Evaluation of Two RC Buildings with Steel Bracing

Downs, Ruth E.; Hjelmstad, Keith D.; Foutch, Douglas A.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/14181 Copy

Description

Title

Evaluation of Two RC Buildings with Steel Bracing

Author(s)

• Downs, Ruth E.
• Hjelmstad, Keith D.
• Foutch, Douglas A.

Issue Date

1991-11

Keyword(s)

• Reinforced concrete
• earthquake motions
• Soil-structure interaction
• Earthquakes -- Mexico
• Mexico -- Earthquakes

Abstract

Experimental and analytical studies were conducted to assess the contributions of two retrofit schemes to the performances of two RC buildings during the 1985 Mexico earthquake. The schemes used to strengthen the two buildings were similar in that diagonal steel braces and RC infill walls were used to stiffen and strengthen the existing RC frames. The schemes were different in that one had steel bracing in the interior of the building while the other had steel bracing on the exterior of the building. The evaluations of the retrofit schemes considered a variety of data including: (1) observations on earthquake damage from the 1979 Mexico earthquake, which occurred before the retrofit schemes were implemented; (2) ambient vibration measurements before and after retrofit; (3) observations on earthquake damage from the 1985 Mexico earthquake; (4) forced vibration tests after the 1985 earthquake; and (5) analytical studies using various models of the buildings based upon the building plans and other observations. The results of the studies indicate that the additional stiffness and strength provided by the retrofit elements were essential to the survival of the two buildings during the 1985 earthquake, that the effects of soil-structure interaction must be considered when designing retrofit systems for soft soil sites, and that connections play an important role in determining the effectiveness of the retrofit elements.

Publisher

University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Series/Report Name or Number

Civil Engineering Studies SRS-563

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/14181

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

National Science Foundation Grant ECE 86-10785

Owning Collections