Eccentrically Braced Frames with Cast Steel Modular Yielding Links
Resilient Eccentrically Braced Frames with Cast Steel Replaceable Modular Yielding Links – Design Concept, Experimental Validation, and Codification
A Warren Distinguished Lecture with
Pedram Mortazavi
Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota
Abstract
The unprecedented rate of urbanization has made uninterrupted operation of our infrastructure extremely important. Protecting and enhancing the resiliency of our built infrastructure under natural hazards is highly relevant. The engineering community must shift toward incorporating more resilient structural systems to minimize or eliminate damage, loss of functionality, and downtime following major natural hazards. Mortazavi provides an example of this approach, an overview of the design and experimental validation of Eccentrically Braced Frames (EBFs) equipped with novel cast steel replaceable modular yielding links. The proposed cast steel links primarily aim to enhance the resilience of EBFs under earthquakes and to eliminate undesirable failure modes observed in EBFs with conventional and replaceable wide-flange links. In addition, cast steel links promote modular construction and simplify the design process of EBFs. Mortazavi also develops design provisions for EBFs with cast steel replaceable modular yielding links.
Speaker
Pedram Mortazavi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota. His research is primarily focused on the development, experimental validation, and codification of smart structural systems to enhance the resilience of infrastructure under natural hazards. Mortazavi is an expert in large-scale testing, numerical modelling, advanced simulation methods, along with the performance and behavior of steel structures. His doctoral research at the University of Toronto, which focused on resilient design of eccentrically braced frames with cast steel replaceable modular yielding links, has gained him several recognitions including the G. J. Jackson Fellowship by CISC, and the Donald Jamieson Fellowship by CSCE. Dr. Mortazavi also has extensive industrial experience, having worked at several consulting and R&D firms including J. L. Richards and Associates Ltd., Cast Connex, and DIALOG. He has served as a peer reviewer for seismic upgrades of several heritage buildings in Ottawa, Canada.
