1 INTRODUCTION

The observations and analyses made after the major

recent earthquakes (e.g. the 1994 Northridge
earthquake, 1995 Kobe earthquake, and 1999 Chi-
Chi earthquake) have shown that serious deficiencies
exist in certain structural systems commonly used in
construction of buildings in seismic regions. These
studies also indicate to the engineering profession,
as well as the general public, that the level of
performance and quality of construction of some of
the so-called seismic-resistant buildings need to be
substantially improved. Extensive work has been
carried out to develop high-performance, cost
effective structural systems, utilizing the concept of
post-tensioning. These systems have the ability to
control damage and to reduce (or even eliminate)
permanent structural distortion, after the building is
subjected to a severe earthquake. Unlike the
presently used systems, they do not depend solely on
inelastic deformation of the individual members and
connections for hysteretic energy absorption.
The post-tensioned systems to be described are:
(1) a steel (or composite) frame system with post-
tensioned moment connections, (2) a precast
concrete frame system with unbonded post-
tensioned moment connections, and (3) a precast
concrete wall system with unbonded post-tensioned
tendons.
2 POST-TENSIONED STEEL FRAME SYSTEM
This system utilizes a connection consisting of
bolted top and seat angles and post-tensioning
strands. The strands run through the column and are
anchored outside the connection region. The details
of the connection are shown in Figure 1. The
connection avoids the use of field welding, reduces
beam damage, and results in a relative small amount
of permanent distortion (or drift) following an
earthquake.
Post-tensioned
strands
Shim plate
Angle
Reinforcing
plate
Anchors

Figure 1. Post-tensioned steel connection

The flexure behavior of the connection is
characterized by a gap opening and closing at the
beam-column interface under cyclic loading. An
idealized moment-rotation (M-
r
) relationship for a
PT steel connection is shown in Figure 2 where
r
is
the relative rotation that develops between the beam
and column when gap opening occurs. Under the
action of the initial post-tensioning force, contact
stresses develop at the interface of the beam and
column. When a moment is applied to the beam, the
High performance, cost effective structural systems for seismic-resistant
buildings
L.W. Lu, R. Sause, J.M. Ricles & S.P. Pessiki
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA






ABSTRACT: Presented in this paper are brief descriptions of three structural systems which were developed
recently for construction of buildings in seismic regions. The first is a steel frame system, the second a precast
concrete frame system and the third a precast concrete wall system. These systems utilize the concept of post
tensioning and have the unique ability to control damage and to reduce permanent structural distortion after a
severe earthquake. Initial experiences of field applications and limited cost studies have shown that the new
systems may even have cost advantages.
initial stiffness of the connection is the same as that
of a welded moment connection (i.e., fully-
restrained). That is,
r
is zero until the gap opens as
the beam tension flange separates from the column
face. The moment at gap opening is the
decompression moment. Decompression is identified
as event 1. The stiffness of the connection
immediately after decompression occurs is
associated with the elastic stiffness of the angles and
the post-tensioning strands. With continued loading,
the angles will yield (event 2). Full plastic yielding
of the angles occurs at event 3.
Tension
angle

r

(a)

111
6
5
4
3
8
2
7

(b)

Figure 2. Cyclic moment-rotation behavior of a post-tensioned
steel connection
The post-tensioning strands will eventually yield
at event 5 if loading is continued. The M-
r

relationship is linear between events 3 and 5; where
the stiffness is associated with the elastic stiffness of
the strands and the post-elastic stiffness of the
angles. If unloading occurs at event 4, the angles
will dissipate energy (between events 4 and 8) until
the gap between the beam flange and the column
face is closed at event 8 (i.e., when
r
is equal to
zero). A reversal in yielding of the angles (beginning
at event 6) is needed to close the gap. A complete
reversal in moment will result in similar connection
behavior in the opposite direction of loading.
An extensive program of investigations has been
conducted to study experimentally the cyclic
behavior of this connection and to develop analytical
models that can be used to predict the performance
of the connection and seismic response of overall
structural frames. This work has been summarized
by Garlock et al (2000) and by Ricles et al (2000).
3 POST-TENSIONED PRECAST CONCRETE
FRAME SYSTEM
In this system, the precast beams and columns are
joined together by post-tensioning the embedded
steel, which is left unbonded through the column and
through portions of the beams. Figure 3 shows a
beam-and-column subassemblage with a post-
tensioned connection. The flexural behavior of
connection is characterized by gap opening/closing
at the beam-column interface upon loading/unload-
ing. Unlike a cast-in-place connection, the inelastic
deformations are concentrated in the connection
region where a "crack" already exists between the
beam and column. Furthermore, because the post-
tensioning steel is unbonded, no additional flexural
cracks will form in the beams in the connection
region. The unbonded length can be selected to
allow the lateral displacement demand of the design
level ground motion to be reached without yielding
of the post-tensioning steel. Consequently, the
prestressing force can be maintained through the
loading/unloading cycles. A wide gap is expected at
the beam-column interface, and the associated
concrete compression strains near the gap are likely
to be large. Therefore, spiral reinforcement is
necessary to confine the concrete.
Bonded
PT steel
Unbonded
PT steel
Beam
Column

Figure 3. Unbond post-tensioned precast concrete
subassemblage
The cyclic lateral load vs. deflection response of a
post-tensioned subassemblage is shown schematical-
ly in Figure 4. The response provides very limited
hysteretic energy dissipation; but the structure has
the unique ability to self center. The behavior can
therefore be considered as essentially non-linear
elastic. Models which can provide accurate
prediction of the behavior of the connection have
been developed and incorporated into a non-linear
structural analysis program. For design, a trilinear
relationship, defined by three limit states, the linear
state, the yield limit state, and the ultimate limit
state, can be used to define the moment-rotation
characteristics of the connection. Detailed analyses
and design procedures for this system have been
presented in papers by El-Sheikh et al (1999, 2000).

Figure 4. Lateral load-deflection relationship of subassemblage
This system has been adopted recently in two
construction projects: a 4-story building in Los
Angeles and a 39-story building in San Francisco
(Shuster, 2000). The 4-story building is essentially
complete. The connections used in the building are
the hybrid type, which include both bonded mild
steel reinforcement and unbonded post-tensioning
cables. The post-tensioning of all the connections at
each floor level was carried out in one operation,
resulting in substantial savings in construction cost.
It has been reported that for the 39-story building a
total of $4 million to $5 million could be saved by
using the hybrid post-tensioned system.
4 POST-TENSIONED PRECAST CONCRETE
WALL SYSTEM
An unbonded post-tensioned wall is constructed by
post-tensioning wall panels across horizontal joints
at the floor levels using post-tensioning steel, which
is not bonded to the concrete (Figure 4). The
behavior of the wall is very different from that of a
cast-in-place wall. The lateral load resistance is
provided by the post-tensioning steel (bars or
tendons), located inside ducts which are not grouted.
Spiral reinforcing steel is used to confine the
concrete in the wall panel near the base of the wall.
Wire mesh is used as bonded reinforcement in the
panels.
The behavior of an unbonded post-tensioned wall
under lateral load is governed by the behavior along
the horizontal joints. Figure 5 shows the two types
of behavior that can occur along the joints, namely,
gap opening and shear slip. In the case of gap
opening, the post-tensioning force and axial force
due to gravity load provide a restoring force that
tends to close the gaps upon unloading. In the case
of shear slip, however, there is no restoring force to
reverse the slip. Shear slip should therefore, be
prevented by proper design and detailing of the wall.

Figure 5. Unbonded post-tensioned walls

(a) (b)
Figure 6. Behavior along horizontal joints: (a) Gap Opening
and (b) Shear Slip
The base shear (equal to the sum of all the lateral
loads) vs. roof drift, ), relationship of the wall is
shown in Figure 7. This relationship can be
established by considering the axial-flexural
behavior (i.e., behavior under combined axial force
and flexure) and gap opening. As the wall displaces,
it goes through four limit states. The first is the
decompression state, which represents the initiation
of gap opening along the horizontal joint between
the wall and the foundation represents the initiation
of gap opening along the horizontal joint between
the wall and the foundation and is the beginning of
non-linear behavior. However, the effect of this non-
linear behavior on the lateral stiffness of the wall is
small until the gap opening extends over a
significant portion of the joint. The second is the
softening state, which signifies the beginning of an
appreciable reduction in the lateral stiffness of the
wall due to gap opening and non-linear behavior of
the concrete in compression. The reduction in the
lateral stiffness of the wall occurs in a smooth and
continuous manner. Therefore, an effective linear
limit is used to identify this state. The third limit
state is related to the beginning of yielding of the
post-tensioning steel. A properly designed wall does
not reach the yielding state until a large non-linear
drift has occurred. The final state is the failure or
ultimate state when axial-flexural failure of the wall
occurs as a result of crushing of the spiral confined
concrete. Sufficient spiral reinforcement is provided
in the wall panels such that the failure state is
reached at a drift significantly larger than the drift at
the yielding state.
X

Figure 7. Base shear vs. roof drift relationship of unbonded
post-tensioned wall
x

(a)


(b)

(c)
Figure 8. Hysteretic behavior of wall under lateral load: (a)
entire behavior, (b) loading cycle just reaching yielding state,
and (c) loading cycle beyond yielding state
The behavior of the wall under cyclic lateral load
is illustrated in Figure 8. Figure 8(b) shows the
loading and unloading behavior during a load cycle
with a drift equal to yielding state drift. Figure 8(c)
shows the behavior during a subsequent cycle with a
maximum drift between the yielding state drift and
the failure state drift. The hysteresis loops indicate
that the behavior of the wall is nearly non-linear
elastic, characterized by loading and unloading
curves that are very close to each other. This
behavior results in a self-centering capability.
Procedures have been developed for the analysis
and design of this system and are described by
Kurama et al (1999a, 1999b).
5 CONCLUSIONS
Three seismic-resistant structural systems, one for
steel construction, two for precast concrete
construction, have been described. These systems
utilize the post-tensioning concept and their
performance under lateral load (seismic) has been
found to be superior to the conventional systems.
When properly designed and detailed the systems
have well defined limit states. The level of structural
damage corresponding to each limit state can be
controlled in design. The overall structure will have
a much reduced permanent lateral displacement
(sway) after a severe earthquake because of the self-
centering capability provided by the post-tensioning
force. Construction experience, limited at the present
time, and prototype structural cost studies seem to
indicate that the costs of these systems are
competitive, when compared with the costs of some
of the conventional systems.
REFERENCES
El-Sheikh, M.T., Sause, R., Pessiki, S., and Lu, L.W., 1999.
Seismic behavior and design of unbonded post-tensioned
precast concrete frames. PCI Journal. Vol. 44, No. 3, May-
June, pp. 5471.
El-Sheikh, M.T., Pessiki, S., Sause, R., and Lu, L.W., 2000.
Moment-rotation behavior on unbonded post-tensioned
precast concrete beam-column connections. ACI Structural
Journal. Vol. 97, No. 1, Jan-Feb., pp. 122131.
Garlock, M.M., Ricles, J.M., Sause, R., Zhao, C., and Lu,
L.W., 2000. Seismic behavior of post-tensioned steel
frames. Proc. Conference on Behavior of Steel Structures in
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Seismic behavior and design of unbonded post-tensioned
precast concrete walls. PCI Journal. Vol. 44, No. 3, May-
June, pp. 7289.
Kurama, Y., Sause, R., Pessiki, S., and Lu, L.W., 1999b,
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tensioned precast concrete walls. ACI Structural Journal.
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