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

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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.