International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Winter 2010

Worldwide networks of seismic recording instruments mostly record only translational ground motion in two or three orthogonal directions. Rotational component of earthquake is not commonly recorded. Several theories are available to estimate a torsional component from recorded translational components of ground motion. In this paper detailed investigations are made to study the relative performance of some available methods. This paper suggests a practical approach for obtaining true SH (S-wave having particle motion in horizontal direction) component from two recorded horizontal components of ground excitation. This new approach will help to obtain optimum torsional time histories from translational time histories.

The pseudo-elastic behavior of Shape memory alloy (SMA) truss and cantilever beam are investigated. Brinson’s one-dimensional material model, which uses the twinned and detwinned martensite fractions separately as internal variables, is applied in the algorithm to establish the SMA stress-strain characteristics. This material model also incorporates different young’s modulus for austenitic and martensite phase to represent the true SMA characteristics. In this model, a cosine function was used to express the evolution of the stress induced martensite fractions during the forward and reverse martensite phase transformation. A finite element formulation for the SMA truss member considering the geometric nonlinearity is proposed and the results are compared with the corresponding linear analysis. As a step forward, a finite element formulation for an SMA cantilever beam with an applied end moment is proposed. The load displacement characteristic for both the loading and unloading phases are considered to check the full pseudo-elastic hysteretic loop. In the numerical investigation, the stress-strain variation along the beam depth is also examined during the loading and unloading process to investigate the forward and reverse martensite phase transformation phenomena. Newton-Raphson’s iterative method is applied to get convergence to the equilibrium for each loading steps. During a complete loading-unloading process, the temperature is kept constant as the model is essentially an isothermal model. Numerical simulation is performed considering two different temperatures to demonstrate the effect of temperature on the hysteretic loop.

This paper presents an Auto Redundant Technique for analysis of grid with curved members. This technique is based on the force method, but in the technique choice of the redundant is completely eliminated. The analysis technique is found very effective, accurate and programmable. A comprehensive C++ program has been developed to compute internal forces at the end of each member of the grid for different load cases and their combinations. Presently in this paper analysis of grid is carried out with fixed support when it is subjected to concentrated point load, twisting moment, bending moment, full/partial uniformly distributed load and full/partial uniformly varying load. In this technique, any number of load cases can be accommodated without creating any additional node(s) on the member. The power of the analysis procedure is effectively demonstrated through the solution of one benchmark problem. The results obtained through the program for complementary load cases are compared with the results from analysis software and are found to match.

Experimental tests were performed to study the seismic behavior and performance of modified steel chevron braced frame systems, which incorporate a vertical slotted connection (VSC) detail between the top of the braces and the floor beam above. The VSC detail is intended to prevent vertical load transfer to the beam and limit brace forces to the compressive resistance of the members. Full-scale quasi-static cyclic tests were performed on two specimens with hollow tube braces, with one specimen having the braces filled with concrete. Both frames exhibited stable, predictable behavior under cyclic loading. The VSC detail provided free vertical movement of the brace assembly during both tests. However, its flexibility created a moderate reduction in the overall lateral stiffness of the frame. The concrete-filled tube specimen sustained higher peak loads, demonstrated greater residual strength and dissipated more energy than the hollow tube specimen due to the partial inhibition of local buckling by the concrete core. It was found that the VSC chevron braced frame system is a suitable concept for use in buildings in high-risk seismic zones.

Cylindrical concrete tanks are commonly used in wastewater treatment plants. These are usually clarifier tanks. Design codes of practice provide methods to calculate design forces in the wall and raft of such tanks. These methods neglect self-weight of tank material and assume extreme, namely ‘fixed’ and ‘hinged’ conditions for the wall bottom. However, when founded on deformable soil, the actual condition at the wall bottom is neither fixed nor hinged. Further, the self-weight of the tank wall does affect the design forces. Thus, it is required to offer better insight of the combined effect of deformable soil and bottom raft stiffness on the design forces induced in such cylindrical concrete tanks. A systematic analytical method based on fundamental equations of shells is presented in this paper. Important observations on variation of design forces across the wall and the raft with different soil conditions are given. Set of commonly used tanks, are analysed using equations developed in the paper and are appended at the end.