Analysis and modelling of the seismic behaviour of high ... - Ingegneria

1. INTRODUCTION
joints whilst 2D model allows the behaviour of moment resisting composite frames
to be understood.
1.2.3 Seismic behaviour of RC columns embedding steel profiles
This last research activity, conducted in the third year of the Ph.D. course, is part of
another European Project titled Two Innovations For Earthquake Resistant Design
- INERD Project, that deals with the improvement of the resistance and ductility of
reinforced concrete (RC) structures using the performance of structural steel
profiles.
The general objective is to establish a new standard constructional rule able to
improve the seismic safety of reinforced concrete structures, without great changes
to traditional constructional practice. This rule consists in promoting one specific
construction measure for lower storeys of reinforced concrete structures, by which
steel profiles would be encased in RC columns in order to provide them with a
basic reliable shear and compression resistance. The introduction of this new
concept is justified by the fact that the main safety problem for RC structure is the
soft storey failure, that is a localization of buildings seismic deformations and
rupture in one or two lower storeys as a consequence of the major discrepancy
existing between design assumptions and real requirements. The proposed idea is
to use encased steel sections as ductile fuses able to dissipate the energy of the
earthquake in the lower storeys of buildings in a cyclic way.
5