Shaking Table Tests of Pinned‐Base Steel Gable Frame

Abstract

In the United States, design of steel gable frames normally follows the guidelines prescribed by the American Institute of Steel Construction for assumed wind and gravity loadings. In this study, a pinned‐base steel gable frame structure composed of prismatic members is constructed, and the dynamic characteristics of that structure are investigated using the shaking table. The tests are carried well into the inelastic range so that ultimate lateral strength under seismic excitation can be quantified. It is observed that for such structures the response modification factor adopted by the Applied Technology Council (ATC) should be assumed with caution. In addition, the excessive elastic and inelastic story drifts, which are attributed to the pinned‐base condition, require careful evaluation to ensure structural safety against large sidesways. The excessive story drift is likely one of the major reasons for the severe nonstructural damage of steel gable frames during the 1985 Chile earthquake and the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake.