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This paper compares the results of two experimental studies on bond strength of steel and GFRP bars in the case of self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Each study included pull-out tests of thirty six reinforcing bars embedded in concrete specimens. Two types of concretes, normal concrete and self-consolidating concrete were used in different studies. Different parameters such as bar location and cover thickness were considered as variables in different specimens. The comparison between the results of GFRP reinforcing bars with those of steel deformed bars showed that the splitting bond strength of GFRP reinforcing bars was comparable to that of steel bars in both normal strength and self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The bond strength of bottom reinforcing bars was almost the same for both normal concrete and self-consolidating concrete. However, for the top bars, the bond strength of self-consolidating concrete was less than that of normal concrete.

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In this paper a general procedure for automated minimum weight design of twodimensional steel frames under seismic loading is proposed. The proposal comprises two parts: a) Formulation of automated design of frames under seismic loading and b) introduction of an optimization engine and the improvement made on it for the solution of optimal design. Seismic loading, that depends on dynamic characteristics of structure, is determined using "Equivalent static loading" scheme. The design automation is sought via formulation of the design problem in the form of a standard optimization problem in which the design requirements is treated as optimization constraints. The Optimality Criteria (OC) method has been modified/improved and used for solution of the optimization problem. The improvement in (OC) algorithm relates to simultaneous identification of active set of constraints and calculation of corresponding Lagrange multipliers. The modification has resulted in rapid convergence of the algorithm, which is promising for highly nonlinear optimal design problems. Two examples have been provided to show the procedure of automated design and optimization of seismic-resistant frames and the performance and capability of the proposed algorithm.

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The objective of this paper is to present a new method for protecting the lives of residents in catastrophic earthquake failures of unreinforced masonry buildings by introducing some safe rooms within the buildings. The main idea is that occupants can seek refuge within the safe rooms as soon as the earthquake ground motions are felt. The information obtained from the historical ground motions happened in seismic zones around the globe expresses the lack of enough safety of masonry buildings against earthquake. For this potentially important reason, an attempt has been made to create some cost-effective seismic-resistant areas in some parts of the existing masonry buildings, which are called safe rooms. The practical method for creating these areas and increasing the occupant safety of the buildings is to install some prefabricated steel frames in some of their rooms or in their halls. These frames do not carry any service loads before earthquake. However, if a near field seismic event happens and the load bearing walls of the building destroy, some parts of its floors, which are in the safe areas, will fall on the roof of the installed frames consequently, the occupants who have sheltered in the safe rooms will survive. This paper expresses the experimental and theoretical work executed on the steel structures of the safe rooms for bearing the shock and impact loads. Finally, it was concluded that both the strength and displacement capacity of the steel frames were adequate to accommodate the distortions generated by seismic loads and aftershocks properly.

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Pullback test has no scrupulous theoretical establishment. It is based on the hypothesis that the response of

the structure can be related to the response of an equivalent single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system. This implies that

the response is controlled by a single mode. In fact, the steel frame of each safe room, which is introduced within the

unreinforced masonry buildings for protecting the lives of residents in catastrophic earthquake failures, contains a

SDOF structural system. In pullback test, the steel frame carries its gravity load first, and then it will be pushed under

an incremental lateral roof displacement pattern, which is imposed to its center of mass. This paper expresses the

results of 13 pullback tests executed by the authors on the steel frames of safe rooms. The results show that pullback

test is a practical method for seismic performance evaluation of safe rooms. Also the performance of these frames

located in a collapsing three storey masonry building is presented with favorable conclusions. In fact, the results of

pullback test of the safe room located at the ground-floor level were compared with the requirements of Iranian code

for seismic resistant design and it was concluded that the steel frame had an acceptable performance against seismic

effects.

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In this paper, the problem of layout optimization for X-bracing of steel frames is studied using the ant system (AS). A new design method is employed to share the gravity and the lateral loads between the main frame and the bracings according to the requirements of the IBC2006 code. An algorithm is developed which is called optimum steel designer (OSD). An optimization method based on an approximate analysis is also developed for layout optimization of braced frames. This method is called the approximate optimum steel designer (AOSD) and uses a simple deterministic optimization algorithm leading to the optimum patterns and it is much faster than the OSD. Several numerical examples are treated by the proposed methods. Efficiency and accuracy of the methods are then discussed. A comparison is also made with Genetic algorithm for one of the frames.

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 From the time that civil engineers have used steel in building structures, they tried to increase its strength so as to produce more economic and lighter structures by using more elegant sections. Increase of steel strength is not always useful for all members of a steel structure. In some members under certain conditions, it is needed to reduce the strength as much as possible to improve the behavior of structure. By using very low strength steel according to the Easy-Going Steel (EGS) concept in this research, it is shown that the performance of diagonal Eccentrically Braced Frames (EBFs) improves substantially. For this purpose, a finite element analysis was used to simulate diagonal eccentrically braced frames. Fifteen diagonal eccentrically braced frames were designed through AISC2005. By substitutingvery low strength steelinstead of carbon steel with equal strength in the links, their performance improve fundamentally without any global or local instability in their links.

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Inelastic deformation of structural components is generally acceptable in seismic design. In such behavior, the strength of structures increases while plastic hinges are formed in members frequently. The strength revealed during the formation of plastic hinges is called "overstrength". Overstrength is one of the important parameters in the seismic design of structures. The present study tries to evaluate the overstrength of the concentrically steel braced frames (CBFs), considering reserved strength, because of members post-buckling. As such, a static nonlinear (pushover) analysis has been performed on the model buildings with single and double bracing bays, different stories and brace configurations (chevron V, invert Vand X-bracing). It has been realized that the number of bracing bays and the height of buildings have a low effect on reserve strength due to brace post-buckling. However, these parameters have a profound effect on the overstrength factor. These results indicate that the overstrength values for CBFs, proposed in seismic design codes, need to be modified.

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The objective of this paper is to determine the drift demand hazard curves of steel moment-resisting frames with different number
of stories in territory of Tehran this is done through the combination of the results obtained from probabilistic seismic hazard
analysis and the demand estimated through the best probabilistic seismic demand models. To select the best demand model, in
this paper, a Bayesian regression has been used for the statistical analysis of the results obtained from incremental dynamic
analysis in order to estimate the unknown parameters of model and to select the best Intensity Measure (IM) parameter also the
probability of overall collapse of structures has been computed. Considering the efficiency and sufficiency of the models, the
results indicate that the accuracy of models with one single IM is a function of the number of stories, consequently the current
widely used model with spectral acceleration in first period as IM is not suitable for all structural heights. Furthermore,
regarding the fact that it is difficult to prepare a seismic hazard curve for a combined IM, it seems that the best model can be
found among models with two single IMs. In other words, the best model to cover all structural heights is the one with linear
combination of spectral acceleration of the first and the second period. Furthermore, using different models to calculate the
curves shows that regardless of the number of IMs, estimated demands strongly depend on the standard deviation of model.
 

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The main objective of this study is to drive a simple solution for prediction of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) behavior

under four point bending test (FPBT). In this model all the force components at the beam section (before and after cracking)

are formulated by applying these assumptions: a bilinear elastic-perfectly plastic stress-strain response for concrete behavior

in compression, a linear response for the un-cracked tension region in a concrete constitutive model, and an exponential

relationship for stress-crack opening in the crack region which requires two parameters.Then the moment capacity of the critical

cracked section is calculated by applying these assumptions and satisfying equilibrium lawat critical cracked section. After that,

parametric studies have been done on the behavior of SFRC to assess the sensitively of model. Finally the proposed model has

been validated with some existing experimental tests.The result shows that the proposed solution is able to estimate the behavior

of SFRC under FPBT with simplicity and proper accuracy.

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A comparison between design codes i.e. ACI and AISC-LRFD in evaluation of flexural strength of concrete filled steel tubular

columns (CFTs) is examined. For this purpose an analytical study on the response of CFTs under axial-flexural loading is carried

using three-dimensional finite elements with elasto-plastic model for concrete with cracking and crushing capability and elastoplastic

kinematic hardening model for steel. The accuracy of the model is verified against previous test results. The nonlinear

modeling of CFT columns shows that the minimum thickness that recommended by ACI and AISC-LRFD to prevent local buckling

before the steel shell yielding for CFT columns could be decreased. The comparison of analytical results and codes indicates that

the accuracy of ACI method in estimation of axial-flexural strength of CFT columns is more appropriate than AISC-LRFD. The

ACI lateral strength of CFTs is located on upper bond of the AISC-LRFD’s provisions. AISC-LRFD estimates the lateral strength

conservatively but ACI in some ranges such as in short columns or under high axial load levels computes lateral strength in nonconservative

manner. Supplementary provisions for post local buckling strength of CFT columns should be incorporated in high

seismic region. This effect would be pronounced for column with high aspect ratio and short columns.

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A new type of infilled frame has been recently proposed. It has a frictional sliding fuse, horizontally installed at the mid-height of the infill. It has already shown that such infilled frames have higher ductility, strength and damping ratio as well as more enhanced hysteresis cycles, compared with regular infilled frames. This experimental paper is focused on the influence of gravitational load on the behaviour of the fused infill panel. Furthermore, a repairing method in which damaged specimens are repaired by grout plasters is also studied. The results show that the gravitational load, applied to the surrounding frame of the infill for the dead or live loads, arises the ultimate strength of the fused infill specimens. It is also shown that repairing the failed specimen by grout was so efficient that the repaired specimen had greater strength than the original one. However, top gap, between the infill and the top beam of the enclosing frame should be absolutely avoided, because it decays the ultimate strength.

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High performance and reliability of refurbish able knee braced steel frames has been confirmed in previous researches trying to get an optimal design for its configuration. Buckling of diagonal member which affects the hysteretic behavior of KBF under cyclic loadings has not been foreseen in previous evaluations of this system. This deficiency can be improved by utilization of adjustable rotary friction damper device (FDD) as knee element. Diagonal element buckling can be prevented considering a suitable value for FDD sliding threshold moment Mf. Lower values of Mf Lower energy dissipation rate in FDD and this leads to an optimization problem. Nonlinear time history analyses have been performed in addition to lateral cyclic loading analyses to evaluate the response of single story KBF subjected to seismic excitation. Optimal Mf in FDD has been chosen according to these analyses results. Roof displacement and acceleration, base shear and diagonal element’s buckling status have been compared in optimally designed KBF and FDD utilized KBF (FKBF) with different configurations. Nonlinear dynamic analyses have been performed for one, four, eight and twelve story frames under different seismic records with several PGAs. More than 60% displacement response reduction has been earned for the FKBF without considerable increase in base shear.

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Abstract: This paper presents the influence of adding steel fibers and incorporation of silica fume on the mechanical properties of high-strength concrete. The variables investigated were steel fiber volume fraction (0 to 1.5%), silica fume replacement (5, 10 and 15%) and water-to-binder ratio (0.25, 0.30, 0.35 and 0.40). The influence of fiber content in terms of fiber reinforcing index on the compressive and splitting tensile strengths of high-strength steel fiber reinforce concrete (HSFRC) is presented. The use of silica fume increased both the compressive and splitting tensile strengths of concrete at 28 days. On the other hand, the addition of crimped steel fiber into high-strength concrete improves splitting tensile strength significantly. Based on the test data, using regression analysis, empirical expression to predict 28-day tensile strength of HSFRC in terms of fiber reinforcing index was developed and the absolute variation and integral absolute error (IAE) obtained was 3.1% and 3.3, respectively. The relationship between splitting tensile and compressive strength of SFRC was reported with regression coefficient (r) = 0.9. The experimental values of previous researchers were compared with the values predicted by the model and found to predict the values quite accurately.

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An experimental study on the impact performance of silica fume concrete and steel fiber reinforced concrete at 28 days and 56 days under the action of repeated dynamic loading was carried out. In this experimental investigation, w/cm ratios of 0.4 and 0.3, silica fume replacement at 10% and 15% and crimped steel fibers with an aspect ratio of 80 were used. Results indicated that addition of fibers in high-performance concrete (HPC) can effectively restrain the initiation and propagation of cracks under stress, and enhance the impact strengths, toughness and ductility of HPC. Pulse velocity test was carried out for quality measurements of high-performance steel fiber reinforced concrete. Steel fibers were observed to have significant effect on flexural strength of concrete. The maximum first crack strength and ultimate failure strength at 28 days were 1.51 times and 1.78 times, respectively at 1.5% volume fraction to that of HPC. Based on the experimental data, failure resistance prediction model was developed with correlation coefficient (R) = 0.96 and absolute variation determined is 1.82%.

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This paper describes experimental and numerical investigations on two specimens of frames composed of steel reinforced concrete beam and angle-steel concrete column under horizontal low cyclic loading. Based on the test results, the relationship curves of the horizontal load-displacement and the failure modes are acquired. Meanwhile the hysteretic behaviors, skeleton curves, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation, residential deformation of the two specimens are studied. Nonlinear structural analysis program OpenSEES is employed to predict the experimental curves. Using the verified numerical model, the influences of slenderness ratio, axial compression ratio, steel ratio of column, cross-section moment resistance of I-shaped steel in beam, ratio of longitudinal rebars of beam and prestressing level on skeleton curves are investigated. The results indicated that the two specimens exhibited the favorable ductility and energy dissipation capacity, and the beam depth could be reduced to improve service function because of the application of the prestress. The ultimate horizontal load decreases with the increase of column slenderness ratio, and firstly increases then decreases with the increase of axial compression ratio. In the meantime, the descent segment of skeleton curve is smooth with the increase of column slenderness ratio, and becomes steeper with the increase of axial compression ratio.

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The effect of steel plate thickness on the repair effectiveness of RC beam is presented in this paper. A total of four beams were tested, one beam repaired by CFRP with a thickness of 1.2 mm and used as a control beam, and three beams repaired by a steel plate. Steel plates with a thickness of 2 mm, 3 mm, and 4 mm were used in repairing the beams. The maximum load-carrying capacity, deflection at mid span and edge of the opening, strain in steel bars, strain in externally bonded plates, crack patterns, and failure modes were observed on each beam. The externally bonded CFRP sheet and steel plates were found to be effective in the repairing of RC beams with large rectangular web opening. The results show that increasing steel plate thickness has little effect on the maximum load capacity. The CFRP plate is more effective than steel plate in increasing the load capacity of beams.

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The linear and nonlinear responses of steel buildings with perimeter moment resisting frames (PMRFs) are estimated and compared to those of equivalent buildings with spatial moment resisting frames (SMRFs). The equivalent models with SMRFs are designed by using an approximated procedure in such a way that, not only their fundamental period, total mass and lateral stiffness are fairly the same as those of the corresponding buildings with PMRFs, but also other characteristics to make the two structural "as equivalent" as possible. The numerical study indicates that the interstory shears of the PMRFs building may be significantly larger than those of the SMRFs building. The main reasons for this are that the buildings with PMRFs are stiffer and that the dynamics properties of the two types of structural systems are different. The interstory displacements are similar for both structural systems in many cases. For some other cases, however, they are larger for the model with SMRFs, depending upon the closeness between the earthquake corner periods and the periods of the buildings. The global ductility and story ductility demands are larger for the buildings with PMRFs, implying that, since larger ductility demands are imposed, the detailing of the connections will have to be more stringent than for the buildings with SMRFs. It can be concluded, that the seismic performance of the steel buildings with SMRFs may be superior to that of steel buildings with PMRFs. The findings of this paper are for the particular models used in the study. Much more research is needed to reach more general conclusions

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The current research intends to study the possibility of producing fiber recycled self-compacting concrete (FRSCC) using demolitions as a coarse aggregate (crushed red brick and crushed ceramic). Steel fibers were used in recycled self-compacting concrete (RSCC) to improve fresh and hardened properties of this type of concrete. Thirty nine concrete mixes were prepared to achieve the aim proposed in this paper. Steel fiber volume fraction varied from 0 to 2.0% by the volume of concrete with aspect ratio 65. The fresh properties of FRSCC were evaluated using slump flow, J-ring and V-funnel tests. Compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength and density tests were performed in order to investigate mechanical properties. The optimum volume fraction of steel fibers was 0.25% and 1.0% for the mixes contained crushed red brick and ceramic as a coarse aggregate respectively. At optimum content of steel fibers, the compressive strength for the RSCC mixes with steel fibers improved by 11.3% and 31.8% for the mixes with crushed ceramic and crushed red brick, respectively with respect to control mix. Also the tensile strength and the flexural strength for the mixes were improved

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This paper presents a finite element analysis and its related experimental test of corrugated steel web beams subjected to fatigue loading. A particular focus in this study was set on the fatigue failure arising from the web-to-flange welded joint of the corrugated steel web beam. A detailed three-dimensional finite element model which explicitly includes the geometry of the web-to-flange welds along the corrugated web was developed to simulate the test corrugated web beam. The finite element model is verified by comparing with related fatigue experimental test results. The effective notch stress approach was also applied to analyse the web-to-flange welded joint replicating the local critical region in the corrugated web beam. The fatigue strength of the web-to-flange welded joint was evaluated and compared numerically by considering the stress distribution at potential fatigue crack initiation location. The fatigue life of the corrugated web beam was assessed numerically by incorporating material S-N relation and employing fracture mechanics approach. The comparison with the fatigue test results show that it is possible to expect the fatigue crack failure arising at the weld root or weld toe corresponding to the sections with reference angle using the effective notch stress analysis. The range of these predictions was evaluated by comparing with fatigue test results with accuracy and can be considered between AASHTO fatigue categories B and B’. The parametric notch stress analysis incorporating the influences of corrugation angle was performed and demonstrates it is possible to expect the fatigue crack failure arising at the weld root or weld toe. Finally, a practical solution for possible fatigue life enhancement of such structure is proposed by decreasing the corrugation angle or smoothing the intersection geometry of the corrugated web is suggested together with a moderate increase of the flange thickness.

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Steel-concrete hybrid systems are used in buildings, in which a steel structure has been placed on a concrete structure to make a lighter structure and have a faster construction. Dynamic analysis of hybrid structures is usually a complex procedure due to various dynamic characteristics of each part, i.e. stiffness, mass and especially damping. Dynamic response of hybrid structures has some complications. One of the reasons is the different stiffness of the two parts of structure and another reason is non-uniform distribution of materials and their different features such as damping in main modes of vibration. The available software is not able to calculate damping matrices and analyze these structures because the damping matrix of these irregular structures is non-classical. Also an equivalent damping should be devoted to the whole structure and using the available software. In the hybrid structures, one or more transitional stories are used for better transition of lateral and gravity forces. In this study, an equation has been proposed to determining the equivalent uniform damping ratio for hybrid steel-concrete buildings with transitional storey(s). In the proposed method, hybrid buildings are considered to have three structural systems, reinforced concrete, transitional storey and steel. Equivalent uniform damping ratio is derived by means of a semi-empirical error minimization procedure.