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Virginia Tech

Design of One-Story Hollow Structural Section (HSS) Columns Subjected to Large Seismic Drift

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

During an earthquake, columns in a one-story building must support vertical gravity loads while undergoing large lateral drifts associated with deflections of the vertical seismic force resisting system and deflections of the flexible roof diaphragm. Analyzing the behavior of these gravity columns is complex since not only is there an interaction between compression and bending, but also the boundary conditions are not perfectly pinned or fixed. In this research, the behavior of steel columns that are square hollow structural sections (HSS) is investigated for stability using three design methods: elastic design, plastic hinge design, and pinned base design. First, for elastic design, the compression and flexural strength of the HSS columns are calculated according to the AISC specifications, and the story drift ratio that causes the interaction equation to be violated for varying axial force demands is examined. Then, a simplified design procedure is proposed; this procedure includes a modified interaction equation applicable to HSS column design based on a parameter, Pnh/Mn, and a set of design charts are provided. Second, a plastic hinge design is grounded in the concept that a stable plastic hinge makes the column continue to resist the gravity load while undergoing large drifts. Based on the available test data and the analytical results from finite element models, three limits on the width to thickness ratios are developed for steel square HSS columns. Lastly, for pinned base design, the detailing of a column base connection is schematically described. Using FE modeling, it is shown that it is possible to create rotational stiffness below a limit such that negligible moment develops at the column base. All the design methods are demonstrated with a design example

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Civil Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2019

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Kong, Hye-Eun
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Eatherton, Matthew R.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Sarlo, Rodrigo
  • Koutromanos, Ioannis

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:22273
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/94024

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Kong, Hye-Eun. Design of One-Story Hollow Structural Section (HSS) Columns Subjected to Large Seismic Drift. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/94024