Boletín Técnico, Vol.55, Issue 13, 2017, pp.

644-648

Earthquake Resistant Behavior of Prestressed Concrete Frame

Structures
Hao Li1,*, Hao Liu2
1
Civil Engineering Institute, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan, 114051, China
2
Government of Wu Long Ba Town ,Qing He Men District in Fuxin ,Liaoning Province ,Fuxin ,123000 ,China
*Corresponding author(E-mail: lh13904180780@163.com)

Abstract
In order to analyze the earthquake resistant behavior of bonded & unbonded prestressed concrete frame
structure, MIDAS CIVIL software was used to build the bonded and unbonded prestressed concrete frame
structures respectively, and the modal analysis response spectrum method was used to study the dynamic
characteristics and earthquake resistant behavior of both structures. The results demonstrate that, on the premise
of satisfying the earthquake resistant requirement of architectural structure, it’s better to choose the bonded
prestressed concrete frame structure as possible.

Key words: Prestress, bonded, unbonded, frame structure, dynamic characteristics, earthquake resistant behavior

1. Introduction

Prestressed concrete is produced in the process of constantly improving the reinforced concrete, which
overcomes a disadvantage that reinforced concrete member crack appears untimely. By utilizing the strength of
reinforced concrete and rebar, the entire structure is pressed to reduce the effect of tensile stress, so that the
entire frame could bear corresponding tension and pressure . The earthquake damage of prestressed concrete
structure is often very sudden and serious. Since 1965, the structural engineers started to notice the earthquake
resistant behavior of prestressed concrete structure and found out the following problems:(1)the centrifugal
prestressing tendon may have adverse effect when it bears cyclic loading; (2)the pros and cons of dissipation
capacity and ductility; (3)the problems related to beam column node; (4)the influence of earthquake action on
prestressed concrete structure; and (5)the application restricts on prestressed concrete structure when it is
applied in earthquake region of different intensities.
The bonded and unbonded prestressed concrete structure have certain similarity in earthquake resistant
behavior, however, whether the prestressing tendon is bonded or not will lead to structural differences to some
extent. The research results show that the ultimate load of unbonded prestressed concrete beam is reduced by
10%~30% in comparison with the bonded prestressed concrete beam. This is because when the stress on
component reaches to an ultimate state, the ultimate stress of unbonded tendon has not yet reached to its yield
strength. When a bonded prestressed beam bears load, the strain change of prestressing tendon at any cross
section corresponds to the strain change of surrounding concrete. Therefore, within the section of maximum
bending moment, a bonded tendon can reach to the maximum stress. When an unbonded prestressed beam bears
load, the prestressing tendon may slip relatively lengthwise, where the stress values are the same at each cross
section, and its strain increment equals to the average value of the surrounding concrete strain along the overall
length of beam. This paper will be based on previous research results to compare the earthquake resistant
behavior of unbonded and bonded prestressed concrete structures.

2. Project Introduction & Analysis Model

This project is an office building in X city in Liaoning Province, and the project structure type is the
reinforced concrete frame structure. The structure is five floored with total height of 20.7 m, in which both the
first and second floors are 4.5m high, and the balanced floors are 3.9 m high. The structure’s plan view size is
48.6 m×19.5 m, and its column spaces are 9 m, 8.1 m, 6.6 m and 3.3 m. In order to realize the use value of big
space in the first and second floors, the middle part between the structure’s first and second floors adopts the
prestressed concrete beam, i.e. two beams per floor, and uses 1860# Φs15.2 low-relaxation prestressed steel
strand of 19.5 m long. See the component size and material properties in the Table 1. The strength grade of
concrete beam and column is C40, the elasticity modulus is 3.25×1010, and the poisson ratio is 0.2.

Table 1. Component Size & Material Properties

Size(Thickness of beam,
Component Type Concrete Grade
column section and floor)/mm
Prestressed beam 500×1 500 C40

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Non-Prestressed beam 300×800 C40

Floor 120 C35
Column 400×400、400×600、800×800 C40

The design life of the project structure is 50 a, the coefficient for importance of this structure is 1.0, and the
ground rough class is B, with wind reference pressure of 0.35 kN/m2, snow reference pressure of 0.55 kN/m2,
floor live load of 4 kN/m2 and roof live load of 2 kN/m2 . The project structure’s earthquake fortification
intensity is 6 degree, the designed basic earthquake acceleration value is 0.05 g, the designed earthquake
grouping is the first group, the characteristic period of ground motion is 0.35 s, and the site classification is class
II. See the structure layout in Figure 1 and 2.

Figure 1. Structure Layout of the First and Second Floors

Figure 2. Structure Layout of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Floors

According to the project cases cited in the paper, the post-tensioning method was adopted as the
construction method, and two calculation models--k1:Bonded prestressed concrete frame structure and
k2:Unbonded prestressed concrete frame structure--were obtained to compare and analyze the structure’s
earthquake resistant behavior. See the analysis models in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Calculation Model

3.The Structure’s Natural Vibration Period

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On the premise of satisfying the stipulations stated in the Article 5.1.13 of Technical Specification for
Concrete Structures of Tall Building, this paper chose the period of the structure’s first 6 vibration modes for
comparison and analysis. See detailed periods in Table 2.
Table 2. Periods of the Structure’s Each Vibration Mode (s)
Stage
Model
1 2 3 4 5 6
K1 0.893 7 0.788 4 0.755 6 0.388 7 0.263 3 0.252 7
K2 0.882 1 0.783 1 0.750 2 0.291 0 0.260 2 0.251 0

By changing the construction methods, two different structural models were selected. The vibration
directions of each vibration mode are as follows: horizontal translation at the first stage, vertical translation at
the second stage, and mainly torsional deformation at the third stage. The vibration modes of both model are
much alike(as shown in Figure 4) and conform to the stipulations of Technical Specification for Concrete
Structures of Tall Building that the vibration modes at the first two stages should be mainly translation. When
the prestress is the post-tensioning bonded and unbonded structures respectively, the torsion and translation
period ratios of both models are 0.845 and 0.861. Both results are less than 0.9, which satisfies the requirements
of Technical Specification for Concrete Structures of Tall Building. The less the ratio of the structure’s torsion
and translation periods is, the less the structure’s torsional effect will be, and the better the torsion resistant
behavior will be. In comparison, the period ratio of model k1 is better than that of model k2,which indicates
when the bonded prestressed concrete frame structure is applied, its torsion resistant behavior will be better that
the unbonded prestressed concrete frame structure.

Figure 4. Model In The First Three Order Vibration Mode

4. Analysis of Structure’s Earthquake Resistant Behavior

According to the project introduction and the earthquake resistant code, the parameters of earthquake
influence curve, i.e. αmax, ζ, η1, η2, γ and Tg, were selected and their values were 0.08, 0.05, 0.02, 1.0, 0.9 and
0.35.
In view of the bi-directional earthquake effect, the variables that can reflect the structure’s overall lateral
deformation resistant behavior--floor displacement, inter-floor displacement and inter-floor displacement
angle--were analyzed, see results in Figure 5~10.

9 1
0
7 08
0

5 6
K1 K1
3 1 4 1
K2 K2
1 1
2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Figure 5. Floor displacement under X-direction Figure 6. Floor displacement under Y-direction
earthquake effect earthquake effect

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2.5 3.5

2
2.5

1.5 K1
1
K1 1.5 K2
1 1 1
K2
1
0 0.5
1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Figure 7. Inter-floor displacement under Figure 8. Inter-floor displacement under
X-direction earthquake effect Y-direction earthquake effect

0.6 0.8

0.5
0.6
0.4 K1
K1 1
0.4 K2
0.3 1
K2 1
0.2 1
0.2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Figure 9. Inter-floor displacement angle under Figure 10. Inter-floor displacement angle under
X-direction earthquake effect Y-direction earthquake effect

It can be obtained from the data in Figure 4 and 5 that, in model k1, the maximum value of X-direction
floor displacement is 8.4 mm and Y-direction floor displacement is 10.0mm. While in model k2, the maximum
value of X-direction floor displacement is 9.3 mm and Y-direction floor displacement is 10.9 mm. Comparing
the figures, it is known that, whatever floor or direction, the floor displacement values in model k1 are less than
those in model k2. Comparing the inter-floor displacement values and inter-floor displacement angle values, it
can be seen that the values of the fourth floor at Y-direction in model k1 are slightly larger than those in model
k2, however, the others values in model k1, whether at X- or Y-direction, are all less than those in model k2. This
is mainly because that, under the bi-directional earthquake action from directions of X and Y, as the model k2
adopts the post-tensioning unbonded prestressed beam and there is no adhesion stress between the rebar and
concrete under earthquake action, so they can slide relatively, and the unbonded prestressing tendon has not yet
reached to its yield strength. Both structures are frame structure, and their lateral stiffness are provided by
column cross section. Under same earthquake action, the lateral stiffness of unbonded prestressed concrete
frame structure is slightly weak, so the overall earthquake resistant behavior of bonded prestressed concrete
frame structure is preferred.
Analyze the displacement condition of each node in one frame with prestressed beam, see model in Figure
11.

Figure 11. Frame structure with prestressed beam

The comparison of displacement of nodes selected from X- and Y-directions under earthquake action is as
shown in Table 3 and 4.

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Table 3. Displacement of nodes selected in X direction

Nodes
Model
43 71 99 127 155
K1 3.844 7.045 5.893 7.539 8.435
K2 4.538 8.591 6.183 7.818 8.689

Table 4. Displacement of nodes selected in Y direction

Nodes
Model
43 71 99 127 155
K1 2.476 5.573 7.675 9.252 10.057
K2 2.683 5.604 7.681 9.257 10.060

It can be seen from the tables that, in one frame with prestressed beam, whether in X direction or in Y
direction, the node displacement values in model K2 are more than those in model K1, and are more obvious in X
direction. Especially in the prestressing beam node, the node displacement values in models K 1 and K2 are
greatly different. Comparing the displacement values of nodes selected in Y direction, it can bee observed that
the node displacement values in models K1 and K2 are relatively similar. This is because the direction of tension
stress in prestressed beam goes along the X direction, so the displacement impact on X direction is more
evident.
Through the data of above tables, it can be obtained that, for this prestressed frame structure, the
earthquake resistant behavior of bonded prestressed beam is better than that of an unbonded prestressed beam.

5. Conclusions

(1) Whether it is a bonded or an unbonded prestressed concrete frame structure, both their dynamic
characteristics satisfy the requirements for vibration mode, i.e. translation in first two stages and torsional
vibration in the third stage.
(2) By comparing the overall floor displacement, inter-floor displacement and inter-floor displacement
angle of the bonded and unbonded prestressed concrete frame structure, it can be obtained that, in three
comparison data, all values of bonded prestressed concrete frame structure are less than those of the unbonded
one, and under same earthquake action, the lateral stiffness of unbonded prestressed concrete frame structure is
slightly weak. So, the bonded prestressed concrete frame structure is more beneficial to resist the earthquake.
(3) By comparing one selected local frame with prestressed beam, it can be obtained that: under the
bi-directional earthquake actions, in whatever direction, all displacement values of beam column nodes in a
bonded prestressed frame structure are less than those of an unbonded one and are more obvious in X direction.
This further proves that, in the same frame structure, the earthquake resistant behavior of bonded prestressed
beam is better than that of unbonded prestressed beam.

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