Shaking Table Tests on Scaled Two-Floor Steel Framed Structures – Design and Preliminary Numerical Investigations

Abstract

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can allow for rapid structural damage detection in the aftermath of an earthquake event. Especially, regarding industrial facilities depending on the seismic performance of critical components, automated counter measures could be activated to prevent domino effects and lead to damage mitigation. Real-time seismic damage detection through SHM is a promising, but challenging field. Although various methods, regarding structural damage detection, have been developed the previous years, a holistic approach is still missing. In the framework of an ongoing German nationally funded research project, an interdisciplinary, user-oriented earthquake early warning and rapid response system was developed. Part of the project were shaking table tests on steel space framed test structure. The objective of the investigation was to: (i) validate damage sensitive indicators, arranged based on numerical simulations and literature; (ii) investigate the effectiveness of measuring and identification methods; and (iii) correlate the measured data with the performance of the structure. Output-only and input-output methods in time and frequency domain will be used for the damage detection scheme. Three configurations of steel moment resisting frames (MRF) with different beam-to-column joints are currently being tested. This paper summarizes the preliminary numerical investigations for the design of the test structure. Beam-to-column and column base joints were analyzed using advanced finite element numerical simulations and their properties were implemented in global structural models. Response history analyses were used as a prognosis for the ongoing experimental tests. The instrumentation concept and the experimental program are also outlined in this contribution.