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Qualitative modeling and analysis of lateral load resistance in frames

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2009

Renate Fruchter
Affiliation:
Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A.
Helmut Krawinkler
Affiliation:
Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A.
Kincho H. Law
Affiliation:
Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A.

Abstract

This paper discusses a work in progress in the development of computer tools for qualitative modeling analysis and evaluation of conceptual structural designs. In the conceptual design stage the description of a structure is incomplete and imprecise, and does not permit the use of traditional numerical analysis tools. We describe a prototype system, QLRS, for qualitative evaluation of lateral load resistance in frames. The primary goal of the evaluation of structural response is to identify undesirable structural behavior. In QLRS, the evaluation process consists of three basic tasks. (1) identification of the story and structure models comprising the lateral load resisting system. We term this task structural system interpretation. (2) Qualitative analysis of the story and structure models, and approximate evaluation of the story drifts. We term this task structural behavior interpretation. (3) Assessment of the performance of the lateral load resisting system, in which the results of the structural system interpretation and the structural behavior interpretation are compared against the requirements for complete load path and relative story drift. Currently, QLRS is able to reason about load path discontinuities and soft-story behavior problems in 2-D moment resisting frames.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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