Seismic performance evaluation of traditional timber HA plus /-mA plus /-AY frames: capacity spectrum method based assessment

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Aktas Y. D., TÜRER A.

BULLETIN OF EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING, vol.14, no.11, pp.3175-3194, 2016 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14 Issue: 11
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10518-016-9943-2
  • Journal Name: BULLETIN OF EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.3175-3194
  • Keywords: Timber frame, himis, Capacity spectrum method, RESISTANCE, HOUSES
  • Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Timber constructions have been widely suggested to be seismically resistant based on post-disaster reconnaissance studies. This observation has, however, remained to a large extent anecdotal due to the lack of experimental work supporting it, especially for certain timber architectural forms, including traditional timber frame "hA+/-mA+/-AY" structures. To fill this gap, the authors carried out an extensive full-scale testing scheme using frames of various geometrical configurations, tested under reverse-cyclic lateral loading with/without infill (brick and adobe) or cladding (bagdadi and AYamdolma) (Aktas et al. in Earthq Spectra 30(4):1711-1732, 2014a, b). The tests concluded that hA+/-mA+/-AY frames had high energy dissipation capabilities due mostly to nailed connections. Infill/cladding significantly helped improve stiffness and lateral load strength of the frames, and timber type did not seem to make a remarkable impact on the overall behaviour. The current paper, on the other hand, uses test data to calculate capacity/demand ratios based on capacity spectrum method and Eurocode 8 to elaborate more on the performance of "hA+/-mA+/-AY" structures under seismic loading. The obtained results are discussed to draw important conclusions with regards to how frame geometry and infill/cladding techniques affect the overall performance.