In current design of steel eccentrically braced frames (EBFs), the yielding link is coupled with the floor beam. This often results in oversized link elements, which leads to over-designed structures and foundations. In addition, the beams are expected to sustain significant damage through repeated inelastic deformations under design level earthquakes, and thus the structure may require extensive repair or need to be replaced. These drawbacks can be mitigated by designing EBFs with replaceable shear links. Two different replaceable link types with alternate section profiles, connection configurations, welding details and intermediate stiffener spacing were tested. A total of 13 cyclic quasi-static full-scale cyclic tests were performed, which included tests on eccentrically braced frames with the replaceable shear links, to study their inelastic seismic performance. The links exhibited a very good ductile behaviour, developing stable and repeatable yielding. Additional inelastic rotation capacity can be achieved with bolted replaceable links when allowing bolt bearing deformations to occur. The on-site replaceability of the link sections is confirmed even in the presence of residual deformations of 0.5% drift.

For decades, structural engineers have been using various conventional design approaches for assessing the strength and stability of framed structures for various loads. Today, engineers are still designing without some critical information to insure that their stability assessment yields a safe design for the life of the structure with consideration for extreme loads. Presented in this thesis is new critical information provided from the study of stability analysis and design of steel framed structures accounting for extreme loads associated to load patterns that may be experienced during their lifetime. It is conducted in five main parts. A literature survey is first carried out reviewing the previous research of analyzing frame stability including the consideration of initial geometric imperfections, and also evaluating research of the analysis and design of the increased usage of cold-formed steel (CFS) storage racks. Secondly, the elastic buckling loads for single-storey unbraced steel frames subjected to variable loading is extended to multi-storey unbraced steel frames. The formulations and procedures are developed for the multi-storey unbraced steel frames subjected to variable loading using the storey-based buckling method. Numerical examples are presented as comparisons to the conventional proportional loading approach and to demonstrate the effect of connection rigidity on the maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads. Thirdly, the lateral stiffness of axially loaded columns in unbraced frames accounting for initial geometric imperfections is derived based on the storey-based buckling. A practical method of evaluating column effective length factor with explicit accounting for the initial geometric imperfections is developed and examined using numerical examples. The fourth part is an investigation of the stability for multi-storey unbraced steel frames under variable loading with accounting for initial geometric imperfections. Finally, the stability of CFS storage racks is studied. The effective length factor of CFS storage racks with accounting for the semi-rigid nature of the beam-to-column connections of such structures are evaluated based on experimental data. A parametric study on maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads with or without accounting for initial geometric imperfections is conducted. The proposed stability analysis of multi-storey unbraced frames subjected to variable loading takes into consideration the volatility of live loads during the life span of structures and frame buckling characteristics of the frames under any possible load pattern. From the proposed method, the maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads together with their associated load patterns provides critical information to clearly define the stability capacities of frames under extreme loads. This critical information in concern for the stability of structures is generally not available through a conventional proportional loading analysis. This study of work ends with an appropriate set of conclusions.

For decades, structural engineers have been using various conventional design approaches for assessing the strength and stability of framed structures for various loads. Today, engineers are still designing without some critical information to insure that their stability assessment yields a safe design for the life of the structure with consideration for extreme loads. Presented in this thesis is new critical information provided from the study of stability analysis and design of steel framed structures accounting for extreme loads associated to load patterns that may be experienced during their lifetime. It is conducted in five main parts. A literature survey is first carried out reviewing the previous research of analyzing frame stability including the consideration of initial geometric imperfections, and also evaluating research of the analysis and design of the increased usage of cold-formed steel (CFS) storage racks. Secondly, the elastic buckling loads for single-storey unbraced steel frames subjected to variable loading is extended to multi-storey unbraced steel frames. The formulations and procedures are developed for the multi-storey unbraced steel frames subjected to variable loading using the storey-based buckling method. Numerical examples are presented as comparisons to the conventional proportional loading approach and to demonstrate the effect of connection rigidity on the maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads. Thirdly, the lateral stiffness of axially loaded columns in unbraced frames accounting for initial geometric imperfections is derived based on the storey-based buckling. A practical method of evaluating column effective length factor with explicit accounting for the initial geometric imperfections is developed and examined using numerical examples. The fourth part is an investigation of the stability for multi-storey unbraced steel frames under variable loading with accounting for initial geometric imperfections. Finally, the stability of CFS storage racks is studied. The effective length factor of CFS storage racks with accounting for the semi-rigid nature of the beam-to-column connections of such structures are evaluated based on experimental data. A parametric study on maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads with or without accounting for initial geometric imperfections is conducted. The proposed stability analysis of multi-storey unbraced frames subjected to variable loading takes into consideration the volatility of live loads during the life span of structures and frame buckling characteristics of the frames under any possible load pattern. From the proposed method, the maximum and minimum frame-buckling loads together with their associated load patterns provides critical information to clearly define the stability capacities of frames under extreme loads. This critical information in concern for the stability of structures is generally not available through a conventional proportional loading analysis. This study of work ends with an appropriate set of conclusions.

The Central and Eastern United States (CEUS) is a region that is characterized by low frequency-high consequence seismic events such as the New Madrid sequence of 18111812. The infrequent nature of earthquakes in the region has led to a perception that the seismic risk in the area is low, and the current building stock reflects this perception. The majority of steel-framed buildings in the CEUS were designed without regard to seismic loads. Such frames possess limited seismic resistance, and may pose an unacceptable risk if a large earthquake were to occur in the region. A key ingredient of building performance and seismic risk assessment is the fragility, a term that describes the probability of failure to meet a performance objective as a function of demand on the system. The effects of uncertainties on building seismic performance can be displayed by a seismic fragility relationship. This fragility can be used in a conditional scenario-based seismic risk assessment or can be integrated with seismic hazard to obtain an estimate of annual or lifetime risk. The seismic fragility analyses in this study focus on steel frames that are typical of building construction in regions of infrequent seismicity; such frames have received little attention to date in building seismic risk assessment. Current steel building stock in Shelby Co., TN has been represented by five code-compliant model frames with different lateral force-resisting systems, i.e., braced-frames, partially-restrained moment frames and a rigid moment frame. The performance of model frames under certain hazard levels was assessed using fragility curves. Different rehabilitation methods were discussed and applied. Results indicate that PR frames behave better than expected and rehabilitated frames perform quite well even under severe earthquakes.

Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) exhibit the ability to undergo large deformations but can recover permanent strains via heating (shape memory effect) or when stress is removed (superelastic effect). This study evaluates the comparative seismic performance of steel moment resisting frames (SMRFs) with innovative beam-to-column connections that use SMA bars as connecting elements. The performance evaluation studies are based on two types of SMA beam-to-column connections: (1) superelastic SMA connections with recentering capability; (2) martensitic SMA connections with high energy dissipation capacity. Fiber models for these SMA connections are implemented in the OpenSees finite element framework, and are verified against data from full-scale experimental tests that were performed on a prototype SMA connection in previous research at Georgia Tech. Three- and a nine-story model buildings with partially-restrained (PR) moment frames are selected from the SAC Phase II Project as case studies. Non-linear time history analyses on these model buildings, with and without SMA connections, are conducted using suites of ground acceleration records from the SAC Phase II project that represent different seismic hazard levels. Several SMA connections are designed for each structure, and their effect on peak and residual inter-story drift angles, connection rotations, and normalized dissipated hysteretic energy demands are investigated to determine the most suitable design. Finally, the seismic demands on the model buildings with conventional PR and selected SMA connections are evaluated in a probabilistic framework. The resulting seismic demand relationships are used to assess the effectiveness of the SMA connections in enhancing the building performance over a range of demand levels. The results of this performance evaluation show that the SMA connections are most effective in controlling structural response under high levels of seismic intensity leading to large deformation demands. In particular, the energy dissipating SMA connections are found to be effective in reducing maximum deformation demands, while the recentering SMA connections are more suitable for controlling residual deformations in the structure.

Steel has become widespread and now it can be accepted as the candidate of being main material for the structural systems with its excellent properties. Its high quality, durability, stability, low maintenance costs and opportunity of fast construction are the advantages of steel. The correct use of the material is important for steel&rsquo / s bright prospects. The need for weight optimization becomes important at this point. Available sources are used economically through optimization. Optimization brings material savings and at last economy. Optimization can be achieved with different ways. This thesis investigates the effect of the appropriate choice of column orientation on minimum weight design of steel frames. Evolution strategies (ESs) method, which is one of the three mainstreams of evolutionary algorithms, is used as the optimizer in this study to deal with the current problem of interest. A new evolution strategy (ES) algorithm is proposed, where design variables are considered simultaneously as cross-sectional dimensions (size variables) and orientation of column members (orientation variables). The resulting algorithm is computerized in a design optimization software called OFES. This software has many capabilities addressing to issues encountered in practical applications, such as producing designs according to TS-648 and ASD-AISC design provisions. The effect of column orientations is numerically studied using six examples with practical design considerations. In these examples, first steel structures are sized for minimum weight considering the size variables only, where orientations of the column members are initially assigned and kept constant during optimization process. Next, the weight optimum design of structures are implemented using both size and orientation design variables. It is shown that the inclusion of column orientations produces designs which are generally 4 to 8 % lesser in weight than the cases where only size variables are employed.

In this study, weight optimization of two dimensional steel frames is carried out in which the flexibility of beam-to-column connections and the soil-structure interaction are considered. In the analysis and design of steel frames, beam-tocolumn connections are assumed to be either fully rigid or perfectly pinned. However, the real behavior of beam-to-column connections is actually between these extremes. Namely, even the simple connections used in practice possess some stiffness falling between these two cases mentioned above. Moreover, it is found that there exists a nonlinear relationship between the moment and beam-to-column rotation when a moment is applied to a flexible connection. These partially restrained connections influence the drift (P- effect) of whole structure as well as the moment distribution in beams and columns. Use of a direct nonlinear inelastic analysis is one way to account for all these effects in frame design. To be able to implement such analysis, beam-to-column connections should be assumed and modeled as semi-rigid connections. In the present study, beam-to-column connections are modeled as &ldquo / end plate without column stiffeners&rdquo / and &ldquo / top and seat angle with web angles&rdquo / . Soil-structure interaction is also included in the analysis. Frames are assumed to be resting on nonlinear soil, which is represented by a set of axial elements. Particle swarm optimization method is used to develop the optimum design algorithm. The Particle Swarm method is a numerical optimization technique that simulates the social behavior of birds, fishes and bugs. In nature fish school, birds flock and bugs swarm not only for reproduction but for other reasons such as finding food and escaping predators. Similar to birds seek to find food, the optimum design process seeks to find the optimum solution. In the particle swarm optimization each particle in the swarm represents a candidate solution of the optimum design problem. The design algorithm presented selects sections for the members of steel frame from the complete list of sections given in LRFD- AISC (Load and Resistance Factor Design, American Institute of Steel Construction). Besides, the design constraints are implemented from the specifications of the same code which covers serviceability and strength limitations. The optimum design algorithm developed is used to design number of rigid and semi-rigid steel frames.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A comunidade científica tem conhecimento de que uma das etapas mais relevantes no projeto de estruturas de aço e mistas, diz respeito a uma avaliação precisa sobre os modelos estruturais que representam o comportamento real das ligações viga-coluna. Este assunto tem sido objeto de vários trabalhos de pesquisa nas ultimas décadas. Na prática corrente do projeto de estruturas de aço, a grande maioria das ligações viga-coluna é representada por modelos flexíveis (rótulas) ou rígidos (engastes). Contudo, na maior parte dos casos práticos, essas ligações assumem um comportamento intermediário, ou seja, semi-rígido. Um outro ponto importante acerca do assunto diz respeito à avaliação da resposta dinâmica de estruturas de aço com a consideração pertinente do efeito das ligações, especialmente, no que tange as semi-rígidas, já que a maioria dos trabalhos de pesquisa concentra-se apenas no estudo da resposta estática dos modelos. Assim sendo, esta investigação apresenta uma contribuição inicial no que tange ao emprego de elementos que representem mais fielmente os efeitos das ligações estruturais na análise dinâmica de estruturas de aço, evidentemente, com a consideração do efeito de semi-rigidez dessas ligações. Desta forma, este trabalho de pesquisa propõe o uso de um modelo mecânico com elementos de mola rotacionais não-lineares, objetivando simular adequadamente o efeito das ligações viga-coluna especificamente em pórticos de aço. Inicialmente, foi feita uma calibração do modelo computacional desenvolvido, comparando os resultados obtidos mediante o uso do modelo de mola rotacional com os dados obtidos na literatura técnica sobre o assunto. Na seqüência, desenvolve-se uma analise paramétrica extensa, com a inclusão de todos os efeitos mencionados no parágrafo anterior, de forma a avaliar mais detalhadamente a resposta dinâmica dos pórticos de aço, deslocamentos e esforços, com base no estudo de um edifício residencial de quatro pavimentos. / The scientific community has realized that one of the most relevant stages in the design of steel and composite structures concerns to an accurate evaluation about the structural models that represent the actual behaviour of the beam-to-column connections. This issue has been the subject of many studies over the last decade. In the current design of steel structures, most of the beam-to-column connections are represented by pinned or rigid models. However, in most of the current cases, the connections have an intermediate behaviour between these two cases. Another important issue about the correct evaluation of the dynamic response of steel structures its about the consideration of the effects of the joints, especially of the semi-rigid joints, since most of the studies consider only a static analysis of the models. Therefore, this dissertation has proposed the use of a mechanical model of rotational springs with a nonlinear behaviour, objectifying a proper simulation of the beam-to-column effects in steel frames. The numeric results were obtained along the present study, and calibrated based on many computer models available on the literature. On the sequence, a large parametric analysis is developed, including all the effects mentioned before, objectifying evaluate more precisely the dynamic response of the steel frames (displacements and forces), based on the static and dynamic response of a four storey edifice.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A comunidade científica tem conhecimento de que uma das etapas mais relevantes no projeto de estruturas de aço e mistas, diz respeito a uma avaliação precisa sobre os modelos estruturais que representam o comportamento real das ligações viga-coluna. Este assunto tem sido objeto de vários trabalhos de pesquisa nas ultimas décadas. Na prática corrente do projeto de estruturas de aço, a grande maioria das ligações viga-coluna é representada por modelos flexíveis (rótulas) ou rígidos (engastes). Contudo, na maior parte dos casos práticos, essas ligações assumem um comportamento intermediário, ou seja, semi-rígido. Um outro ponto importante acerca do assunto diz respeito à avaliação da resposta dinâmica de estruturas de aço com a consideração pertinente do efeito das ligações, especialmente, no que tange as semi-rígidas, já que a maioria dos trabalhos de pesquisa concentra-se apenas no estudo da resposta estática dos modelos. Assim sendo, esta investigação apresenta uma contribuição inicial no que tange ao emprego de elementos que representem mais fielmente os efeitos das ligações estruturais na análise dinâmica de estruturas de aço, evidentemente, com a consideração do efeito de semi-rigidez dessas ligações. Desta forma, este trabalho de pesquisa propõe o uso de um modelo mecânico com elementos de mola rotacionais não-lineares, objetivando simular adequadamente o efeito das ligações viga-coluna especificamente em pórticos de aço. Inicialmente, foi feita uma calibração do modelo computacional desenvolvido, comparando os resultados obtidos mediante o uso do modelo de mola rotacional com os dados obtidos na literatura técnica sobre o assunto. Na seqüência, desenvolve-se uma analise paramétrica extensa, com a inclusão de todos os efeitos mencionados no parágrafo anterior, de forma a avaliar mais detalhadamente a resposta dinâmica dos pórticos de aço, deslocamentos e esforços, com base no estudo de um edifício residencial de quatro pavimentos. / The scientific community has realized that one of the most relevant stages in the design of steel and composite structures concerns to an accurate evaluation about the structural models that represent the actual behaviour of the beam-to-column connections. This issue has been the subject of many studies over the last decade. In the current design of steel structures, most of the beam-to-column connections are represented by pinned or rigid models. However, in most of the current cases, the connections have an intermediate behaviour between these two cases. Another important issue about the correct evaluation of the dynamic response of steel structures its about the consideration of the effects of the joints, especially of the semi-rigid joints, since most of the studies consider only a static analysis of the models. Therefore, this dissertation has proposed the use of a mechanical model of rotational springs with a nonlinear behaviour, objectifying a proper simulation of the beam-to-column effects in steel frames. The numeric results were obtained along the present study, and calibrated based on many computer models available on the literature. On the sequence, a large parametric analysis is developed, including all the effects mentioned before, objectifying evaluate more precisely the dynamic response of the steel frames (displacements and forces), based on the static and dynamic response of a four storey edifice.

Esse trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo entre métodos simplificados para avaliação da estabilidade de pórticos planos de aço. Aspectos relacionados à classificação das estruturas de aço quanto à deslocabilidade e sistema de contraventamento são apresentados e discutidos. O tradicional procedimento do comprimento efetivo de flambagem, ainda presente em algumas normas, é confrontado com métodos que empregam forças horizontais fictícias para contabilizar os efeitos desestabilizantes, tais como imperfeições geométricas iniciais e tensões residuais. Uma análise numérica avançada via MEF que permite a modelagem explícita dos efeitos que contribuem para a instabilidade de pórticos é empregada como referência na comparação dos resultados. É avaliada a resposta de pilares isolados, edifícios industriais e de múltiplos andares. Os métodos que empregam forças horizontais fictícias foram considerados adequados, pois além de eliminar o cálculo do comprimento efetivo de flambagem, apresentaram resultados mais consistentes em relação à análise avançada. / Two strategies for assessing steel frame stability and beam-column design are studied and compared. Some aspects related to bracing system and sway or non-sway classification are also discussed. The traditional procedure based on effective lengths are compared with some approaches based on notional loads, which propose a set of notional horizontal loads for account stability effects such as initial geometric imperfections and residual stresses. The results are compared with an advanced analysis using FEM, which consists in an explicit modeling of stability effects. Some industrial and multistory frames are studied and the results show that the notional load based procedures are accurate. These procedures are also practical because the need for effective length factors is eliminated.