Abstract (EN):
This thesis deals with the behaviour and design of composite steel-concrete momentresisting building frames under earthquake loading. This type of structure represents an effective form for resisting seismic loads due to its inherent ductility and energy dissipation capabilities in comparison with bare steel or reinforced concrete counterparts. This is mainly due to the synergy between the two constituent materials which results in favourable performance.
The work is divided into two main parts. In the first, the focus is on behavioural issues of key structural components that contribute to the energy dissipation of composite frames, namely steel-concrete beams and beam-to-column joints. Analytical models, which account for complex nonlinear inelastic response, are developed to represent faithfully the response of these components at local and overall levels. These developments include a novel model for representing the beam-column panel zone in steel and composite frames. Additionally, a more reliable approach is proposed for modelling composite floor systems where attention is devoted to the issue of effective slab width resulting in a new suggested methodology to quantify this important parameter. The analytical developments are appropriately verified against experimental data obtained from component tests as well as from a full-scale test on a composite two-storey building, performed as part of a collaborative European project.
In the second part of the thesis, the results from work on the behaviour of components are applied in considering the overall performance of realistic structural configurations. Advanced nonlinear structural analysis is employed in order to examine the performance of composite buildings designed according to current European codes of practice. The findings of these studies allow a significantly improved understanding of the limitations of current methods for predicting seismic performance and for producing structures of consistent safety margins.
Idioma:
Português
Tipo (Avaliação Docente):
Científica
Nº de páginas:
375