Bracing

Multi-performance design of dissipative bracing systems through intervention cost optimization

In recent years, the need of retrofit interventions on existing buildings is increasing, also due to the high economic losses recorded after the recent seismic events. The intervention techniques based on stiffening and energy dissipation are one of the most widespread among the several available. Despite the great diffusion of this kind of interventions, there are still no clear and shared rules about design principles and, above all, about the performance objectives to be followed within the design.

Intervention cost optimization of bracing systems with multiperformance criteria

In this paper a multiperformance optimization procedure to design dissipative bracing systems controlling the structural performance while minimizing the intervention cost is proposed. The procedure allows dimensional and topological optimization of bracing, considering inelastic behaviour of braced structures through properly developed visco-elastic equivalent linearization schemes. The structural behaviour is controlled through constraint functions on interstory drift ratio (IDR) while the intervention cost is explicitly encountered by considering real costs that mainly influence it.

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