Bi-Directional Pseudodynamic Test of a Full-Size Three Storey Steel Concrete Building with Rigid and Semirigid Joints: Fid-Bau Portal

Bi-Directional Pseudodynamic Test of a Full-Size Three Storey Steel Concrete Building with Rigid and Semirigid Joints

Geradin, M. / Molina, F. J.

Abstract The current lack of knowledge on the behaviour of structures under seismic loading justifies nowadays the execution of large-deformation tests on civil-engineering specimens. Most of them consist of quasi-static cyclic tests or shaking table tests. However, PsD tests [13] may seriously compete with these traditional techniques since they are, in principle, able to combine the advantages of both quasi static testing, i.e., large specimens, accurate control and measurement of displacements and forces, easy observation of damage progression and possibility of halting the test procedure, sub-structuring and shaking table testing, i.e. reproduction of dynamic response for specified ground motion. In practice, since PsD testing is performed quasi-statically with on-line numerical time integration of a discrete system of motion equations, it also has its own specific limitations: 1. The stiffness of the structure should not be large compared to the stiffness of the actuators. A large mass of the specimen may also induce difficulties in the control as it happens even more drastically for a shaking table test. In general, systematic experimental errors (especially control errors) need to be strictly limited in order not to significantly alter the structural response [12]. 2. The discrete model should reproduce properly the response of the distributed-mass structure. 3. Specimens made of strain-rate sensitive materials may only be tested if the effect of load application rate is susceptible of a calibrated compensation [8].