Technical Notes
Jan 29, 2020

Effect of Thermal Gradient on Ductility of Seismic Anchor

Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 4

Abstract

In certain applications, a significant thermal gradient exists along the length of a seismic anchor. The yield strength of steel depends on temperature. Therefore, the strength of a steel anchor varies along its length. When pulled, the anchor yields at the weakest point and breaks before the yielding can spread to other parts. Localized yielding that results from a thermal gradient reduces the ductility of the anchor. This can reduce the overall ductility of the structure, and thus its resistance to seismic shaking. This article presents a method of computing the ductility of an anchor for a given thermal gradient. The article also presents a simple design improvement that increases the ductility of the anchor by a factor of 3. The anchors discussed in this study are expected to yield and elongate during rare earthquakes.

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Data Availability Statement

The following data are available from StrongMotions, Inc. by sending a written request at www.StrongMotions.com:
The stress–strain curves for 9%Ni SS for various temperatures.
The computer code for calculating the elongation capacity of an anchor strap.

Acknowledgments

The two reviewers of the manuscript are thanked for their specific suggestions to improve the value of this article. StrongMotions, Inc. is thanked for time, encouragement, and expert guidance.

References

Ayres, R. A. 1985. “Thermal gradients, strain rate, and ductility in sheet steel tensile specimens.” Metall. Trans. A 16 (1): 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02656709.
Boyer, H. F. 1987. Atlas of stress-strain curves. Metals Park, OH: ASM International.
Courtney, T. H. 1990. Mechanical behavior of materials. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hayden, H. W., W. G. Moffatt, and J. Wulff. 1965. The structure and properties of materials: Vol. III mechanical behavior. New York: Wiley.
Housner, G. W. 1963. “The dynamic behavior of water tanks.” Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 53 (2): 381–387.
Malhotra, P., T. Wenk, and M. Wieland. 2000. “Simple procedure for seismic analysis of liquid-storage tanks.” J. Struct. Eng. Int. 10 (3): 197–201. https://doi.org/10.2749/101686600780481509.
Schwartzberg, F. R., S. H. Osgood, R. G. Herzog, and M. Knight. 1970. Vol. 2 of Cryogenic materials data handbook (revised). Denver: Martin Marietta Corporation.
Veletsos, A. S. 1984. “Seismic response and design of liquid storage tanks.” In Guidelines for the seismic design of oil and gas pipeline systems, 255–370. Reston, VA: ASCE.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Structural Engineering
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146Issue 4April 2020

History

Received: Sep 6, 2018
Accepted: Sep 4, 2019
Published online: Jan 29, 2020
Published in print: Apr 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jun 29, 2020

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Authors

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Rhia Malhotra [email protected]
Student, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14850. Email: [email protected]

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