Probabilistic seismic demand assessment of steel moment frames with side-plate connections

Seismic performance of steel moment-resisting frames (smrfs) with side-plate connectionshas been investigated, incorporating record-to-record uncertainties. based on experimental and finiteelement results, a connection model was proposed and calibrated to represent the side-plate connectionbehavior. three code-conforming special smrfs, varying in height, were designed and were modeledusing fully nonlinear assumptions and incorporating the connection model calibrated in the previousstep. subsequently, more than 1500 nonlinear dynamic analyses (ndas) were performed within theincremental dynamic analysis (ida) procedure and were used as input to the performance-basedearthquake engineering (pbee) methodology. the structures performance was then quantitativelyassessed in terms of limit state (ls) frequency and ``seismic demand hazard curves''. the effect ofneglecting some level of accuracy in the structural modeling process on the predicted performanceswas also assessed disregarding calibrated connection behavior and employing two alternate sets ofbuilding representatives. the performances predicted by inaccurate conventional models, through about3500 additional ndas, were then assessed qualitatively, and the significance of incorporating accuratestructural models in the performance evaluation process was highlighted with reference to the obtainedcomparative results.