Evaluation of RC Moment Frames Designed Based on Proposed Energy-Based Design Method

Abstract

This study presents an energy-based procedure for the design of RC frames under earthquake strong motions. For this purpose, three RC frames having 4, 8, and 12 stories that were used in FEMA P695 were selected. The code-based designed frames were analyzed and redesigned employing the proposed energy-based procedure. A comparison was conducted between the performance of the code-based and energy-based designed models. Results reveal that the energy-based models appeared to perform more effectively under strong ground motions in terms of more optimized use of beam capacity for dissipation of energy, higher ductility values, and more uniform distribution of plastic hinges in height of structure. Comparison of pushover curves showed that ductility value in energy-based frames increases nearly 1.5–2.0 times the ductility of code-based frames. Calculated hysteretic energy demand in energy-based frames is also proved to decline by 50% in lower stories and, instead, the contribution of upper stories is increased. The same pattern for distribution of interstory drift ratio is also observed.