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Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024 | Viewed by 10182

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Virginio Quaglini

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Interests: seismic protection of buildings and structures; bearings for constructions; earthquake engineering; construction engineering

Prof. Dr. Tommaso D'Antino

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Interests: structural analysis; finite element analysis; mechanical behavior of materials; material characterization; construction engineering; composites
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Dr. Eleonora Bruschi

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Interests: earthquake engineering; structural dynamics; construction engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Earthquake Engineering is a relatively new multidisciplinary and constantly evolving branch of civil engineering encompassing structural analysis and design, computational methods, and material science, both in a deterministic and stochastic context. Theoretical models, design procedures, and construction technologies have evolved through the knowledge gained by observed structural performance in past devastating earthquakes worldwide. Substantial progress has occurred in the last decades in the development of more advanced numerical modelling, effective design codes, and novel techniques for seismic mitigation, such as base isolation and energy dissipation, as well as for strengthening and retrofitting existing structures.

This Special Issue aims at presenting a broad range of research articles and case studies covering promising, recent, and novel research trends in the fields of analysis and design of seismic-resistant structures. However, the remarkable potential of these strategies can be further developed to satisfy the needs of a more resilient society. Thus, the pursuit of enhanced solutions and/or more effective design procedures is the object of ongoing cutting-edge research. This Special Issue, devoted to this topic, can significantly promote state-of-the-art research in these areas and could assist the structural design practitioners and decision-makers, as well.

Example topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

advanced numerical modelling of structures for nonlinear static and dynamic analyses;
definitions of seismic action for linear and nonlinear analyses of structures;
probabilistic and deterministic methods in earthquake engineering assessment and design;
methodologies for the identification of seismic vulnerability, and classification of the seismic risk of new and existing structures;
design procedures for seismically upgrading existing structures;
base isolation and supplementary energy dissipation;
seismic response of existing structures: knowledge levels and confidence factors;
structural details and strengthening applications;
innovative strengthening and retrofitting approaches based on organic- and inorganic-matrix composites;
retrofit strategies and technical solutions;
recent developments in standards and codes

Prof. Dr. Virginio Quaglini
Prof. Dr. Tommaso D'Antino
Dr. Eleonora Bruschi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

earthquake-resistant structures
seismic performance
seismic risk mitigation
seismic design
base isolation
energy dissipation
local strengthening
seismic codes
nonlinear analyses
structural retrofitting

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Non-Linear Analyses of RC Buildings Retrofitted with Hysteretic Dampers According to the Italian Building Code

by Eleonora Bruschi and Virginio Quaglini

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2684; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072684 - 22 Mar 2024

Viewed by 601

Abstract

While the use of steel hysteretic dampers has spread in the last decade for both new and retrofitted constructions, the Italian Building Code (IBC), as well as the Eurocode 8, does not provide specific recommendations for the design and verification of structures equipped with this technology. Due to their strong non-linear behavior, the effectiveness of the design with these systems must be verified through non-linear analyses. Non-Linear Time-History analyses (NLTHAs) are the most reliable method, but they are computationally expensive. The aim of the study is to investigate the reliability of non-linear static procedures, allowed by the IBC as an alternative to NLTHAs, for the analysis of buildings equipped with hysteretic devices provided with high damping capability. A parametric study is conducted on two reinforced concrete residential buildings, typical of the Italian residential heritage, retrofitted with hysteretic braces characterized by different stiffness and ductility values. The retrofit design is verified using non-linear analyses, both static and dynamic, considering either natural or artificial accelerograms, as the IBC deems them as equivalent. Within this work, reference is made only to the IBC; however, given the significant similarity between the IBC and the European code, the outcomes are expected to have a broader impact and to be not limited to the Italian context. Therefore, although this work is a preliminary study, it is believed to offer some initial insights on the topic and serve as the foundation for a more in-depth study that could lead to a regulatory revision on the subject. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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26 pages, 9896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Seismic Behavior of Newly Assembled Concrete Beam–Column Joints with L-Shaped Steel Bars

by Mengjiao Lv, Taochun Yang and Mingqiang Lin

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1262; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031262 - 02 Feb 2024

Viewed by 558

Abstract

A novel concrete beam–column connection utilizing L-shaped steel bars is proposed to address the growing demand for prefabricated buildings and to ensure good seismic performance in such beam–column structures. After positioning two prefabricated beams with L-shaped tendons into the designated connection points at the top and bottom of the columns, concrete is poured into the post-cast section of the joint and the composite beam area, realizing a connection between the beams and columns. Quasi-static tests were performed on four combined backbone curves and one cast-in-place joint to investigate their failure modes and stress mechanisms. Through low-cycle repeated loading tests, it is found that measures such as increasing the area of the post-cast concrete in the joint area, the length of the L-shape, and the concrete strength in the composite beam area can effectively improve the bonding ability between the post-cast area of the joint specimens and the precast members, to improve the ductility performance, energy dissipation capacity, and bearing capacity of the joint specimens. The initial stiffness of the joint can be effectively improved by presetting the steel pipe in the column. Concurrently, the finite element method (FEM) was employed for parameter analysis. By integrating the test and FEM results, an equation for calculating the shear capacity of the connection was derived. The findings demonstrate that the hysteresis curve of the newly assembled joints is full, and its overall performance index is roughly the same as that of the cast-in-place joints. Additionally, enhancing the post-casting area of concrete, the length of the L-shaped bars, the concrete strength in the composite beam region, the axial compression ratio, or the steel tube dimensions can effectively improve the overall performance. The derived equation for the shear-bearing capacity of the connection satisfies design and application requirements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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24 pages, 5663 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Resilience Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Frame Considering the Effect of Mainshock-Aftershock Sequences

by Peiran Li, Xueqian Li, Xin Wang and Ding Wang

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12620; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132312620 - 23 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 683

Abstract

The effect of aftershocks on the function recovery process of damaged structures after large earthquakes cannot be ignored in the resilience evaluation of buildings and communities. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation method, this paper proposes an approach to evaluate the seismic resilience of reinforced concrete frame considering the effect of mainshock-aftershock sequences. The findings of this study can provide a reference for the seismic performance evaluation of reinforced concrete frame structures under aftershocks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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13 pages, 5214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Behavior and Modeling of Ductile Composite Steel-Trussed Concrete Beam to Column Joints

by Antonio Di Cesare, Prospero Belviso, Felice Carlo Ponzo and Giovanni Vitone

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11139; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011139 - 10 Oct 2023

Viewed by 890

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on a ductile beam-column connection between a composite reinforced concrete truss (CRCT) beam and a reinforced concrete (RC) or concrete-filled tube (CFT) column subjected to bending and shear loads. Two experimental models with different beam-column joint testing schemes, extracted from the same prototype three-dimensional structure designed according to the rules of the capacity design provided by seismic code, were subjected to quasi-static cyclic tests by applying gravitational loads and the horizontal seismic force. The main objective of this paper is to verify the ductile behavior of both specimens experimentally and to simulate the experimental global and local responses by nonlinear static analysis, considering different modeling approaches. The comparison between the experimental and numerical results highlights, for both models considered, the ductile and dissipative capacity of the connection system, designed following the criteria of the hierarchy of resistances proposed by the current Italian code. The results of different experimental setups demonstrate that the tests can be repeated and the results can be reproduced by means of simple nonlinear models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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24 pages, 8850 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Retrofit of Warehouses with Masonry Infills and Glazed Curtain Walls through Hysteretic Braces: Refinement of the Italian Building Code Provisions

by Emanuele Gandelli, Gianluca Pertica, Luca Facconi, Fausto Minelli and Marco Preti

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8634; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158634 - 26 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 738

Abstract

A refined design procedure for the seismic retrofit of warehouses or, more generally, single-storey RC frames bounded by “drift-sensitive” masonry infills and glazed curtain walls, is proposed in this paper by means of hysteretic braces. The calculation method is based on displacement-based design (DBD) procedures in which both the as-built frame and the dissipative braces are modelled through simple linear equivalent SDOF systems arranged in parallel. In this regard, with respect to the provisions of the Italian Building Code, two refinements are introduced: (1) the definition of two performance targets tailored to the protection of glazed curtain walls (among most expensive non-structural components) and to ensure an acceptable level of damage level for masonry infills; and (2) the adoption of a more accurate formulation for the estimation of the equivalent viscous damping developed both by the main frame and the dissipative braces. The refined design method is applied to a case-study building and the achievement of the performance targets is verified through NLTH analyses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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16 pages, 4947 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Damage Friction Connections in Hybrid Joints of Frames of Reinforced-Concrete Buildings

by Piero Colajanni, Lidia La Mendola, Alessia Monaco and Salvatore Pagnotta

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7876; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137876 - 05 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 696

Abstract

Seismic-resilient buildings are increasingly designed following low-damage and free-from-damage design strategies that aim to protect the structure’s primary load-bearing systems under ultimate-level seismic loads. With this scope, damping devices are located in accessible and easy-to-inspect sites within the main structural frames where the damage concentrates, allowing the primary structure to remain mostly undamaged or easily repairable after a severe earthquake. This paper analyses the effects of friction-damping devices in structural joints of RC buildings endowed with hybrid steel-trussed concrete beams (HSTCBs) and standard RC columns. The study proposes innovative solutions to be adopted into RC moment-resisting frames (MRFs) at beam-to-column connections (BCCs) and column-base connections (CBCs). The cyclic behaviour of the joint is analysed through 3D finite element models, while pushover and non-linear time history analyses are performed on simple two-storey and two-span MRFs endowed with the proposed devices. The main results show that the BCC endowed with curved slotted holes and Perfobond connectors is the most effective in preventing the damage that might occur in beam, column, and joint, and it is adequate to guarantee good dissipative properties. For CBCs, the results showed that the re-centering system with friction pads is the most effective in containing the peak and residual drifts, preventing the plasticization of the column base. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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18 pages, 6466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delaying the Occurrence of Bar Buckling in RC Columns Confined with SRG Jacketing

by Georgia E. Thermou and Sousana Tastani

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7232; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127232 - 16 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1003

Abstract

This paper investigates experimentally the structural performance of substandard reinforced concrete (RC) short columns confined with steel-reinforced grout (SRG) jackets under monotonically increasing uniaxial compression. The study comprised 24 square cross section short RC columns having alternative arrangements of shear reinforcement (ratio of stirrup spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ranging from 4.2 to 12.5). The short columns were retrofitted with externally applied SRG jacketing differing by the density of the fabric (4 cords/in and 12 cords/in) and the number of fabric layers (1 and 2). The test results showed that retrofitting significantly changed the behaviour of the specimens compared to the unconfined counterparts. For columns at risk of premature failure due to insufficient support of compression bars provided by the sparse stirrups, the SRG jackets delayed bar buckling, enabling the members to achieve greater strength and deformation capacity. The well-detailed specimens helped establish the maximum effectiveness of SRG confinement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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13 pages, 7010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Response Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Frame Structures Considering Slope Effects

by Pengyan Song, Shuang Guo, Wenao Zhao and Qin Xin

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5149; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085149 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1506

Abstract

According to the seismic damage due to past events, buildings located on slopes can present a worse seismic performance. To explore this, this study established a finite element model based on a 6-story RC frame structure and soil models based on a practical slope using OpenSees software. Combining the superstructure model with the soil model through soil spring elements, three soil-structure interaction systems with different slope rates were set up. Twenty near-field seismic actions were used as input loads for dynamic time–history analysis. The analysis shows that in the process of seismic action, the deformation tendency of the structure is affected by the slope. There is a clear tendency for lateral displacement towards the slope, and it is more obvious with a greater slope ratio. Meanwhile, the slope has no impact on the shear force at the base of the structure or at the bottom of the column. In addition, there is no correlation between the degree of impact and the slope gradient on the peak value of internal forces and deformations of structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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17 pages, 2997 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analytical and Numerical Study of the Axial Stiffness of Fiber-Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators (FREIs) under Combined Axial and Shear Loads

by Simone Galano and Andrea Calabrese

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3515; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063515 - 09 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1273

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators (FREIs) are rubber-based seismic devices introduced as a low-cost alternative to steel-reinforced elastomeric isolators (SREIs). They are generally used in unbonded applications, i.e., friction is used to transfer the lateral loads from the upper to the lower structure. Under combined axial and shear loads, the lateral edges of the unbonded bearings detach from the top and bottom supports resulting in a rollover deformation. Due to increasing horizontal displacement, the overlap area of the bearing decreases; thus, the vertical properties of the device are a function of the imposed lateral deformation. This paper introduces a closed-form solution to derive the vertical stiffness of the bearings as a function of the horizontal displacement. The variations of the vertical stiffness and of the effective compressive modulus of square-shaped FREIs are given in this work. The analytical results are then validated through a comparison with the outputs of a parametric finite element analysis of FREIs, including different mechanical and geometric parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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Review

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15 pages, 1002 KiB

Open AccessReview

λ-Factors for the Upper and Lower Bound Analyses of Base-Isolated Structures: Historical Review of Code Provisions for Elastomeric Bearings

by Laura Ragni, Fabio Micozzi, Laura Gioiella, Maria Gabriella Castellano, Samuele Infanti and Andrea Dall’Asta

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5820; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095820 - 08 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1291

Abstract

The seismic response of base-isolated structures is notably influenced by mechanical properties of isolation devices due to their essential role in structural behavior. Consequently, the variability of such properties should be accounted for in the design process. The current seismic codes prescribe a simplified approach based on structural analyses in two extreme situations resulting from the upper and lower bound design properties of bearings (upper and lower bound analyses). In the case that experimental data are not provided by manufacturers, seismic codes provide the so-called “property modification factors” or “λ-factors”, i.e., modification coefficients to be applied to the nominal dynamic properties of bearings to obtain their upper or lower design properties. The aim of this paper is to provide a historical review of values provided for such factors by the main seismic codes by highlighting the limits, as well as some clerical errors, present in some codes. In particular, the European seismic codes are illustrated in detail, i.e., the Eurocode for bridges (EN 1998-2) and product standard on anti-seismic devices (EN 15129). Both these codes account for different sources of variability, such as the bearings production and the environmental and behavioral effects. For all these effects, the same λ-factor values are provided by the two codes, deriving from the second version of the AASHTO guide specifications for seismic isolation of bridges (AASHTO 1999), which are based on limited and/or old data, especially for high damping rubber bearings (HDRBs), and were never updated in the successive versions. More recent standards are also illustrated, providing different perspectives that deserve attention, even though they require further investigations to be applied in the design practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Resistant Analysis and Design for Civil Structures)

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