Development of High-Performance Structural Steel Systems for Resilient and Sustainable Buildings

过去的地震经验表明，建筑物容易受到结构破坏。与建筑物的维修、停工和拆除相关的经济损失对社区功能产生重大影响，特别是在城市地区。加拿大保险局最近的一份报告强调，不列颠哥伦比亚省在西海岸预计发生的地震中可能遭受高达750亿美元的经济损失。考虑到潜在的社会经济影响，必须开发新的抗震系统，以保护已建成的基础设施免受破坏和中断。 拟议的研究计划通过开发新的结构系统来提高土木工程基础设施的弹性和可持续性，这些系统可以最大限度地减少结构损坏，减少地震损失和停机时间。一种有前途的方法是应用形状记忆合金（SMA）作为地震阻尼和重定心元件。SMA具有几个独特的特性，例如自定心（在经历大变形后返回其原始位置的能力）。尽管在过去的20年里，SMA在结构抗震设计和改造中的应用取得了可喜的成果，而且越来越受到人们的关注，但SMA的实际应用仍处于早期阶段。这是由于材料成本、分析工具的局限性以及缺乏设计准则和对使用SMA的生命周期效益的全面评估等挑战。该研究计划解决了SMA在钢框架中实际应用的挑战。在接下来的5年里，将进行全面的研究，包括数值和实验研究，涵盖组件级建模和测试到建筑级基于性能的设计和评估。具体目标是：（1）开发和实验验证可用于实践的预测模型、设计和评估工具;（2）系统地描述和优化地震反应;（3）通过比较生命周期抗震性能评估，量化在钢结构建筑中使用SMA的好处。这项研究计划的长期目标是促进地震避损系统的实际应用。SMA为基础的钢框架，从这项研究中开发的设计准则将建议实施到加拿大钢结构设计标准（CSA-S16）和加拿大国家建筑规范。虽然这项研究的重点是新的钢结构建筑，研究结果将是有用的新的建设和抗震加固缺陷框架结构。该研究计划将通过培养高素质的人才以及开发具有弹性和可持续功能的建筑系统，使更广泛的社会受益，这些功能超过了当前加拿大设计标准中的最低性能水平。

Experience with past earthquakes has shown that buildings are susceptible to structural damage. Economic losses associated with the repair, downtime, and demolition of buildings have significant consequences on the community functionality especially in urban regions. A recent report by the Insurance Bureau of Canada highlighted that British Columbia could experience economic losses as high as $75 billion under an earthquake of the magnitude expected for the West Coast. In view of potential socio-economic impacts, it is critical to develop new seismic force resisting systems that can protect built infrastructure from damage and disruption. The proposed research program enhances the resilience and sustainability of civil engineering infrastructure by developing new structural systems that can minimize structural damage and reduce earthquake losses and downtime. One promising approach is the application of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) as seismic damping and recentering elements. SMAs exhibit several unique characteristics, such as self-centering (the ability to return to their original position after experiencing large deformations). Despite promising results and a growing interest over the last 2 decades in using SMAs for seismic design and retrofit of structures, the practical applications of SMAs remain at an early stage. This is due to challenges, such as material cost, limitations in analysis tools, and lack of design guidelines and comprehensive assessments of the life-cycle benefits of using SMAs. This research program addresses the challenges with the practical application of SMAs in steel moment frames. Over the next 5 years, comprehensive research will be performed, including both numerical and experimental studies that span component-level modeling and testing to building-level performance-based design and assessment. The specific objectives are to: (1) develop and experimentally validate predictive models, design and assessment tools that can be used in practice; (2) systematically characterize and optimize the seismic response; and (3) quantify the benefits of using SMAs in steel buildings through comparative life-cycle seismic performance assessment. The long-term objective of this research program is to facilitate the practical applications of seismic damage-avoidance systems. The developed design guidelines for SMA-based steel frames from this research will be recommended for implementation into the Canadian design standard for steel structures (CSA-S16) and the National Building Code of Canada. While the focus of this proposed research is on new steel buildings, research findings will be useful for both new construction and seismic retrofit of deficient framed structures. The research program will benefit the broader society by training highly qualified personnel as well as developing building systems with resilient and sustainable features that exceed the minimum performance level found in the current Canadian design standards.