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This thesis applies structural reliability measures for the performance based design of residential PV system structures. These measures are intended to support designers in delivering systems with quantified and consistent reliability. Existing codified practices prescribe global factors (allowable stress design) and partial factors (load and resistance factor design) intended to provide an acceptable level of reliability as defined by historical practice. When applied to residential PV systems this prescriptive approach has two flaws, (1) calibration efforts needed to ensure consistency across structural system types have not kept up with the commercially available system types and (2) the actual expected reliability is not quantified and available to support decisions. The proposed reliability measures include probability of failure conditioned to wind speed in a fragility curve and the reliability index β, both of which are commonly used in performance based design. The approach is demonstrated through the application of the reliability measures to code compliant designs. Diverse system types are utilized to demonstrate how the existing code prescribed approach may lead to non-uniform structural performance. For each of the system types on which the reliability measures are demonstrated, a code compliant design is developed for three roof slopes, wind tunnel testing is conducted to provide an experimental measure of wind pressure coefficients, system specific fragility curves are generated to quantify the probability of failure conditioned to a set of wind speeds, and then, a site specific wind model is applied to produce a probability of failure and reliability index β. Through the performance based approach proposed in this thesis, two key outputs show non-uniform and unanticipated structural performance of PV systems designed according to the prescriptive code method. The two key outputs which illustrate this finding are fragility curves which illustrate the probability of failure over a range of wind speeds and reliability index, β values which couple the structural and wind distributions for a single measure of reliability.

Concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) columns are widely used in building and infrastructure projects throughout the world.Compared with other form of construction CFST columns offer superior structural performance and speed and ease of construction.Design procedures and recommendations provided in most of the design codes are often tedious and complex. There have been attempts to simplify the design procedure by providing a simplified expression to predict the capacity of a CFST under a general loading condition.In this thesis a rigorous analysis procedure was presented for the analysis of CFST beam-columns under general loading conditions.All the analytical results were verified by comparisons with the available test results and current ACI, AISC AND Eurocode 4 design codes. The comparisons demonstrated that the proposed numerical equations are accurate, and slightly conservative. Based on the numerical analysis, a simple and easy to follow calculation procedure was proposed for design of CFST columns under either uniaxial or biaxial bending moment and axial load. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Changes in the characteristics of the structure, such as damage, have not been considered in most of the active and semi-active control methods that have been used to control and optimize the response of civil engineering structures. In this dissertation, a direct adaptive control which can deal with the existence of measurement errors and changes in structural characteristics or load conditioning is used to control the performance of structures. A Simple Adaptive Control Method (SACM) is modified to control civil structures and improve their performance. The effectiveness of the SACM is verified by several numerical examples. The SACM is used to reduce the structural response such as drift and acceleration using active and semi-active devices, and its performance is compared with that of other control methods. Also, a probabilistic indirect adaptive control method is developed and its behavior is compared to the SACM using a simple numerical example. In addition to the simplicity of the SACM implementation, the results show that SACM is very effective to reduce the response of structures with linear and non-linear behavior in comparison with other control methods.

No description available.

The August 17, 1999 Kocaeli-Turkey Earthquake (Mw=7.4) caused severe damage to the structures and lifelines in the Marmara region. Soil liquefaction was identified as one of the major causes of this damage. The aim of this study is to determine geotechnical and earthquake engineering factors that contribute to the structural damage observed in Sakarya city after 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake. For this purpose, the results of an extensive field investigation program compiled by General Directorate of Disaster Affairs including subsurface soil characterization and documenting structural performance data were used. The database was carefully screened for poor quality data and was transferred to geographic information system (GIS) framework. Maximum likelihood methodology for the probabilistic assessment of seismically induced structural performance was chosen as the statistical tool. After series of sensitivity analyses, important geotechnical and earthquake engineering parameters of the problem were selected as i) liquefaction severity index, ii) post liquefaction volumetric settlement, iii) peak ground acceleration and, iv) spectral acceleration defined at the period range of conventional buildings. In addition to these parameters, structural performance defined as a) no damage and light, b) moderate damage, c) heavy damage and collapse, as well as the number of storeys of each structure were used as to correlate structural damage with geotechnical earthquake engineering factors. As a conclusion series of vulnerability functions specific to Adapazari shaken by Kocaeli Earthquake were developed. Performance predictions of these vulnerability functions were shown to be consistent with as high as 65 percent of the observed structural performance.

O concreto armado era tido, quando da sua concepção inicial, como um material que teria boa durabilidade e uma vida útil elevada, praticamente dispensando reparos. Com a intensificação de seu uso, todavia, começaram a serem observados diversos processos de deterioração que resultaram, nos casos mais críticos, em severos comprometimentos de desempenho ou falhas prematuras. Dentre as manifestações patológicas que mais transtorno e prejuízos causam às estruturas civis, destaca-se a corrosão de armaduras, por sua elevada incidência e potencial de dano. Embora já exista um considerável número de pesquisas acerca deste tema, percebe-se que a ênfase atual se encontra no estudo do processo de iniciação da corrosão, e poucos estudos se voltam para a caracterização da fase de propagação, onde os danos se intensificam. Assim, esta pesquisa tem a finalidade, pela realização de experimentos conjugados com uma análise numérica, de contribuir para que sejam entendidos os efeitos, em termos de prejuízo do desempenho estrutural, da propagação da corrosão em estruturas civis. Para fins desta pesquisa, consideraram-se como efeitos significativos nas propriedades estruturais: a perda da aderência entre o aço e o concreto; a diminuição da área de seção transversal da armadura; a diminuição da resistência à tração do aço; e o aparecimento de tensões de tração devido ao acúmulo dos produtos de corrosão junto às barras. Foi estimulado o desenvolvimento de processos de corrosão em corpos-de-prova de concreto contendo barras de aço, que usa aplicação de corrente constante e exposição a uma solução de cloretos, e os graus de corrosão estudados foram equivalentes a perdas de massa de 0, 2, 5, 10 e 20%. Os resultados obtidos nesta fase experimental foram empregados como referência para uma análise numérica, cuja validação foi feita pela avaliação de vigas moldadas e deterioradas em laboratório pelo processo de corrosão induzido. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram, em suma, que os corpos-de-prova de concreto afetados pela corrosão de armaduras, devido ao ataque por cloretos, com pequenas perdas de massa (da ordem de 2 e 5%) não apresentam danos significativos nas propriedades estruturais, enquanto que nos corpos-de-prova contaminados com graus de corrosão maiores que 10% estes danos são mais evidenciados, e neste caso as estruturas devem ser obrigatoriamente tratadas ou recuperadas nos casos mais críticos. / When reinforced concrete was designed, it was believed to be a material with good durability and great life-cycle, with almost no repairs necessary. With its use intensification, however, it started to be noticed several deterioration processes and, in the most critical cases, these deterioration processes severely compromised the structure performance or leaded to early fails. Among the pathological manifestations which cause more damages to civil structures, it is possible to highlight the reinforcement corrosion due to its great incidence and damage potential. Despite the great amount of researches concerning this issue, the up-to-date emphasis is based on the corrosion initiation process study, and fewer studies focus on the propagation phase characterization, in which damages are intensified. This research aims, trough experimental and numerical analysis, to contribute for a better understanding of the effects, regarding structural performance damage, of corrosion propagation in civil structures. In this research it is considered as important effects on structural proprieties: losses of bond between steel and concrete; the bar cross section reduction; the bar tensile strength reduction; and the development of tension efforts due to rust near the bars. It was stimulated the development of corrosion process in concrete specimens with rebars, which uses constant current impression and chloride solution exposition to accelerate the corrosive process, and the corrosion levels studied were equivalent to bar weight losses of 0, 2, 5, 10 and 20%. The results from this experimental phase were used as reference to numerical analysis, and validated by beams which were cast and deteriorated in laboratory due to inducted corrosion process. The research results show, in a few words, that concrete specimens affected by reinforcement corrosion, due to chloride attack, with low levels of mass losses (approximately 2 and 5%) do not present significant structural properties damages, while in the specimens with corrosion levels higher then 10% these damages are more exposed, and in this case the structures should be obligatory treated or recovered in the most critical cases.

O concreto armado era tido, quando da sua concepção inicial, como um material que teria boa durabilidade e uma vida útil elevada, praticamente dispensando reparos. Com a intensificação de seu uso, todavia, começaram a serem observados diversos processos de deterioração que resultaram, nos casos mais críticos, em severos comprometimentos de desempenho ou falhas prematuras. Dentre as manifestações patológicas que mais transtorno e prejuízos causam às estruturas civis, destaca-se a corrosão de armaduras, por sua elevada incidência e potencial de dano. Embora já exista um considerável número de pesquisas acerca deste tema, percebe-se que a ênfase atual se encontra no estudo do processo de iniciação da corrosão, e poucos estudos se voltam para a caracterização da fase de propagação, onde os danos se intensificam. Assim, esta pesquisa tem a finalidade, pela realização de experimentos conjugados com uma análise numérica, de contribuir para que sejam entendidos os efeitos, em termos de prejuízo do desempenho estrutural, da propagação da corrosão em estruturas civis. Para fins desta pesquisa, consideraram-se como efeitos significativos nas propriedades estruturais: a perda da aderência entre o aço e o concreto; a diminuição da área de seção transversal da armadura; a diminuição da resistência à tração do aço; e o aparecimento de tensões de tração devido ao acúmulo dos produtos de corrosão junto às barras. Foi estimulado o desenvolvimento de processos de corrosão em corpos-de-prova de concreto contendo barras de aço, que usa aplicação de corrente constante e exposição a uma solução de cloretos, e os graus de corrosão estudados foram equivalentes a perdas de massa de 0, 2, 5, 10 e 20%. Os resultados obtidos nesta fase experimental foram empregados como referência para uma análise numérica, cuja validação foi feita pela avaliação de vigas moldadas e deterioradas em laboratório pelo processo de corrosão induzido. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram, em suma, que os corpos-de-prova de concreto afetados pela corrosão de armaduras, devido ao ataque por cloretos, com pequenas perdas de massa (da ordem de 2 e 5%) não apresentam danos significativos nas propriedades estruturais, enquanto que nos corpos-de-prova contaminados com graus de corrosão maiores que 10% estes danos são mais evidenciados, e neste caso as estruturas devem ser obrigatoriamente tratadas ou recuperadas nos casos mais críticos. / When reinforced concrete was designed, it was believed to be a material with good durability and great life-cycle, with almost no repairs necessary. With its use intensification, however, it started to be noticed several deterioration processes and, in the most critical cases, these deterioration processes severely compromised the structure performance or leaded to early fails. Among the pathological manifestations which cause more damages to civil structures, it is possible to highlight the reinforcement corrosion due to its great incidence and damage potential. Despite the great amount of researches concerning this issue, the up-to-date emphasis is based on the corrosion initiation process study, and fewer studies focus on the propagation phase characterization, in which damages are intensified. This research aims, trough experimental and numerical analysis, to contribute for a better understanding of the effects, regarding structural performance damage, of corrosion propagation in civil structures. In this research it is considered as important effects on structural proprieties: losses of bond between steel and concrete; the bar cross section reduction; the bar tensile strength reduction; and the development of tension efforts due to rust near the bars. It was stimulated the development of corrosion process in concrete specimens with rebars, which uses constant current impression and chloride solution exposition to accelerate the corrosive process, and the corrosion levels studied were equivalent to bar weight losses of 0, 2, 5, 10 and 20%. The results from this experimental phase were used as reference to numerical analysis, and validated by beams which were cast and deteriorated in laboratory due to inducted corrosion process. The research results show, in a few words, that concrete specimens affected by reinforcement corrosion, due to chloride attack, with low levels of mass losses (approximately 2 and 5%) do not present significant structural properties damages, while in the specimens with corrosion levels higher then 10% these damages are more exposed, and in this case the structures should be obligatory treated or recovered in the most critical cases.

O concreto armado era tido, quando da sua concepção inicial, como um material que teria boa durabilidade e uma vida útil elevada, praticamente dispensando reparos. Com a intensificação de seu uso, todavia, começaram a serem observados diversos processos de deterioração que resultaram, nos casos mais críticos, em severos comprometimentos de desempenho ou falhas prematuras. Dentre as manifestações patológicas que mais transtorno e prejuízos causam às estruturas civis, destaca-se a corrosão de armaduras, por sua elevada incidência e potencial de dano. Embora já exista um considerável número de pesquisas acerca deste tema, percebe-se que a ênfase atual se encontra no estudo do processo de iniciação da corrosão, e poucos estudos se voltam para a caracterização da fase de propagação, onde os danos se intensificam. Assim, esta pesquisa tem a finalidade, pela realização de experimentos conjugados com uma análise numérica, de contribuir para que sejam entendidos os efeitos, em termos de prejuízo do desempenho estrutural, da propagação da corrosão em estruturas civis. Para fins desta pesquisa, consideraram-se como efeitos significativos nas propriedades estruturais: a perda da aderência entre o aço e o concreto; a diminuição da área de seção transversal da armadura; a diminuição da resistência à tração do aço; e o aparecimento de tensões de tração devido ao acúmulo dos produtos de corrosão junto às barras. Foi estimulado o desenvolvimento de processos de corrosão em corpos-de-prova de concreto contendo barras de aço, que usa aplicação de corrente constante e exposição a uma solução de cloretos, e os graus de corrosão estudados foram equivalentes a perdas de massa de 0, 2, 5, 10 e 20%. Os resultados obtidos nesta fase experimental foram empregados como referência para uma análise numérica, cuja validação foi feita pela avaliação de vigas moldadas e deterioradas em laboratório pelo processo de corrosão induzido. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram, em suma, que os corpos-de-prova de concreto afetados pela corrosão de armaduras, devido ao ataque por cloretos, com pequenas perdas de massa (da ordem de 2 e 5%) não apresentam danos significativos nas propriedades estruturais, enquanto que nos corpos-de-prova contaminados com graus de corrosão maiores que 10% estes danos são mais evidenciados, e neste caso as estruturas devem ser obrigatoriamente tratadas ou recuperadas nos casos mais críticos. / When reinforced concrete was designed, it was believed to be a material with good durability and great life-cycle, with almost no repairs necessary. With its use intensification, however, it started to be noticed several deterioration processes and, in the most critical cases, these deterioration processes severely compromised the structure performance or leaded to early fails. Among the pathological manifestations which cause more damages to civil structures, it is possible to highlight the reinforcement corrosion due to its great incidence and damage potential. Despite the great amount of researches concerning this issue, the up-to-date emphasis is based on the corrosion initiation process study, and fewer studies focus on the propagation phase characterization, in which damages are intensified. This research aims, trough experimental and numerical analysis, to contribute for a better understanding of the effects, regarding structural performance damage, of corrosion propagation in civil structures. In this research it is considered as important effects on structural proprieties: losses of bond between steel and concrete; the bar cross section reduction; the bar tensile strength reduction; and the development of tension efforts due to rust near the bars. It was stimulated the development of corrosion process in concrete specimens with rebars, which uses constant current impression and chloride solution exposition to accelerate the corrosive process, and the corrosion levels studied were equivalent to bar weight losses of 0, 2, 5, 10 and 20%. The results from this experimental phase were used as reference to numerical analysis, and validated by beams which were cast and deteriorated in laboratory due to inducted corrosion process. The research results show, in a few words, that concrete specimens affected by reinforcement corrosion, due to chloride attack, with low levels of mass losses (approximately 2 and 5%) do not present significant structural properties damages, while in the specimens with corrosion levels higher then 10% these damages are more exposed, and in this case the structures should be obligatory treated or recovered in the most critical cases.

Seismic isolation systems are widely used to protect reinforced concrete (RC) structures against the effects of strong ground motions. After a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, the outpatient building of Lushan People’s hospital in China remained in good condition due to the seismic isolation technology, while the non-isolated older outpatient building nearby experienced major damage. The building provides a good opportunity to study and assess the contribution of isolation systems to seismic performance of RC structures. In the current research project, the isolated outpatient building was modelled and analyzed using computer software SAP2000. The post-yield behaviour of the structure was modelled by assigning multi-linear plastic links to frame objects. The rubber isolators were represented by rubber isolator link elements, assigned as a single joint element between the ground and the superstructure. The isolated structure was subjected to four earthquake records with increasing intensity. The performances of the isolated structure were compared with those of the fixed-base structures in terms of lateral inter-storey drifts, peak absolute floor accelerations, and residual drifts. The laminated rubber bearings, the high damping isolation devices, composed of rubber bearings and viscous dampers, and the hybrid isolation system of rubber bearings and friction pendulum bearings were analysed. The effectiveness of the three base isolation systems considered in enhancing structural performance was investigated. The results show the level of improvement attained in seismic response by each system. They also illustrate that the rubber bearings coupled with friction pendulum bearings produce the best drift control without causing excessive horizontal displacements at the base level and without adversely affecting floor accelerations.