DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR PORTAL FRAMES OF BUILDING STRUCTURES UNDER HORIZONTAL FORCES. PARTICULAR CASE ANALYSED

Abstract

In this paper an analysis of building frames under horizontal actions is presented. Firstly the theoretical behavior is studied, and then a strut and ties model is proposed based on results obtained in an auxiliary finit element model. Thus, it has been first described the particular features of the structural problem, on the one hand the seismic action and on the other structural mechanism that it involves. Then a particular analysis of a node has been carried out, in the case of a frame with a specific configuration. This fem model allows to check the hypothesis adopted for the strut and ties calculations that are proposed as the solution of the problem. In this way, the main intention of this article is not to show a general approach to the issue of portal frames under seismic forces. Instead of this, the main goal of this paper is to propose a methodology based on simple calculation models that let solve the structural problem.