Super‐detailed FEM simulations for full‐scale steel structure with fatal rupture at joints between members—Shaking‐table test of full‐scale steel frame structure to estimate influence of cumulative damage by multiple strong motion: Part 1

Abstract

AbstractThere have been several studies on analyses using finely meshed finite‐element (FE) models to understand in detail the behaviors of buildings during severe earthquakes. The accuracy of such analyses is often validated by comparing the results to the corresponding full‐scale shaking‐table test. While this approach is highly successful in terms of accuracy, no studies have considered the effect of fractures of members. In this study, numerical analyses are conducted for a steel structure subjected to multiple series of excitations in a full‐scale shaking‐table test considering fractures. The structure is modeled with planar and solid finite elements, and the fracture is treated by the mandatory deletion of elements at the time at which the fracture is observed in the experiment. The results show that by considering the fracture of steel members with the deletion of elements, the history of input excitations, and the resulting damages, the behaviors can be simulated analytically with a much higher accuracy.