Self-Centering Steel Frame

Systems
NEESR-SG: Self-Centering Damage-Free SeismicResistant Steel Frame Systems

Project Team
Richard Sause, James Ricles, David Roke,
Choung-Yeol Seo, Michael Wolski, Geoff Madrazo
ATLSS Center, Lehigh University

Maria Garlock, Erik VanMarcke, Li-Shiuan Peh

Princeton University

Judy Liu

Purdue University

Keh-Chyuan Tsai

NCREE, National Taiwan University

Current NEESR Project

NEESR-SG: Self-Centering
Damage-Free Seismic-Resistant
Steel Frame Systems
This material is based on work supported by the
National Science Foundation, Award No. CMS0420974, in the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for
Earthquake Engineering Simulation Research
(NEESR) program, and Award No. CMS-0402490
NEES Consortium Operation.

Motivation: Expected Damage

for Conventional Steel Frames
(a)

(b)

Conventional
Moment
Resisting
Frame
System

Reduced beam section (RBS) beam-column test

specimen with slab: (a) at 3% drift, (b) at 4% drift.

Self Centering (SC) SeismicResistant System Concepts

Discrete structural members are posttensioned to pre-compress joints.
Gap opening at joints at selected
earthquake load levels provides
softening of lateral force-drift
behavior without damage to
members.
PT forces close joints and permanent
lateral drift is avoided.

Previous Work on SC Steel Moment

Resisting (MRF) Connections
W24x62 (Fy 248 MPa),
or W36x150 (Fy 350 MPa)
W14x311, W14x398 (Fy 350 MPa)
or CFT406x406x13 (Fy 345 MPa)
PT Strands
3660 to
4120 mm

MRF Subassembly
with PT Connections
6100 to 8540 mm

Initial Stiffness Is Similar to

Stiffness of Conventional Systems
PT Steel MRF

500

400

Lateral Load - H (KN)

Stiffness with
welded connection
FR

300
200
100
0

MRF subassembly
with post-tensioned
connections

-100
-200
-300
-400
-500
-150

-100

-50

50

Lateral Displacement - (mm)

100

150

Lateral Force-Drift Behavior

Softens Due to Gap Opening
Steel MRF subassembly with
post-tensioned connections
and angles at 3% drift

Lateral Force-Drift Behavior Softens

Without Significant Damage
Welded Connection
600

400
Lateral Load, H (kips)

Conventional steel
MRFs soften by
inelastic
deformation, which
damages main
structural members
and results in
residual drift

SC steel MRF
softens by gap
opening and reduced
contact area at joints

200
0
-200

PostTensioned
Connection

-400
-600
-8

-6

-4

-2

Displacement, (in)

Energy Dissipation from Energy

Dissipation (ED) Elements
Steel MRF

400

Lateral Load, H [KN]

Steel MRF
subassemblies
with posttensioned
connections with
different size ED
elements.

300

Specimen PC2
L6x6x5/16, g/t = 4

200
100
0
-100

Specimen PC4
L8x8x5/8, g/t = 4

-200
-300
-400
-150

-100

-50

50

100

Lateral Displacement, [mm]

150

Limited, Repairable Damage

Angle fracture
Before testing

@ 4% Drift

After testing

Summary of SC Seismic-Resistant
Structural System Behavior
Initial lateral stiffness is similar to that of
conventional seismic-resistant systems.
Lateral force-drift behavior softens due to gap
opening at selected joints and without significant
damage to main structural members.
Lateral force-drift behavior softening due to gap
opening controls force demands.
Energy dissipation provided by energy
dissipation (ED) elements, not from damage to
main structural members.

NEESR-SG: Self-Centering
Damage-Free SeismicResistant Steel Frame Systems

Project Scope.
Project Goals.
Status of Selected Research Tasks.
Summary.

NEESR-SG: SC Steel Frame

Systems Project Scope
Develop two SC steel frame systems:
Moment-resisting frames (SC-MRFs).
Concentrically-braced frames (SC-CBFs).

Conduct large-scale experiments utilizing:

NEES ES (RTMD facility) at Lehigh.
non-NEES laboratory (Purdue).
international collaborating laboratory (NCREE)

Conduct analytical and design studies of

prototype buildings.
Develop design criteria and design procedures.

NEESR-SG: SC Steel Frame

Systems Project Goals
Overall: self-centering steel systems that are
constructible, economical, and structurally
damage-free under design earthquake.
Specific:
Fundamental knowledge of seismic behavior of SCMRF systems and SC-CBF systems.
Integrated design, analysis, and experimental
research using NEES facilities.
Performance-based, reliability-based seismic design
procedures.

NEESR-SG: Self-Centering
Damage-Free SeismicResistant Steel Frame Systems

Project Scope.
Project Goals.
Status of Selected Research Tasks.
Summary.

NEESR-SG: SC Steel Frame

Systems Project Research Tasks
1. Develop reliability-based seismic design and assessment
procedures.
2. Develop SC-CBF systems.
3. Further develop SC-MRF systems.
4. Develop energy dissipation elements for SC-MRFs and SC-CBFs.
5. Develop sensor networks for damage monitoring and integrity
assessment.
6. Design prototype buildings.
7. Perform nonlinear analyses of prototype buildings.
8. Conduct large-scale laboratory tests of SC-MRFs and SC-CBFs.
9. Collaborate on 3-D large-scale laboratory tests on SC-MRF and SCCBF systems.

Task 2. Develop SC-CBF Systems:

SC-CBF System Concept

Rocking
behavior
of simple
SC-CBF
system.

More Complex SC-CBF

Configurations Being Considered
P01+P
g

P02 P02+P

roof

P01
g

g
base

col
V

base

SC-CBF Design Criteria

Lateral Force
MCE
DBE

Failure of

PT Yielding

Frame

gap

Column
Decompression

PT steelyields
yields
Member

IO

LS

Significant
Yielding of

Members

CP

Frame
Members

Roof Drift

Current Work on SC-CBF Systems

Evaluate frame configurations.
Evaluate effect of energy dissipation
(ED) elements.
Develop and evaluate performancebased design approach.

SC-CBF Configurations Studied

PT

PT

PT

ED
ED

Frame A

Frame B12

Frame B12ED

Dynamic Analysis Results (DBE)

Roof drift:

2.7%

Effect of
frame
configuration.
1.4%

Effect of ED
elements.

2.7%

2.4%

Pushover Analysis Results

PT Yield

Base Shear (V/Vdes)

Decompression

Roof Drift (%)

Preliminary Results for SC-CBF

Dynamic analysis results indicate selfcentering behavior is achieved under DBE.
Frame A has lower drift capacity before PT
yielding than Frame B:
PT steel is at column lines rather than mid-bay.

Frame A also has lower drift demand.

Energy dissipation helps to reduce drift
demand and improve response.

Task 3. Further Develop SC-MRF

Systems: Current Work
Study of interaction between SC-MRFs
and floor diaphragms by Princeton and
Purdue.
SC column base connections for SCMRFs being studied by Purdue.

Interaction of SC-MRFs and

Floor Diaphragms (Princeton)
Approach 1.
Transmit
inertial forces gap
from floor
diaphragm
without
excessive
restraint of
connection
regions using
flexible
collectors.

gap

gap

Collector Beams

gap

Interaction of SC-MRFs and

Floor Diaphragms (Purdue)
Approach 2.
Transmit inertial
forces from floor
diaphragm within
one (composite)
bay for each
frame.

SC Column Base Connections

for SC-MRFs (Purdue)
Post-Tensioned Bars
Reinforcing Plate
Energy Dissipation Plate
Slotted Keeper Angle

Beam at Grade

Moment-Rotation Response at
Column Base

Identifying appropriate level of column base moment capacity

and connection details, leading to laboratory experiments.

Task 4. Develop Energy

Dissipation Elements for SC-MRFs
SC systems have no significant energy
dissipation from main structural elements:
Behavior of energy dissipation elements
determined SC system energy dissipation.

Energy dissipation elements may be

damaged during earthquake and replaced.
For SC-MRFs, energy dissipation elements
are located at beam-column connections.

Quantifying Energy Dissipation

Define relative hysteretic ED ratio E

E: Relative ED capacity
E =

Area of yellow
Area of blue

x 100(%)

For SC systems: 0 E 50%

Target value:

E = 25%

Hysteresis Loop

ED Element Assessment
Consider several ED elements:
Metallic yielding, friction, viscoelastic,
elastomeric, and viscous fluid.

Evaluation criteria:
Behavior, force capacity versus size,
constructability, and life-cycle maintenance.

Friction ED elements selected for further

study.

Bottom Flange Friction Device

Friction PL
Friction bolts
Column angle
Col. angle bolts

Slotted plate

W36x300

BFFD Moment Contribution

BFFD contribution to connection moment capacity
COR+

COR-

MFf = Ffr

MFf+ = Ff r+
MFf- = Ff r -

|MFf+ | > |MFf- |

Test Setup
W21x111

Beam

Clevis plates

Hydraulic actuator

12-2

PT strands

Reaction wall

Bracing

W21x111 Beam

Bracing

Test specimen subassembly

PT Strands

Denotes lateral bracing

BFFD
Strong floor

Column

N
S
3/5 Scale
Test setup elevation

Column
BFFD

Test setup

Test Matrix
Test Loading r,max
No. Protocol (rads)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

CS
CS
CS
EQ
CS
CS
CS

Experimental
Parameter

0.035
Reduced Friction Force
0.030
Design Friction Force
0.030
Fillet Weld Repair
0.025
Response to EQ Loading
0.065
Effect of Bolt Bearing
0.035 Assess Column L Flex., CJP
0.065 Effect of Bolt Bearing, CJP

CS: Cyclic Symmetric

EQ: Chi-Chi MCE Level Earthquake Response

Test 2: Design Friction Force

Beginning of Test 2

r = +0.03 rads

r = -0.03 rads

Test 2: Response

Normalized Moment, M/Mp,n

1.0
r-

0.5

r+

imminent gap opening

stiffness
reduction

theoretical decompression

0.0

-0.5

stiffness
reduction

-1.0
-0.04

theoretical decompression
imminent gap opening

-0.03

-0.02

-0.01

0.00

0.01

Rotation, r (rads)

0.02

0.03

0.04

Test 2: Comparison with

Simplified Model
Axial stiffness of PT
strands & beam

2M+Ff

Md + M+Ff

2M-Ff
Md + M-Ff

Results for ED Elements for

SC-MRFs
Friction ED element:
Reliable with repeatable and predictable behavior.
Large force capacity in modest size.

BFFD:
Provides needed energy dissipation for SC-MRF
connections.
When anticipated connection rotation demand is
exceeded, friction bolts can be designed to fail in
shear without damage to other components.

Task 8. Conduct Large-Scale

Laboratory Tests
Two specimens, one SC-MRF and one SC-CBF,
tested at Lehigh NEES ES (RTMD facility).
2/3-scale 4 story frame.
Utilize hybrid test method (pseudo dynamic with
analytical and laboratory substructures).
Utilize real-time hybrid test method, if energy
dissipation elements are rate-sensitive.

9. Collaborate on 3-D LargeScale Laboratory Tests

Large-scale 3-D SC steel frame system tests at
NCREE in Taiwan under direction of Dr. K.C. Tsai.
Interaction of SC frame systems with floor
diaphragms and gravity frames will be studied.
3-D tests are part of Taiwan program on SC
systems.
Project team is collaborating with Taiwan
researchers:
US-Taiwan Workshop on Self-Centering Structural
Systems, June 6-7, 2005, at NCREE.
2nd workshop planned for October 2006 at NCREE.

Summary
Two types of SC steel frame systems are being
developed:
Moment-resisting frames (SC-MRFs).
Concentrically-braced frames (SC-CBFs).

Research plan includes 9 major tasks:

Significant work completed on 7 tasks.
Numerous conference publications available from
current project.

Large-scale experiments utilizing NEES ES at

Lehigh are being conducted.
Ongoing collaboration with NCREE in Taiwan.

Self-Centering Steel Frame

Systems

Thank you.