Cyclic Responses of Two-Side-Connected Precast-Reinforced Concrete Infill Panels with Different Slit Types

This study aimed to study the cyclic behavior of two-side-connected precast-reinforced concrete infill panel (RCIP). A total of four RCIP specimens with different slit types and height-to-span ratios modeled at a one-third scale were tested subjected to cyclic lateral loads. The failure mode, hysteretic behavior, lateral strength, stiffness degradation, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of each RCIP specimen were determined and analyzed. The specimens experienced a similar damage process, which involved concrete cracking, steel rebar yielding, concrete crushing, and plastic hinge formation. All the specimens showed pinched hysteretic curves, resulting in a small energy dissipation capacity and a maximum equivalent viscous damping ratio lower than 0.2. The specimens with penetrated slits experienced ductile failure, in which flexural hinges developed at both slit wall ends. The application of penetrated slits decreased the initial stiffness and lateral load-bearing capacity of the RC panel but increased the deformation capacity, the average ultimate drift ratios ranged from 1.41% to 1.99%, and the lowest average ductility ratio reached 2.48. The specimens with high-strength concrete resulted in a small slip no more than 1 mm between the RC panel and steel beam, and the channel shear connectors ensured that the RC infill panel developed a reliable assembly with the surrounding steel components. However, specimens with concealed vertical slits (CVSs) and concealed hollow slits (CHSs) achieved significantly higher lateral stiffness and lateral strength values. Generally, the specimens exhibited two-stage mechanical features. The concrete in the CVSs and CHSs was crushed, and flexural plastic hinges developed at both ends of the slit walls during the second stage. With increasing concrete strength, the initial lateral stiffness and lateral strength values of the RCIP specimens increased. With an increasing height-to-span ratio, the lateral stiffness and strength of the RC panels with slits decreased, but the failure mode remained unchanged.

The Influence of Track Structure Parameters on the Dynamic Response Sensitivity of Heavy Haul Train-LVT System

Background: In order to study the applicability of Low Vibration Track (LVT) in heavy-haul railway tunnels, this paper carried out research on the dynamic effects of LVT heavy-haul railway wheels and rails and provided a technical reference for the structural design of heavy-haul railway track structures. Methods: Based on system dynamics response sensitivity and vehicle-track coupling dynamics, the stability of the upper heavy-haul train, the track deformation tendency, and the dynamic response sensitivity of the vehicle-track system under the influence of random track irregularity and different track structure parameters were calculated, compared and analyzed. Results: Larger under-rail lateral and vertical structural stiffness can reduce the dynamic response of the rail system. The vertical and lateral stiffness under the block should be set within a reasonable range to achieve the purpose of reducing the dynamic response of the system, and beyond a certain range, the dynamic response of the rail system will increase significantly, which will affect the safety and stability of train operation. Conclusions: Considering the changes of track vehicle body stability coefficients, the change of deformation control coefficients, and the sensitivity indexes of dynamic performance coefficients to track structure stiffness change, the recommended values of the vertical stiffness under rail, the lateral stiffness under rail, the vertical stiffness under block, and the lateral stiffness under block are, respectively 160 kN/mm, 200 kN/mm, 100 kN/mm, and 200 kN/mm.

Story Stability of a Structure- A Literature Review

Column is a slender beam, which carries load. Failure pattern of a column varies with different parameters such as buckling, compression, shear and tension. The initial imperfections in a column increases deflection and reduction in load carrying capacity. To accomplish stability, the key engineering elements such as connection and rigidity governs the effective length and width of the members. The researchers, covering the key engineering elements with different loading patterns, established numerous comprehensive studies. Further, advancement in the research were carried out to determine lateral stiffness, inter-story displacement and deflected beam shape under various loading patterns. The present study focuses on various literatures on effective length and governing factors, which determine the stability of the structure.

Data-driven seismic response prediction of structural components

Lateral stiffness of structural components, such as reinforced concrete (RC) columns, plays an important role in resisting the lateral earthquake loads. The lateral stiffness relates the lateral force to the lateral deformation, having a critical effect on the accuracy of the lateral seismic response predictions. The classical methods (e.g. fiber beam–column model) to estimate the lateral stiffness require calculations from section, element, and structural levels, which is time-consuming. Moreover, the shear deformation and bond-slip effect may also need to be included to more accurately calculate the lateral stiffness, which further increases the modeling difficulties and the computational cost. To reduce the computational time and enhance the accuracy of the predictions, this article proposes a novel data-driven method to predict the laterally seismic response based on the estimated lateral stiffness. The proposed method integrates the machine learning (ML) approach with the hysteretic model, where ML is used to compute the parameters that govern the nonlinear properties of the lateral response of target structural components directly from a training set composed of experimental data (i.e. data-driven procedure) and the hysteretic model is used to directly output the lateral stiffness based on the computed parameters and then to perform the seismic analysis. We apply the proposed method to predict the lateral seismic response of various types of RC columns subjected to cyclic loading and ground motions. We present the detailed model formulation for the application, including the developments of a modified hysteretic model, a hybrid optimization algorithm, and two data-driven seismic response solvers. The results predicted by the proposed method are compared with those obtained by classical methods with the experimental data serving as the ground truth, showing that the proposed method significantly outperforms the classical methods in both generalized prediction capabilities and computational efficiency.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON SEISMIC PERFORMANCE OF PEC COMPOSITE COLUMN-STEEL BEAM FRAME WITH WELDED T-STUB STRENGTHENED CONNECTIONS

Seismic performance of innovative Partially Encased Composite (PEC) column-steel beam composite frame was investigated, where the connection was strengthened by the welded T-stub. A ½ scale, two-storey, and one bay composite frame specimen was designed and fabricated for the quasi-static test. Through the experimental observation and measurements, the seismic performance were evaluated, including hysteretic characteristic, lateral stiffness, seismic energy dissipation, and ductility. The plastic damage evolution process and ductile failure mode were clarified. The results indicated that the welded T-stud strengthened connection enhanced the integrity of the frame and led to higher seismic strength and larger lateral stiffness. The plastic hinge was observed away from the beam end due to the welded T-stud and the specimen exhibited an approximately completed hysteretic loop. Without significant decreasing of the ultimate bearing capacity, its overall drift, ductility efficient and equivalent viscous damping ratio were 3.63% (push) / 4.07% (pull), 3.21 (push) / 3.70 (pull) and 0.261 respectively. The proposed structure possesses sound deformation, ductility, and energy-dissipation capacity with the desired plastic failure mode induced by the plastic hinges formed in all beam sections near the T-stud end and column section at the bottom, successively. It was demonstrated an ideal ductile energy-dissipation mode of the frame structure.

COMPUTATIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR SEISMOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF MULTISTOREY FLAT SLAB STRUCTURES WITH (AT SPECIFIC POSITIONS) AND WITHOUT SHEAR WALLS

In present era, there is a huge scarcity of vacant land led to the development of the high rise structures. For the construction of high rise buildings, normal R.C.C. system is not suitable. These problems can overcome by using flat slab system along with shear wall arrangements. It is very essential that the shear wall position should be appropriate in structure so as to achieve the lateral stiffness and solid structure against lateral loads. In this work, two main factors i.e. with drop panels and without drop panels have been considered for 12 storey structures. In each factor 5 models of various locations of shear wall is taken for consideration. For stabilization of variable parameters such as storey displacement, storey stiffness and storey shear etc the seismic investigation & design of structures had carried out in software ETABS. After performing seismic investigation & design of all the structures, result shows that if we provide shear wall at incorrect or inappropriate locations then it will only increase the dead load and cost of the structure. So the final outcomes we have achieved is to provide shear walls at desired position where lateral loads are more predominantly acting on the structures