Parametric Study on the Effect of Seismic Demands of Deterioration of Hysteretic Characteristics 

Principal Investigators: Farzad Naeim, John A. Martin and Associates 
Andrei Reinhorn, State University of New York at Buffalo 

The objectives of this task are to develop concepts and information needed to: 

1. Assess on a consistent statistical basis the relative effect on local and global response parameters of various types of deterioration in hysteretic characteristics that might be exhibited by steel moment-resisting frames constructed with different types of connections utilizing a variety of generic details; 

2. Identify conditions where deterioration of hysteretic characteristics has either a benign or an adverse impact on system performance or reliability relative to systems without deterioration; 

3. Assess the need to develop beam-to-column connection details with non-deteriorating, full hysteretic loops; 

4. Develop procedures to predict important local and global seismic demand parameters for steel moment-resisting frames exhibiting various types of hysteretic behavior, accounting for the dynamic characteristics of the structure and design ground motion; and 

5. Evaluate and improve simple numerical elements (for a non-proprietary computer program for the analysis of structural systems) that are capable of simulating the deterioration of strength and stiffness in beams (and possibly columns) associated with material properties, local buckling, slip, fracture and other physical phenomenon. 

The detailed breakdown of the technical activities in this task are provided in the workstatement available here.