Ahmed Elgamal (Draft, 2010)

Bracing for Earthquake Resistant

Design

September 18, 2002 (2010 update)

Ahmed Elgamal
Rigid Roof Idealization and Column Stiffness
Relative to the columns, the roof structural system
might be quite rigid, resulting in the classical u
deformed shape shown in the Figure.

In this deformed configuration, the column stiffness is

dictated by a state of fixed-fixed boundary conditions.
h
In order to define the lateral column stiffness (k) for
this fixed-fixed state, we start with the beam Equation
of equilibrium and the appropriate boundary
conditions (see next page for derivations):

EI w = 0
w(0) = w(0) = w(h) = 0, and w(h) = u
z

Resulting in: w = ( (3z2/h2) - (2z3/h3) ) u

u F
With shear force Q = - EI w , the shear force F at h
becomes:
w
h

F = -EIw(h) = (12EI / h3) u k F=ku

and k(column) is therefore, k = (12EI / h3)
2

1
 Bending beam Equation

EI w = 0 (case of zero pressure acting along the beam length)

EI w = c1
EI w = c1 z + c2
EI w = c1 z2/2 + c2 z + c3 (slope)
EI w = c1 z3/6 + c2 z2/2 + c3 z + c4 (displacement)
w (0) = 0 results in c4 = 0
w(0) = 0 results in c3 = 0
w(L) = 0 results in c2 = - ( c1/ h )
w (L) = u results in c1 = - ( 12 EI / h3 ) u
Therefore w = ( (3z2/h2) ( 2z3/h3) ) u

Note:
Moment (M) = - EI w
Shear force = M = - EI w
3

Ahmed Elgamal
30
Bracing
Building is supported laterally by:

1) Bending stiffness of 4 I-beams

in the NS and EW directions
h = 12

2) Axial stiffness of 4 slender rod

braces in the EW direction

Mass East-West Direction (EW)

Take weight (w)of roof as 30 lb/ft2
North-South direction (NS)
and calculate the mass (m)

w 30 30 20
m= = = 46.63 lb-sec2/in = 0.04663 kip-sec2/in
g 386.4

Note: Acceleration of gravity (g) = 386.4 in/sec2

4

2
First version: September 18, 2002 (2010 update) Ahmed Elgamal

30
Es = 29,000 ksi (Steel Youngs Modulus)

Steel I-Beam columns (Section a-a) Rigid roof

x
y (W8x24 Steel I-beam) a a a a

h = 12
Ix = 82.8 in4 a a a a

Iy = 18.3 in4
Note that Iy is much smaller than Ix x
y
Brace (1 in diameter circular bar)
East-West Direction (EW)
Cross sectional area A = 0.785 in2 North-South direction (NS)

In NS-direction
12EI
k NS = 4 3 x = 4
12 29x10 3 (82.8) ( )
= 38.58 kips in
h (12x12 )3 5

September 18, 2002 (2010 update)

Ahmed Elgamal

NS-direction Equation of motion:

m(&u&NS + &u&NSg ) + cu& NS + k NSuNS = 0

where c = ccr = 2 km ( ) and z Maybe 1.2-1.5% for steel

or (&u&NS + &u&NSg ) + 2z NS wNS u& NS + wNSwNSuNS = 0

where wn(NS)= sqrt (38.58 / 0.04663) = 28.76 radians/sec

Note: fn(NS) = 28.76 / (2 x 3.1428) = 4.58 Hz (cycles/sec)

and Tn(NS) = 1/ 4.58 = 0.22 seconds

3
 In EW-direction
12EI y
k EW = 4 3 = 4
(
12 29x10 3 (18.3)
= 8.52
) kips in
h (12x12 )3

As can be seen, lateral stiffness of the columns in the EW direction is much lower
than that in the NS direction. The braces will change this situation dramatically.
Thus, we will rely on brace stiffness since column stiffness is relatively small
and not intended for lateral support (only to carry vertical load).
Laterally, fs = kbrace u , or kbrace = fs / u

From geometry, fs = p cos q and u = (d / cos q) p

resulting in kbrace = (p/d) cos2 q
brace
u fs
q
In the brace, axial stress is related to axial strain by

(p/A) = Es (d/L) (A is brace cross-sectional area)

so that (p/d) = (AEs/L) , and therefore

q
kbrace = ( AEs / L ) cos2 q

From the building geometry Ahmed Elgamal

20 L = sqrt (202 + 122) = 23.3 ft

cos = = 0.8575
12 + 20
2 2

and
0.785 29 10 3
k brace =
( )
(0.8575)2 = 59.8 kips in
23.3 12
Braces are slender in this case, and therefore only provide added stiffness when
subjected to tensile force (the braces sag or buckle when in compression. As such,
only two braces will be providing lateral stiffness at any given time. As such,
k EW (bracing) = 2 59.8 = 119.6 kips in
Since the stiffness due to bracing is much larger than that due to the 4 columns, we
will only rely on the bracing for stiffness in this direction:
( )
m(&u&EW + &u&EWg ) + cu& EW + kEW uEW = 0 or, &u&EW + &u&EWg + 2z EW wEW u& EW + wEWwEW uEW = 0

where wn(EW)= sqrt (119.6 / 0.04663) = 50.64 radians/sec

Note: fn(EW) = 50.64 / (2 x 3.1428) = 8.06 Hz (cycles/sec)
8
and Tn(EW) = 1/ 8.06 = 0.12 seconds
now,

4
 Question: Will all 4 braces in the frame be effective at the same time?
Euler Buckling Load http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling :
p 2 EI , Lk = k L = Effective Buckling Length
Ncr =
L2k
r 4 (0.5")
4
I= I= = 0.049 in 4
4 4
1
L k = (23.3ft ) = 23.3ft = 279.6 in
1

p 2 (29000ksi)(0.049in 4 )
N cr = = 0.179 kips = 179lbs
(279.6in )(279.6in )

Answer: When the brace experiences compression, buckling load is

minimal. This is why, we used only two braces at a time in our
calculations (of the 4 installed braces)

Buckling Restrained Braces

(BRBs)

http://jiano.typepad.com/photos/un
categorized/brb_02.jpg

5
Bracing Systems (a) Diagonal, b) Chevron, and c) V-Braced

11

Ahmed Elgamal

12

6
 Ahmed Elgamal
Testing

http://peer.berkeley.edu/~yang/NEESZipper/Summary.html

http://nees.buffalo.edu/projects/zipperframes/CollaboratoryResearchGT-UCB-UCB-UB-USF.pdf

7
Energy Dissipation
Devices

Viscous Dampers

From Publication by Alessandro Martelli and Massimo Forni