New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering Conference
Research Status
Complete
Notes
March 21-23, 2014, Auckland, New Zealand
Summary
This paper describes results of shaking table testing of a post-tensioned timber frame building in the structural laboratory of the University of Basilicata in Potenza, Italy. This experimental campaign is part of a series of experimental tests in collaboration with the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. The specimen was 3-dimensional, 3-storey, 2/3rd scale and constructed using post-tensioned timber frames in both directions. The structure was tested with and without dissipative steel angle reinforcing which was designed to yield at a certain level of drift. These steel angles release energy through hysteresis during seismic loading, thus increasing damping. Testing was performed up to a maximum PGA of 0.77g with and 0.58g without the dissipative reinforcing. At comparable levels of PGA the addition of the reinforcing reduced drifts by 32% without increases in peak floor accelerations. Test results were also compared favourable against numerical blind predictions using the RUAUMOKO 2D and SAP2000 structural analysis programs.