http://www.uni-weimar.de

Lehre

Projekt Karo

 http://www.edac.biz
http://www.edac.biz deutschenglish http://www.edac.biz

Testing of small scale structural models (engl.)

(as Part of NHRE: “Experimental structural evaluation and rehabilitation”)

 

 

(I) Motivation

Students will be familiar with testing methods and simulation requirements to provide structure related parameters and relationships in support of analytical studies, to undertake general design consideration and to compare the outcome of field surveys and of simple model testing with general design consideration.

Students should be able to decide upon appropriate test configuration for particular problems related to failure cases or ongoing projects, and to use the infrastructure for further graduation (master thesis).

 

The Participants have the opportunity

  • to check and evaluate the design and construction of high-rise office buildings (Figure 1),
  • to analyze uncommon, innovative and creative solutions for different levels of design earthquakes,   
  • to check and evaluate the resistance of existing simple masonry buildings (Figure 2),
  • to provide input data for analytical investigation and
  • to discuss the benefits and limits of small scale models as well as the outcome of their testing.

Students have to be trained in the selection of ground motion records to come up with realistic (data-proven) input excitation for different performance levels.

The target area and reference buildings correspond to the home countries.

 

 

 

 

(II) Specification of Tasks

Task 1 - Small scale modeling and testing of high-rise buildings

Figure 1: Dynamic model of the 16-storey steel frame Alexander Building prepared by John A. Blume and tested as Graduate Student in 1934 [Stanford University; Earthquake Engineering Research Center; Foto: EDAC, 2011).

Taking Reference to 8th Annual Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition San Diego, CA students have to check the resistance of the designed and constructed models of a multi-story commercial office building. On the basis of Video, the response of selected frame structures (provided by civil engineering undergraduate students from different universities) under horizontal earthquake excitations has to be re-interpreted.

It should be taken into account that each model is subjected to three levels of severe ground motion (corresponding to the following return periods.

 

GM1                       TR = 50 years
GM2                       TR = 150 years
GM3                       TR = 300 years

 

Models are constructed from balsa wood. (The time histories and response spectrums are available online in the competition website.)

 

Task 1.1

  • Elaboration of the structural layout and the main structural system;
  • Decision upon the scale;
  • Identification of the load-bearing system for vertical and horizontal action.

 

Task 1.2

  • Discussion of the efficiency of the system and critical zones;
  • Check and interpretation of the response;
  • Identification of typical damage pattern considering failed connections and elements;
  • Qualification of failure type and the effect of local failure to the total response. 

 

Task 1.3

Comparison between prognosis and observed response

 

Task 1.4 (Optional)

Preparation of an ETABS model for simulation

 

Task 1.5 (Optional)

Evaluation of scoring method and the assumptions for loss prediction.

 

Task 1.6

Presentation of results

 

 

Deliverables (Results)

Short Report (including drawings of the structural layout and the main structural system; scheme of failure, ETABS Model for simulation)

 

 

Reference:

Rules for the competition.  http://slc.eeri.org/seismic.htm

 

 

 

 

Task 2 - Small scale modeling and testing of masonry buildings

Figure 2: Example from the test series performed by A. Sieberg (1935-1940): 1-directional horizontal impact on a small scale masonry wall model (without “mortar-like” material between the stone units)

Task 2.1

Decision upon a typical masonry type built from manufactured stone unit (brick, concrete block)

Note: Buildings has to be selected on the basis of Project Yellow or EERI-WHE 

 

Task 2.2

  • Elaboration of the structural layout;
  • Decision upon the scale;
  • Creation of a simplified model for the main structural system.

 

Task 2.3

  • Reconstruction of the Building as a small scale model (see Figure 2);
  • Preparation of input files for numerical simulation.

 

Task 2.4

  • Selection of ground motion records from damaging earthquakes (which might have affected buildings of the selected masonry wall type;
  • Elaboration of acceleration time histories and response spectra.

 

Task 2.5

  • Preparation of the model for shaking testing;
  • Identification of typical damage pattern (critical zones, crack distribution)

 

 

Deliverables (Results)

Small Scale Model of the selected building 

Drawings of the structural layout and the main structural system

Scheme of failure

 

 

References:

Sieberg, A. (1937): Beiträge zur erdbebenkundlichen Bautechnik und Bodenmechanik. I. Qualitative Versuche über Erdbebenstöße und ihre zerstörende Wirkung auf Ziegelmauerwerk. II. Gebäudeschäden und ihre geologische Bedingtheit beim Oberschwäbischen Erdbeben vom 27. Juni 1935. Veröffentlichungen der Reichsanstalt für Erdbebenforschung, Heft 29, 78 S. Berlin 1937.

Sieberg, A. (1941): Neuere Untersuchungen der Reichsanstalt für Erdbebenforschung über bautechnische Erdbebensicherung. Zeitschr. für Geophysik 17 (1941) 3/4, 84-102 Druck und Verlag von Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig

Rules for the Competition. website: http://slc.eeri.org/seismic.htm