Inelastic Time History Analysis of an Unbraced 5-Story Steel Framed Structure for Arrangement of Semi-Rigid Connection

In this study, an unbraced five-story steel-framed structure was designed in accordance with KBC2005 to understand the features of structural behavior for the arrangement of semi-rigid connections. An inelastic time history analysis of structural models was performed, wherein all the connections were idealized as fully rigid and semi-rigid. Additionally, horizontal and vertical arrangements of semi-rigid connections were used for the models. A fiber model was utilized for the moment-curvature relationship of a steel beam and a column, a three-parameter power model for the moment-rotation angle of the semi-rigid connection, and a three-parameter model for the hysteretic behavior of a steel beam, column, and connection. The base-shear force, top displacement, story drift, required ductility for the connection, maximum bending moment of the column, beam, and connection, and distribution of the plastic hinge were investigated using four earthquake excitations with peak ground acceleration for a mean return period of 2,400 years and for the maximum base-shear force in the pushover analysis of a 5% story drift. The maximum base-shear force and story drift decreased with the outer vertical distribution of the semi-rigid connection, and the required ductility for the connection decreased with the higher horizontal distribution of the semi-rigid connection. The location of the maximum story drift differed in the pushover analysis and the time history analysis, and the magnitude was overestimated in the pushover analysis. The outer vertical distribution of the semi-rigid connection was recommended for the base-shear force, story drift, and required ductility for the connection.