike hoë vlak van betroubaarheid. Dit is egter steeds laer as wat voorgeskryf word vir Suid-Afrika. Die verstywings-effek van die bekleding is nie in hierdie ondersoek in ag geneem nie. Die betroubaarheid van die verbindings is ook nie bepaal nie. ‘n Gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat die element-betroubaarheid wat bereik word deur die bo-genoemde kodes effens laer is as die gewensde. ‘n Argument kan ontstaan vir die herkalibrasie van die parsiële faktore om die gewensde vlak van betroubaarheid te bereik, maar die bekleding bied ‘n noemenswaardige addisionele styfheid aan die struktuuur. Daar is dus geen onmiddellike kommer oor die styfheid van hierdie strukture nie. Verdere studies moet poog om die bydra van hierdie bekledingselemente tot die betroubaarheid van die struktuur te kwantifiseer. Die invloed van die konneksies tot die betroubaarheid van die struktuur sal ook ondersoek moet word.

The German government is experiencing difficulties housing and assimilating Syrian refugees in its borders. Erecting temporary shelters on location is one way to deal with the current crises. This thesis attempts to use Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine the optimum combination of materials and construction methods to be used in the shelter’s walls in order to improve the living conditions of the refugees and to ensure that the cost is acceptable to the German government. This thesis compares six existing wall panel products from China, which have the lowest cost on the worldwide market. The R-value, strength, price, weight, durability, ease of assembly, assembly time, maintenance costs, comfort, resale value, and appearance were evaluated. Assumptions were made on what the German government would require and on standard building practices in Europe and America. The analysis indicates that the steel frame house from YONGYANG Steel best satisfies the needs in this situation. This thesis produced an AHP template, which is flexible. This model that was developed for the German scenario can be effectively applied to differing emergent situations in other parts of the world.

Performance-Based (PBE) and Consequence-Based (CBE) are new approaches to seismic design, evaluation and risk assessment, in which design criteria are devised to achieve stated performance objectives, and regional losses to civil infrastructure are mitigated through selective interventions for critical components of a civil infrastructure. These new approaches give engineers more flexibility in achieving performance goals but require substantial additional computational resources to fully achieve performance goals. As a step toward making such approaches feasible, this dissertation develops a number of computationally efficient methods for performing finite element-based structural system dynamic response analysis and reliability assessment. The Enhanced Uncoupled Modal Response History Analysis (EUMRHA) procedure developed herein is an efficient response analysis procedure to make the analysis of dynamic structural response to earthquakes in the nonlinear range less time-consuming. This technique is used to investigate the potential for aftershocks to cause additional damage to steel moment frame buildings, utilizing a technique designed to enhance the efficiency of Monte Carlo simulation in estimating low-probability events. Relatively simple probabilistic tools are proposed for purposes of rapid structural evaluation and condition assessment of damaged buildings. Finally, an analysis-based inspection scheme based on an associated probability model of connection damage is proposed for assessing the safety condition of existing buildings, and a procedure to assess the likely performance of an un-repaired building during a future earthquake is developed.