Large-Scale Experimental Testing and Numerical Modeling of Floor-to-Frame Connections for Controlled Rocking Steel Braced Frames
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 8
Abstract
Controlled rocking steel braced frames (CRSBFs) are low-damage lateral force resisting systems that mitigate structural damage through a controlled rocking mechanism. Critical to the safety and low-damage nature of these systems are the floor-to-frame connections that allow the CRSBF to rock without imposing the associated uplifts on the adjacent gravity framing. This paper introduces three potential connection details through which the seismic forces are transferred to the CRSBF as the primary lateral force resisting system. The connections were tested at 60% scale between a one-story CRSBF subassembly and representative tributary gravity framing, with inertial and restoring forces simulated using hydraulic actuators for cyclic static testing. The experimental results show that all three connections are able to transfer the necessary loads while undergoing the displacements that are expected during a large earthquake, with some differences in the resistance that develops. These results are complimented by numerical simulations that are shown to be in good agreement. Design recommendations for the three proposed connections are also presented.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors greatly appreciate the work of and support from the technicians Kent Wheeler and Paul Hereema at the Applied Dynamics Laboratory, and the work of Mitacs summer research intern Oscar Camarillo Garduño. Funding for this research from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) is gratefully acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 8 • August 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 29, 2019
Accepted: Feb 27, 2020
Published online: May 30, 2020
Published in print: Aug 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Oct 30, 2020
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