| There are two main objectives in this research. One is to develop modeling techniques by which the dynamic, nonlinear response of wood structures may be assessed. The method considers dissipated energy, collapse, and demand on structural components, and it is based on the principles of mechanics. The proposed method is simple compared to models that consider all components in detail in terms of number of elements and nodes, computer storage, and computing time. In addition, the method does not require calibrations with full-size tests as long as the properties of sheathing-to-frame connectors are known. The other objective is to use these modeling techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of viscous fluid dampers for improving the seismic performance of wood structures.; A new five-node finite element for modeling timber shear wall behavior was developed. A shear wall model using this element successfully predicted the load capacity and drift ratio observed in a set of experiments and those resulting from a detailed, calibrated shear wall model and a simplified braced-wall model developed for comparison purposes. The analytical modeling of the wall was developed within the commercially available finite element software, ABAQUS.; An analytical study was performed to evaluate the effect of the addition of viscous fluid dampers on the performance of shear walls and complete two-story buildings using actual ground motions, scaled to represent both code anticipated ground motion levels and more frequent events. A detailed nonlinear shear wall model and a two-story building model with symmetric and asymmetric configurations were used for cases with and without fluid dampers to evaluate their effect on performance. The study shows significant effectiveness of fluid dampers in dissipating energy, reducing drift, and increasing strength both to shear walls and buildings when subjected to earthquakes. |
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