Performance-based Design Approach Research Articles

Response Modification Factor of High-Strength Steel Frames with D-Eccentric Brace Using the IDA Method

The design innovation of high-strength steel frames paired with D-eccentric bracing exhibits remarkable resistance to plastic deformation during seismic events. This method strategically combines regular steel connections (with yield strengths below 345 MPa) and high-strength steel beams and columns (such as Q460 or Q690, with yield strengths over 460 MPa), effectively reducing cross-sectional sizes while preserving the elasticity of non-energy-dissipating members. This configuration results in substantial ductility and superior energy dissipation capabilities. The response modification factor (R) is vital for achieving both effective and economical seismic resilience, particularly in the development of efficient and cost-effective seismic designs. However, the 2016 edition of the Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB50011-2010) fails to incorporate the concept of R, opting instead to apply a uniform value to all structural systems. This oversight is fundamentally flawed, necessitating a comprehensive investigation into the R value specifically for the high-strength steel frame with a D-eccentric brace. This research primarily aims to improve structural performance design, provide guidance for future projects, and encourage the adoption of this advanced seismic performance structure in earthquake-prone areas. To achieve these objectives, a performance-based seismic design approach is employed. This method involves designing structures with varying numbers of stories (4, 8, and 12), different link lengths (900, 1000, and 1100 mm), and various steel strengths (Q460 and Q690). This study uses the Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) method to determine the R values for each prototype. The derived performance coefficients act as crucial references for the development of future innovative structural designs. This research greatly enhances seismic design practices and facilitates the wider adoption of high-strength steel frames with D-eccentric braces due to their outstanding seismic performance.

Seismic Performance Evaluation of a Chilean RC Building Damaged during the Mw8.8 Chile Earthquake

Chile, recognized as one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations, has gained valuable insights from significant earthquakes, such as those in 1985 and 2010, which have influenced updates to the nation’s design codes. Although Chile’s seismic design approach has been largely effective in recent earthquakes and demonstrated an “operational” performance level in most structures, performance-based design (PBD) methods have not yet been officially incorporated as valid approaches in the Chilean seismic design codes for buildings. However, in 2017, the Chilean Association on Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (ACHISINA) introduced a PBD approach, primarily for verification purposes, based on the Los Angeles Tall Buildings Structural Design Council (LATBSDC) framework. In this work, firstly, we provide an overview of Chile’s PBD methodology, focusing on the thresholds for various performance levels. These levels are established through experimental and numerical analysis, correlating performance with permissible damage levels. The second part of the paper examines the seismic performance of a residential building, designed before the 2010 Maule earthquake and subsequently damaged, using Chile’s PBD guidelines. This case study highlights the implementation and effectiveness of PBD for assessing seismic resilience in Chilean structures.

Seismic design of reinforced concrete buildings equipped with viscous dampers using simplified performance-based approach

Passive control systems, such as Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs), have gained significant consideration in the design of earthquake-resistant structures. However, simple analysis and design methods are scarce for more practical and feasible implementation. This study provides a simplified procedure for performance-based seismic design of Reinforced Concrete (RC) special moment resisting frame using nonlinear FVDs. It adopts an extended performance-based design approach, focusing on maximum displacement along with floor acceleration to control the overall behavior of the structure. The fundamental principle of the method is to achieve the fully stressed (effect of FVDs on response indices) design approach to place dampers, which is attained by placing dampers among the storeys where drifts exceed the pre-decided performance limits. Further, a uniform damage distribution concept is followed to maximize the dampers' capacity. This study examines a rectangular-shaped RC SMRF with dampers to get the required performance when subjected to design basis and maximum considered earthquake levels. To check the efficacy, the proposed method is contrasted with a practical design method and a standard placement method employed in previous studies for RC structures with dampers. The analysis shows that the structure meets the performance targets of the design basis and the maximum considered level of earthquake hazards using the proposed step-by-step procedure. The comparison with the other two methods confirmed that the structure with dampers improved seismic behavior with the suggested process. Structural engineers can refer to the proposed method for the design of RC buildings with FVDs.

A hybrid buckling-restrained brace for enhancing the seismic performance of steel moment resisting frames

Buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) are effective and widely used devices to enhance the seismic performance of steel moment resisting frames (SMRF), but they might fail to prevent significant structural damage or structural collapse under unexpectedly high seismic loads. To address this issue, a novel hybrid BRB (HBRB) composed of a conventional BRB and a friction damper in series is proposed, where the activated force/displacement of the friction damper could be adjusted to protect the HBRB from failure. The paper begins by providing a detailed explanation of the configuration and working principle of the proposed HBRB. The cyclic behavior of the HBRB is thoroughly analyzed both theoretically and numerically. Building on this, a performance-based design approach is developed, focusing on enhancing the seismic response of SMRF using the HBRB. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed HBRB and design method, two typical SMRFs, one with 9 stories and the other with 20 stories, are enhanced with the HBRB. Comprehensive numerical models are established, considering the bare SMRFs, HBRB-enhanced SMRFs, and conventionally BRB-enhanced SMRFs. Nonlinear static and dynamic analyses are conducted to evaluate the seismic performance of these steel frames. Special attention is given to the performance comparison between HBRB-enhanced SMRFs and conventionally BRB-enhanced SMRFs, specifically under the extremely rare earthquake (ERE) scenario. The results highlight that the HBRB can achieve comparable energy dissipation capacity to conventional BRB while displaying superior energy dissipation efficiency. Moreover, the proposed design method achieves the predefined seismic performance objectives for the enhanced SMRFs in a straightforward and time-efficient manner. Furthermore, the HBRB proves effective in eliminating the failure risk associated with conventional BRB under ERE conditions, effectively mitigating structural damage and preventing collapse.

Performance-based seismic design method for disc spring-based self-centering viscous dissipative braced steel frame

Disc spring-based self-centering viscous damper (SCVD) has emerged as a novel technology, offering velocity-dependent energy dissipation and exceptional self-centering capabilities. Integrating this damper in structural bracing systems can effectively enhance passive control over critical structural demands such as peak deformation, residual displacement, and floor acceleration. Nevertheless, a seismic design method specifically tailored for self-centering viscous dissipative braced steel frames (SCVDFs) needs further refinement. This study proposes a performance-based seismic design (PBSD) method for SCVDFs, which is grounded in the performance-based plastic design (PBPD) approach. The proposed procedure primarily considers the effects of two critical hysteresis parameters: the post-activation stiffness ratio and the viscous damping ratio. To verify the effectiveness of the design method, a set of SCVDFs was designed, each utilizing different combinations of design parameters. Nonlinear static and dynamic analyses were performed on these archetypes to evaluate their seismic performance. The evaluation findings demonstrated that the properly designed SCVDFs can achieve the expected design performance and effectively suppress the peak inter-story drift, residual inter-story drift, and peak absolute floor acceleration of the structure, thereby achieving a favorable trade-off in the design outcome and maximizing the advantages of the SCVDF in seismic resilience.

Performance-Based Design Assessment of Temperature Tenability Condition in a Hotel Atrium

Fire safety risk assessment to prevent loss of human life and property is necessary for complex structures where the traditional prescriptive designs are inapplicable. Maintaining tenable temperature conditions is essential for the safe evacuation of building occupants. This study considered British Standards (BS) 7974 and the Code of Practice for Fire Precautions in Buildings to analyze the temperature tenability conditions in the hotel atrium through a performance-based design approach. Further, the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, Pyrosim, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), was utilized to simulate a constant Heat Release Rate (HRR) steady state design fire of 5 Megawatts (MW) igniting from the hotel brasserie (ground floor) within the atrium. The researcher used the big design fire of 5MW to generalize the results to similar fires in similar structures. The objective was to conduct a fire safety risk assessment to prevent loss of property and fatalities by activating a smoke management control system with a ‘what if’ condition when the fire suppression system failed to start. Temperature data was collected through the statistical steady state profile, smoke layer temperatures, thermocouples, and 2-dimensional slice temperature recordings. The ground floor, the fire source, was found to have untenable conditions for human survival with temperatures above 2250C, as confirmed by thermocouple and steady-state temperature profile readings. Other floors demonstrated tenable conditions for human survival with temperatures below 400C due to the effect of natural vents and mechanical extractors, which extracted the hot smoke at a rate of 15m/s. The temperature recordings from this study compared well with those from Chew and Liew’s (2000) Computational Fluid Dynamics results, which had fire igniting within the atrium, without sprinklers, and had mechanical extraction fans and a constant Heat Release Rate of 5 Megawatts (MW). The results indicated that the smoke control management system maintained tenable temperature conditions within the hotel atrium, even without the fire suppression system through sprinklers. Considering the design fire size was 5 MW, which was significantly big, the results could be generalized for other hotels or structures with similar designs.

Seismic vulnerability assessment of post-tensioned timber building fitted with dissipative bracing systems

A post-tensioned (PT) timber building coupled with dissipative bracing systems is a sustainable seismic-resistant structural system. This system combines desirable qualities of self-centering, energy dissipation, and lightweight timber, which attracts lesser seismic force and contributes to a better resilient system. Despite significant advancement in the provision of these sustainable seismic-resistant timber-based structural archetypes, more study is required to derive a fuller knowledge of the behaviour of these innovative structural systems under a range of ground motion intensities and limited state capacities. Direct displacement-based design, a performance-based design approach, is used for the design of this system, and performance assessment is carried out using nonlinear dynamic analysis. This study investigates the performance of the braced PT frame under different limit state considerations using ground motion records consistent with the NBC 2020 seismic hazard.

Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of a Wildland–Urban Interface Fire Scenario

This paper presents the results obtained from a field fire test, aiming to reproduce a wildland–urban interface scenario to collect relevant information concerning the impact of wildfires on the built environment. The objective was to understand heat transfer mechanisms from forest fires to structures. During the fire test, the temperatures at the exposed face of one building component were monitored, as well as those in the vicinity of that component, using thermal imaging. The detailed characterization of the field test and building component and obtained experimental results of the fire test were then used to develop and validate a complex computational fluid dynamics model (full physics models) using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). Several numerical models were previously developed to reproduce the behaviour of individual shrubs and trees in fires considering available results in the literature. The developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models can accurately reproduce the field test, including the fire spread and the temperature evolution on the surface of the exposed construction component. The obtained maximum temperature in the construction element was 1038 °C, whereas the maximum average temperature was approximately 638 °C. According to the results from the numerical model, the construction element was exposed to a very high heat flux (above 40 kW/m2), indicating direct contact of the flames with the construction element. The use of CFD enables the quantification of the characteristics of the fire and the exposure of structures to fire in the wildland–urban interface (WUI), allowing for the definition of a performance-based design approach for buildings in the WUI. This contributes to developing safe and resilient structures, as well as mitigating and reducing the impacts of wildfires in the built environment.

Fire Safety for buildings and constructions - Performance based design approach and the parameters should be considered in Viet Nam

Performance based design is an approach that being supported in several countries for constructions design in general, and design of fire safety for buildings in particular. However, in the aspect of authority, to pursue this design approach it is needed to provide relevant regulations that replace to current prescriptives onces. By reviewing major features of performance based standards that are applied in some countries, this paper would like to figure out and suggest the parameters should be considered and clearified for establishing the regulations on performance based design for fire safety of building that correspond to the specific features of Viet Nam.

Fire safety for buildings and constructions – Performance based design approach and the parameters should be considered in Vietnam

Performance based design is an approach that being supported in several countries for constructions design in general, and design of fire safety for buildings in particular. However, in the aspect of authority, to pursue this design approach it is needed to provide relevant regulations that replace to current prescriptives onces. By reviewing major features of performance based standards that are applied in some countries, this paper would like to figure out and suggest the parameters should be considered and clearified for establishing the regulations on performance based design for fire safety of building that correspond to the specific features of Viet Nam.

Fire safety for buildings and constructions – Performance based design approach and the parameters should be considered in Vietnam

Performance based design is an approach that being supported in several countries for constructions design in general, and design of fire safety for buildings in particular. However, in the aspect of authority, to pursue this design approach it is needed to provide relevant regulations that replace to current prescriptives onces. By reviewing major features of performance based standards that are applied in some countries, this paper would like to figure out and suggest the parameters should be considered and clearified for establishing the regulations on performance based design for fire safety of building that correspond to the specific features of Viet Nam.

Performance-based design for structures in fire: Advances, challenges, and perspectives

The Performance-Based Design approach provides a goal-oriented process to support safe, innovative, and resilient structural fire designs. However, adoption of this approach requires both a rigorous framework and appropriate analysis tools to assess the expected performance of structures in fire. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the Performance-Based Design approach, including the process and its specific elements, applied to structures in fire. First, the value of the approach is illustrated through a review of case studies. Then, the process is described with identification of the role of the structural fire engineer. Recent research in methods to enable the evaluation of the structural fire performance, conducted within the author's group at Johns Hopkins University, is discussed. Issues addressed include the coupling between the fire and thermal-structural models, the characterization of the material behavior at elevated temperature, numerical modeling of structures subjected to fire, probabilistic risk assessment, and cost-benefit analyses. The paper concludes with a discussion of some challenges and perspectives for the future of performance-based structural fire design.

Practical application of multi-material topology optimization to performance-based architectural design of an iconic building

With the rapid development of architectural design methods and structural analysis techniques, structural performance-based design approaches have become increasingly important in architectural design. Among these approaches, topology optimization is a significant design method. However, most existing topology optimization research and related applications are based on single-material topology optimization techniques, which have limitations when applied to the design of complex and challenging structures. Building upon our previously proposed multi-material bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (multi-material BESO) method, this paper presents the approaches for achieving diverse and competitive structural designs and then presents a practical application of the multi-material BESO method to the structural design of the core structure of a long-cantilevered building project called “Xiong’an Wings”. After an evolutionary design process based on the multi-material BESO method, an efficient frame with lower overall material costs, better static and dynamic performance compared to the initial design by experienced engineers is achieved. As the first practical application of the multi-material BESO method to a large-scale architectural design, the example of the “Xiong’an Wings” building demonstrates the tremendous prospects for the application of multi-material topology optimization technology to the generative design of innovative and efficient building structures.

Feasibility Analysis of Nearly Zero-Energy Building Design Oriented to the Optimization of Thermal Performance Parameters

The effective control and reduction of building energy consumption are major global focuses. The building sector is responsible for over 40% of all direct and indirect CO2 emissions. Nearly zero-energy buildings have been the subject of aims and regulations from several developed nations. An office building located in the severe cold region of China was chosen for this case study. The building was equipped with multiple NZEB technologies. Building indoor environment parameters and energy efficiency indexes were used as performance targets, and a performance-based design approach was used to optimize building design parameters. Thermal performance of the building envelope, airtightness, energy demand, and indoor thermal environment were tested according to different evaluation criteria. The total energy demand was as low as 53.93 KWh/(m2·a), and this can be attributed to the exceptional insulation of the building. In this test, the indoor thermal environment comfort was satisfactory. This study can be used as a reference for the design and evaluation of low-carbon buildings and low-energy buildings.

Customized shading solutions for complex building façades: the potential of an innovative cement-textile composite material through a performance-based generative design

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the comfort-related performances of an innovative solar shading solution based on a new composite patented material that consists of a cement-based matrix coupled with a stretchable three-dimensional textile. The paper’s aim is, through a performance-based generative design approach, to develop a high-performance static shading system able to guarantee adequate daylit spaces, a connection with the outdoors and a glare-free environment in the view of a holistic and occupant-centric daylight assessment.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the design and simulation process of a complex static shading system for digital manufacturing purposes. Initially, the optical material properties were characterized to calibrate radiance-based simulations. The developed models were then implemented in a multi-objective genetic optimization algorithm to improve the shading geometries, and their performance was assessed and compared with traditional external louvres and overhangs.FindingsThe system developed demonstrates, for a reference office space located in Milan (Italy), the potential of increasing useful daylight illuminance by 35% with a reduced glare of up to 70%–80% while providing better uniformity and connection with the outdoors as a result of a topological optimization of the shape and position of the openings.Originality/valueThe paper presents the innovative nature of a new composite material that, coupled with the proposed performance-based optimization process, enables the fabrication of optimized shading/cladding surfaces with complex geometries whose formability does not require ad hoc formworks, making the process fast and economic.

Response modification factor of high strength steel frame with D-eccentric brace using improved pushover analysis method

The high-strength steel frame with D-eccentric brace presents a novel structural system that demonstrates exceptional plastic deformation capabilities when exposed to high levels of earthquake hazards. This system employs ordinary steel links with a yield strength below 345 MPa, while the frame beam and column utilize high-strength steel (yield strength above 460 MPa, such as Q460 or Q690 steel) to reduce cross-sectional dimensions while ensuring elasticity of non-energy consuming components. The resulting structure exhibits outstanding ductility and energy-dissipating capacity. The response modification factor (R), a crucial parameter in performance-based seismic design, plays a significant role in achieving appropriate and cost-effective seismic designs. Unfortunately, the 2016 edition of China's code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB50011-2010) did not consider the concept of R and instead employed a constant value for all structural systems, which is unreasonable. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of the R value for the high-strength steel frame with D-eccentric brace is imperative to enhance structural performance design, provide guidance for future designs, and promote the widespread implementation of this structure in seismic regions, where it exhibits superior seismic performance. This study utilizes the performance-based seismic design approach to design structures with varying numbers of stories (4, 8, and 12), link lengths (900, 1000, and 1100 mm), and different steel strengths (Q460 and Q690). An improved pushover analysis method is employed to calculate the R values for each prototype, considering the number of structural stories (N) and the link length (e). The derived values of each performance coefficient serve as valuable references for future performance designs of novel structural systems.

Performance-based blast-resistant design of RC bridge piers under vehicular bombs

Bridge piers are the critical components to support the superstructures and the blast resistance of piers has attracted extensive attention considering the ever growing deliberate and accidental explosion attacks on bridge structures. However, most of the existing studies focus on the blast-induced dynamic response of a single pier without considering the bridge redundancy, even less the actual traffic performance of the entire bridge. This paper aims to propose a performance-based blast-resistant design approach of RC bridge piers under explosions of vehicular bombs. Firstly, the distribution model of blast impulse on bridge piers is proposed with considering both the ground reflections and diffractions of piers based on the validated finite element analysis (FEA) approach. Then, the fiber beam element-based model and the above blast impulse distribution model were validated based on the dynamic monotonic loading test and the explosion test on RC frame column. Furthermore, the simplified fiber element beam-based prototype RC bridge was established and the parametric studies were performed. Finally, the response surface methodology was adopted and the performance-based blast-resistant design procedure for three design basis threats specified in FEMA, i.e., cargo van bomb, small moving van bomb, moving van bomb, was proposed with utilizing the relative vertical displacement of the mid-bent as the performance index. It derives that, (i) the proposed distribution model of blast impulse is applicable to explosions at scaled distances of 0.5–2.1 m/kg1/3; (ii) the fiber beam element-based model can well describe the global response of the blast-exploded columns/piers; (iii) the proposed performance-based blast-resistant design approach can provide an efficient tool for bridge engineers.

Investigating the applicability of human reliability analysis methods during early design stages of non-light-water nuclear power plants

Human interventions are an integral part of any system, whether through design, operation, maintenance, or upgrading. Moreover, although the reliance on human intervention in safety-related actions in advanced reactors (e.g., Generation IV) is expected to be reduced or completely replaced by automated actions, nuclear power plants (NPP) require human actions throughout their lifecycle from design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. Hence, the impacts of all operator actions are required to be captured and incorporated in the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of the modeled plant. Furthermore, a risk-informed and performance-based design and licensing approach expects that a PRA model, including human reliability analysis (HRA), is developed starting from the early design stages and used to inform all design iterations. However, due to the lack of details during the early design stages, HRA is often postponed until the design is mature enough. Conducting HRA in the final design stages, though adequate in capturing pre-, at-, and post-initiators, comes short of informing the design itself in the iterative design lifecycle. Moreover, due to most HRA methodologies being developed utilizing mostly the operating experience of existing light water reactors, limited guidance is available to the applicability of different HRA methodologies during the early stages of the design. Limited guidance is available, as well, on how to utilize the results of HRA in informing the design of later iterations. Hence, this study presents an investigation of the applicability of different HRA methodologies during the early stages of the design. The structure of a representative set of nine HRA methodologies is assessed against the available operating and emergency procedures within different design stages. Furthermore, these different HRA methodologies are assessed based on the availability of guidance on how to use their results to risk-inform the design in an iterative design process. Finally, the applicability of Open Preliminary Human Importance (OpenPHI) methodology, introduced specifically to implement HRA during early design stages, is assessed during the early stages of the design and compared against other methodologies.

Paradigm shift to resilience based design for improved seismic behaviour – State-of-the-Art

Seismic design codes have evolved over time, with a significant shift from the existing force-based design (FBD) to the performance-based design (PBD) approach. This shift was predicated on the improved understanding from recent research and observation of building damage after earthquakes. Currently, code requirements and design recommendations are set considering life safety criteria. Consequently, they do not limit damage to the structure and its components (structural/non-structural parts). This may lead to higher repair costs in the event of strong shaking. Experiences from past earthquakes demonstrate that buildings built using the existing FBD sustain severe damage, although most buildings did not collapse, thereby ensuring life safety. The substantial economic loss following earthquakes led to the development of a new design philosophy based on target performances called PBD. Like the FBD, the PBD ensures life safety (based on strength and ductility). In addition, the PBD can address the need for immediate damage assessment and limiting economic losses. However, PBD may not prevent damage to primary structural/non-structural parts (serviceability). This, in turn, leads to higher repair costs and operational downtime and may lead to abandoning the building. Several attempts were made to minimize the functionality loss of structural and non-structural elements following earthquakes. These efforts culminated in the emergence of a resilience-based design (RBD), which aims to mitigate the economic damages due to (a) severe building damage, (b) functionality loss, and (c) business downtime. RBD is a holistic design approach that defines building’s performance points considering immediate occupancy criteria and building functionality. Moreover, the RBD considers the total cost of the building as one of the design parameters. The RBD is expected to surpass code-intended performance targets and typical performance-based design practices in the near future. Given the importance of RBD, the paper explores the following: (a) implications of damage and the importance of the built environment, (b) evolution of seismic design of buildings, (c) the need to shift from PBD to RBD, (d) quantification of resilience, and (d) the necessity for resilient systems based on the real-time scenario.

Performance-Based Seismic Design of Hybrid GFRP–Steel Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns

Damage quantification in terms of engineering demand parameters (EDPs) is a critical element of the performance-based design (PBD) approach. A widely used EDP for reinforced-concrete (RC) bridge columns is the drift ratio. This study establishes drift ratio limit states, and corresponding strengths for hybrid GFRP–steel RC circular bridge columns. The adopted reinforcement layout in this study consists of two layers of reinforcement, exterior with GFRP and interior with steel. Such coupling between the two materials in concrete bridge columns improves their corrosion resistance while maintaining their stiffness and ductility. Here, a validated fiber-based model is utilized to predict global as well as local responses of hybrid RC columns under monotonic displacement-controlled loading. A full factorial analysis was first adopted to screen parameters potentially influencing drift ratio limit states and corresponding strengths for their significance. The resulting data were then fitted to mathematical expressions using machine learning-based symbolic regression. Lateral load–deformation responses predicted based on the proposed expressions were validated against existing data from the literature. A complete example demonstrating how the proposed expressions could be utilized to design a hybrid bridge column within the context of PBD is also presented.