Finite element model updating of a semi‐rigid moment resisting structure

Partial-strength composite steel–concrete moment-resisting frame structures can be designed to develop a ductile response in components of beam-to-column joints and column bases, including flexural yielding of beam end plates, shear yielding of column web panel zones and yielding of anchors. To evaluate the performance of a statically indeterminate structure under different earthquake intensities, a series of pseudo-dynamic, quasi-static cyclic and vibration tests were carried out at the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment of the Joint Research Centre at Ispra, Italy. The identified modal parameters from forced vibration tests at three different damage levels were used in order to quantify local and global damage indices by updating a 3D FE model of the structure with the non-linear Powell's Dog-Leg optimization method. Then, the Latin Hypercube Sampling technique, a variant of the Monte Carlo method, was employed to study the sensitivity of the updated parameters of the 3D model to modal inputs, caused by measurement noise. Rotations of beam-to-column joints and column bases, storey displacements and forces were employed during the final cyclic test in order to update a 2D FE model of the test structure. To avoid numerical instabilities during the detection of the non-linear behaviour of the structure, a novel technique based on the transformation of the origin coordinates in each half cycle was implemented. The identified joint behaviours allowed low-cycle fatigue energy-based damage indices to be applied. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd