CAREER: Hybrid Simulation Platform for Seismic Performance Evaluation of Structures Through Collapse

本学院早期职业发展（Career）计划项目的研究目标是增强混合模拟方法，以评估大型结构加载至崩溃的性能。混合模拟将数值模拟与结构构件的实验模拟相结合，为结构体系在地震荷载作用下的测试提供了一种更加真实、可靠和经济的方法。基本的贡献，解决与数值，实验和边界条件误差和假设有关的问题，将在测试和验证程序中使用的算法的发展。特别是，计算平台将提供鲁棒隐式集成算法和容错分布式控制策略的能力，从而能够利用其子结构的地理分布式测试来测试复杂结构系统。由此产生的测试和模拟平台将用于评估大型钢弯矩框架结构从破坏开始到倒塌的抗震性能。只有关键组件将进行实验测试，并通过与数值模型的相互作用捕获全局系统响应。混合模拟预测坍塌的有效性将通过比较最近在日本进行的全尺寸试验的结果来验证。完成后，本项目开发的改进混合仿真平台可用于生成从破坏开始到倒塌的结构部件和系统的完整脆弱性，以满足下一代基于性能的地震工程的要求。它也可以用来评估当前建筑规范中固有的建筑物的倒塌安全裕度。特别是，我们对钢结构建筑抗震性能的理解将通过大规模混合测试程序和数值模拟研究得到改善。在结构设计过程的各个阶段，如初步设计、计算机模拟、设计修订、施工和物理测试，一个综合教育和推广计划将导致新课程材料的开发和研究生和本科生的培训。拓展活动是与布法罗大学教育研究生院和当地学区合作计划的，他们将包括代表性不足的学生。

The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program project is to enhance the hybrid simulation methodology to evaluate the performance of large scale structures loaded up to collapse. Hybrid simulation, which combines numerical simulation with experimental simulation of structural elements, provides a more realistic, reliable, and economical approach to testing structural systems under earthquake loads. Fundamental contributions, addressing issues related to numerical, experimental and boundary condition errors and assumptions, will be made in the development of algorithms used in testing and validation procedures. In particular, the computational platform will provide capabilities for robust implicit integration algorithms and fault-tolerant distributed control strategies to enable testing of complex structural systems utilizing geographically distributed testing of its substructures. The resulting testing and simulation platform will be used to evaluate the seismic performance of large-scale steel moment frame structures from the onset of damage through collapse. Only key subassemblies will be experimentally tested and the global system response will be captured through interaction with the numerical model. The efficacy of hybrid simulations to predict collapse will be validated by comparing the results recently obtained from full scale testing in Japan. Upon its completion, the improved hybrid simulation platform developed in this project can be used to generate complete fragilities of structural components and systems from the onset of damage through collapse as required for next-generation performance-based earthquake engineering. It can also be used to assess the collapse safety margin of buildings inherent in current building codes. In particular, our understanding of the seismic performance of steel buildings will be improved through the large-scale hybrid testing program and numerical simulation studies. An integrated education and outreach plan will lead to development of new curriculum material and training of graduate and undergraduate students in various stages of structural design process such as preliminary design, computer simulation, design revision, construction and physical testing. The outreach activities are planned in partnership with the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education and local schools districts, and they will include underrepresented students.