Contribution of gravity frames to seismic performance of steel moment resisting frames

Abstract

Traditionally, lateral stiffness and strength of the gravity frames in steel buildings are neglected in structural analysis. During the past earthquakes, such as Northridge, USA, 1994 and Kobe, Japan, 1995, unexpected failures were detected at beam-to-column connections of steel moment resisting frames (MRFs). In the aftermath of these earthquakes, extensive research has been carried out to reveal the causes of these failures. Based on the detailed observations, it is likely that the reserve capacity provided by the gravity frames prevented the highly damaged steel buildings from collapsing, since majority of the moment-resisting connections failed prematurely during the Northridge earthquake (1994). Even though the influence of gravity frames (GFs) on structural behavior can be substantial, little attention is paid to evaluate its impact on structural response. With this paper, the contribution of interior GFs in seismic performance of special moment resisting steel frames (SMRFs) is evaluated. For this purpose, 4- and 9-story SMRFs were designed in accordance with the requirements of Draft Turkish Seismic Code (2016). The frames are, then, subjected to incremental dynamic analysis. To evaluate the contribution of the interior GFs on the overall seismic performance of structural system, inelastic behavior of shear tab (simple) connections at beam-to-gravity-only columns were idealized as semi-rigid joints. A general purpose structural analysis software, ETABS, is utilized for the analyses. The results of the study are presented in terms of story drifts, base shear vs. roof displacement.