International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637) Special Issue

International Conference on Technological Advancements in Structures and Construction

“TASC- 15”, 10-11 June 2015
Numerical Simulation of Special Concentrically Braced
Frame Structure using OpenSEES
1 2
Simi Aboobacker and Nisha Varghese
1
PG Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Vidya Academy of Science and Technology, Thrissur
2
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Vidya Academy of Science and Technology, Thrissur
1 2
Email: simi.aboobacker1@gmail.com , nisha.v@vidyaacademy.ac.in

Abstract- Earthquake is a natural calamity known to mankind for ages. Improving the Seismic resistance of the
structures has been the main area of research works. It is found out that structures made up of steel tends to
resist Earthquake force by energy dissipation in terms of its cyclic yielding. In this paper, the seismic analysis of
two story single bay Special Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF) structure is carried out. Numerical modeling
of structures was done using OpenSEES (Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation), a Finite
Element research oriented software. OpenSEES Fiber model with lower Degree Of Freedom was used for
structure member simulation. The effect of Split-X bracing configuration to that of Chevron bracing SCBF
structure was investigated.

Index Terms- Chevron configuration; Dynamic Analysis; OpenSEES; Pushover analysis; SCBF; Split-X
configuration

1. INTRODUCTION
Previous earthquakes provide opportunities to learn Cyber-Infrastructure Center (NEESit) from 2004 uses
vital lessons regarding the behavior of structures. OpenSEES as a simulation component for.
After 1904 Northridge Earthquake, Special OpenSEES uses physical-theory model to represent
Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF) gained the elements
popularity amongst the structural engineers because
of the unsatisfactory performance of Special Moment 2. OBJECTIVES
Resisting Frame (SMRF). Compared to SMRF, SCBF The prime objectives of this paper are as follows:
are more economical due to the lesser quantity of 1) To investigate the effect of chevron and Split-X
steel and welding at field required. SCBF resist bracing configuration of SCBF structure
seismic excitation with comparatively less 2) To examine the local response of HSS bracing
deformations than gravity load resisting system as members.
they form a stiff system.

3. SPECIAL CONCENTRICALLY BRACED

Extensive research are still conducted on SCBFs with FRAME
the main goal of improving the SCBF system and
performance of beam-column and brace connection. Steel structures are generally classified into two types:
In a SCBF system, the energy dissipation occurs Braced Frames and Moment Resisting Frame.
through the consecutive buckling and yielding of Concentrically Braced Frames (CBFs) are a class of
diagonal brace member during seismic excitation. steel structures which resists lateral loads through
formation of concentric vertical truss system. These
Finite Element software OpenSEES (Open System for structures are effective in resisting lateral forces due
Earthquake Engineering Simulation) is an open source to the high strength and stiffness provided by them.
object oriented framework used for simulating the
seismic response of geotechnical and structural Special Concentrically Braced Frames (SCBF) comes
systems. This framework was developed as under special class of Concentrically Braced Frame
computational platform for research in performance- that are proportioned and detailed to maximize the
based earthquake engineering at the Pacific inelastic drift capacity. The primary goal of ductile
Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER). Network detailing in SCBF is by permitting the cyclic yielding
for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) and buckling, without failure at brace end connection

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 International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637) Special Issue
International Conference on Technological Advancements in Structures and Construction
“TASC- 15”, 10-11 June 2015
as well as premature fracture of brace member.
5. OPENSEES NUMERICAL MODELLING
Seismic loads are resisted by the main component of
SCBF which is the braces. Brace configuration

Fig.1: Brace configuration: (a) Chevron braced, (b) Split X braced

Fig. 2. Fiber details of (a) W-Section, (b) HSS Section

includes: diagonal bracing, single story X-bracing. The geometry configuration of the SCBF building
used for this study is as shown in Fig.1. Story height
4. FINITE ELEMENT MODEL for the building is 15 feet and width of bay is 30 feet.
While performing seismic analysis of structures, if
inelastic structural behaviour is taken into account Two approaches in OpenSEES for modeling the
then the numerical modeling of structure needs to be elements (Beams, columns and braces) using physical
done by considering the inelastic behaviour of theory model are:
structural components. Structures can be idealized
through line members (beams, columns and braces) i. Distributed Plasticity - Plasticity spread along
which are connected by nodes. the element.
ii. Lumped Plasticity - Plasticity concentrated at
Typical Finite Element analysis on any software the ends over a specified length and interior of
requires the below data: element behaves elastic.

i. Geometry or Spatial locations of Nodal points In this paper, first method is adopted. Formulation of
ii. Elements connecting the nodal points a fiber model as shown in Fig 2 is done by dividing
iii. Mass properties of members the structure into discrete number of elements (beams,
iv. Material and section properties Columns). Further, these elements are discretized into
v. Conditions of boundary or restraints number of sections. Sections divided into number of
vi. Details of loading or forcing function Fibers. Based on plane section assumption, fiber
vii. Analysis options strains are then used to determine the section
deformations.

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 International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637) Special Issue
International Conference on Technological Advancements in Structures and Construction
“TASC- 15”, 10-11 June 2015
In OpenSEES, distribution of plasticity for fiber properties for the column, beam and gusset plate
formulation models is done by numerical integrations members are having minimum yield strength of 55ksi
through the member cross sections and along the (379 MPa) and HSS braces of 60 ksi (413MPa).
member length. Each flange and the web of the W- Member size used in the models for the first story are
sections were divided into 8X5 fibers as shown in beams of W27X84 section, columns of W14X176

Fig. 3. Acceleration Time History for Superstition Hills ground motion

Fig. 4. Drift response for roof node

Figure.2 (a). More number of fibers were provided in section, and HSS brace of HSS10X10X5/8 section.
the expected direction of bending in plane of the Similarly, for second story beams of W18X46 section,
frame. Brace of the SCBF was divided into 10 columns of W14X176 section, and HSS brace of
elements each. Each region of the square HSS section HSS8X8X1/2 section.
were divided into 10x10 fibers as shown in Figure.2
(b). Initial imperfection of 0.1% was provided in Earthquake ground motion used for this study will be
braces to account for the brace buckling (global referred as ‘Superstition Hills’ ground motion, which
buckling). Minimum of 4 Numerical integration is Imperial Valley Earthquake, occurred in Imperial
points were considered for columns and beams of County, California, USA in 1987 and was recorded at
Split-X and Chevron braced SCBF. Gauss-Lobatto station Wildlife Liquefaction array taken from PEER
(quadrature integration) is used for the integration database. Acceleration-Time history for the
along the element. Beams, columns, braces and gusset Superstition Hills Earthquake was obtained as shown
plates of all types of models were modelled using the in Fig 3.
command Steel02 Material in OpenSEES. In order to
capture the steel behavior in nonlinear region, strain
hardening ratio of 3% was assumed. Material

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International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637) Special Issue
International Conference on Technological Advancements in Structures and Construction
“TASC- 15”, 10-11 June 2015

Fig. 5. Pushover curve for SCBF bracing configuration

Fig. 6. Time Period comparison for 2 story SCBF

Fig.7. Local response stress Vs Strain of HSS brace members

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 International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637) Special Issue
International Conference on Technological Advancements in Structures and Construction
“TASC- 15”, 10-11 June 2015
Computer-Aided Mechanical Design
6. RESULTS AND DISUCSSION [9] L. Chen and L. Tirca, Simulating the Seismic
From the nonlinear dynamic analysis, nodal Response of Concentrically Braced Frames Using
displacement for split-X and chevron configuration Physical Theory Brace Models, Open Journal of
was plotted for the studied models are as shown in Civil Engineering, Vol. 3 No. 2A, 2013, pp. 69-
Fig.4. Split X has got lesser displacement than 81.
Chevron configuration. [10] Danila, N (2013). Numerical Modelling and
Design of Low-rise Concentrically Braced
Frames with Double-Pin Dissipative
From the nonlinear static analysis, Base shear vs. roof Connections, Master of Applied Science (Civil
displacement was plotted for the studied models are Engineering).
as shown in Fig.5.

Time period for the brace configuration compared to

that of bare frame for varying number of stories were
plotted as shown in Fig.6.

Local response of HSS brace was plotted using stress

vs. Axial Strain members as shown in Fig.7.

7. CONCLUSION
Nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analysis were
performed on the Chevron and Split-X SCBF brace
configuration to that of bare Frame was performed.
From the study, it is clear that compared to Chevron
braced and bare frame, performance of Split X braced
configuration was better.

REFERENCES
[1] Sabelli, R., Roeder, C. W., & Hajjar, J. F.
Seismic Design of Steel Special Concentrically
Braced Frame Systems.
[2] Karamanci, E. and Lignos, D. (2014):
Computational Approach for Collapse
Assessment of Concentrically Braced Frames in
Seismic Regions, J. Struct. Eng. 140,
SPECIALISSUE: Computational Simulation in
Structural Engineering, A4014019
[3] Chen, C. H., Lai, J. W., & Mahin, S. (2008,
October). Seismic performance assessment of
Concentrically braced steel frame buildings. In
the 14th World Conference on Earthquake
Engineering, Beijing, China.
[4] Salawdeh S., Goggins J., ‘Numerical model for
steel brace members incorporating a fatigue
model’. Engineering Structures 46 (2013) 332–
349
[5] Gregory L. Fenves, Frank McKenna, Michael H.
Scott ; Yoshikazu Takahashi(2004): An object-
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[6] Silvia Mazzoni, Frank McKenna, Michael H.
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[7] Patxi Uriz, Stephen A. Mahin (2008): Toward
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[8] Liwei Lin (2005) : ME128 Lecture Notes -
Introduction to Finite Element Modeling, UC
Berkeley Department of Mechanical Engineering,

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