One remedy for special moment-resisting frame problems is the use of a system developed by MNH-SMRF oF health care replacement and court facilities in ether the Final Gesign phase ce the final sages of plan cheek. These facilities ‘were all designed using steel Special moment-ressting frame (SMRF) pre-Northridge connec: tions, However, the widespread Aiseovery of premature brittle SMF connection fractures fol- lowing the Northridge earth: quake loft the County with an Urgent need te quickly find an alternative design system, County engineers recognized that changing ructural systems ta.a braced syetom (eccentrie oF concentric) wos an acceptable technical alternative and would immediately resolve the struc tural problem Unfortunately the-use of bracing members would drastically limit the flexi bility ofthe programmed use of the facility for the life of the bullding, 8 well as immediately trigger the redesign of architec: tural and MEP systems with the associated expense and ached: uleffiscal impart. Therefore, the search for an acceptable SMRP tonneetion system became the Actual installation of MNE-SMRE connection showing @ two-story, most viable choice for resolving ‘uo-eded frame column the crisis, The swift sctions by local Jurisdictions and code agencies to abandon the pre-Northridye SMRF connection and probibit its eontinued use anky com pounded the County's predies————— mont, By September 1994, « olutien sill did not appear ev ent. Since that ime, a number ‘of modified connection alterna tives nave emerged, such as the MNISMRF Systm, MNH-SMRF Systems, Inc. approached County officals in Noversber of 1904 and presented their MNEL-SMRE™ connection aysten. This proprietary eystem is designed to eliminate the ‘major contributors to the brittle failures experienced in. the Northridge earthquake: It elimi nates the through-thickne: Toading of the column flange; climirates the Tint configur tion complete joint penetration (CIP) groove welds and related adverse triaxial stress concentra- ont: and eliminates notch effects created by backing ars ‘The rotational performance achieved by the MNH-SMEF™ ‘connection does not depend on ‘column panel zone participation Recent’ tests. by’ university researchers indicate Uhat current fede imitations on panel zone Strengths and atiTiooss are nad equate (Yang, Popov, UBC! EERC-9508), ‘The County stipulated that if fallscale prototype eyelic testing fchieved or exceeded industry Htandards, and if thie perfor maner could be corroborated by three dimensional non-linear Finite element analysis and coluuun wills P/vit sidw plates Bhgineering, wider the ditection backei by'a design methodology, ond vin fillet welds According of Profeasor Janice J. Trastner they would introduce their to Uarg “All three identical full. who concluded “the now-linear design professionals of record to size specimens dissipated a sige finite element analysis of the the MNH-SMRP™ connection nificant amount of energy..no prototype MNH-SMEF moment technology and would request brittle fellure In Weldments or Connection demonstrated the their evaluation of its use to heat affected zones was sbilty of the beam 2 develop resolve this SMRF connection observed, the average plastic ductile mode of failure without problem. Three full-scale proto: rotation eapacty was 5.2% radi- significant yielding of the eon: {ype apecimens were fabricated ans,.the activity of energy disi- necting elements” by AlSC-member Herrick Corp, pation and the resulting failure” MNH-SMRF. Systems, Inc's in December 1984 and eyelle were confined to the beam.” The development of complete and tests were conducted at the plastie rotational performance clear design methodslogy satis Charles Powell Structural far exceeded the current indus: fed the County's firal require. Research Laboratories at the ty standard of 3% radians ment. Connection design soft University of California, San A threedimensional non-lin- ware has been developed using. Diege, under the direction of ear finite-element analysis, the MicrosoN Excel spreadsheet Professor Chia-Ming Uang. The using EMRC NISA II and format for caleulatianal control test specimens were heavily Display II sofware, ofthe pro- and efficient implementation. A. instrumented at Key locations, totype test specimen was per- detailed software user's manual and consisted of W36 x 150 formed at the University of $s provided to the structural eam connected to'a Wid x 128 Utah, Department of Civil engineer of record. Blectronic Fey ue fnite ele ment analysis results, plastic raise at fal Left: Full scale test specimen ‘howng beam hinge forma:Tapa Cen AutoCad files have been pre MNH-SMRE™ Connection Syst pared to standerdize and faci Desig Methodology {ate the detailing and scheduling of the connection system. The drawing package includes @ detailed structural specification {or fabrication end erection. The structiral engineer is also pro ‘ded with the results of ¢ sen tivity Study of connection stiff ness parameters to provide user {guidance in modeling the global brilding system The connection system was subject to extensive review and Seratiny by county engineers a Well as renowsed independent Technical advisors and has undergone and successfully passed tho acceptance process af California's Oifice of ‘State Health Planning) end Development (OSHPD) — One of the frst projects to use an the system is the Rancho Los Amigos Mecical Center ed projects in 1994Pictured at lf: MNH-SMRE \ nconn, seen ee oo8 mae ‘Systems two sided connection. Replacement Facility, Bldg. B, which is expected to go out for hid in May. Structural engineer fon the project is Bab Lyons, SE, of Brandow & Johnaton Associates and architect. is Rochlin Baran Balsona, The 310,000-sq.-ft.projett includes for steel moment frimed ‘ove grade. The flors are 3 in. light weight eonerete over metal “deck (composite Systemlrigid diaphragm), while the basement and foundations ‘ae poured in place concrete, The project is a planned expansion to the recently constructed Building A and includes Patient Wing North and Administration Wing-South. ‘The twe wings are separated by a seiame joint and the entire new addition is sepa ELpanow -secnow | rated from the existing wings by Seismic joints, The new wings (Clauss Seem eam ovF MORE THA 6,621 RDIECTS W 1994 1 TH Unite Stars, Catan Mo AND Fact, Mont OTN THAN NOT, "ESE ARE WARSSVE WY OPE AND HGR CMR. Wi 14 Pas xo 46 BWA PoDUCTIONcaPAITY OF 400,000 Tons, Caan SEL nares Mcrae nos cua F NT G T SP |JOBTS, STRUCTURAL STEEL, STHEL DECK, MUROK CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM, ato Couou Foo Seu, rms 0 i Engineered solutions (Our swore, XFS AND FACIES ALLOW US 70 MORE “TMT SAVE TIME AND MONEY, FOR MORE IORMATION CALL THE NEES ‘canis omee on ot [91] B74STAT] 00 as Ke Crate Wats, @\canames! so.urions + servic] Bern ee Construction /Jamary 196 48were designed per the 1988 for the roofs at the second and Unio Building Code as sup- third levels to become partial or plemented by tho California complete floors in the future Title 24 provisions for hospitals: “After the” Northridge ‘The novth wing is considered a Earthquake, Brandow and regular structure, while the Johnston reviewed several sys South ving is designed to cas- tems and upgrades to the ste feade on ts west side from the moment resisting joints, inlud- roof to the feeond lovel above ing eover plates on the top and fade, which creates an irregular bottom flanges of the beam. design. Additionally, the south After eonsideration, they chose wing was a dual design to allow the MNH-SMRE connection aye INTRODUCING STEELCAD ~ Structural Steel Connection Design Program Seems essen | Gall us today for mare information. / \ iis) §00-456.7875 (©. Please circle # 85, tem because it requireé the least ‘amount of redesign of building components and because it was prequalified ty OSHPD, Another advantage cf the ays tem ia that it actually reduced the sive of the stael members on the project while ineressing ett hess. The actual redaction in ‘beam sizes by weight was up t0 39%. For example, some roof heama went, from WS3ei18 to Wa2ix84, while some floor beams went from W26x104 to W118 Tn" general, column sizes remained tho same due to the increased moment effect caused by moving the expecied beam hinge location away from the face of the column, Another design consideration cf note on this project was that there were no weale axis moment connections and there wat ade ‘quate redundancy. Bota are ree ‘ommended design characteristics that could become industry stan dards. This project also had some extremely high axial Toads—200 kips plus—due to drag connections. For MNI SMEEF connections, the maxi mum capacity of the beams Based upon interaction curves was developed for the Joint. For gravity weak axis or non. moment resisting besm-to-eol- Were transferred hy details that did not depend upon th through thickness properties of any ole- ment ofthe connection ‘Currently, seven County pro jects are in various stages of design using the MBN-SMEF Ronald F. Nelson, SE. is exec live viee president of MINE SMRF Systems, Inc. Costa ‘Mess, CA. He fe cleo principal of Myers, Nelson, Houghton, Ine Scructural Bnatnoers, Landa CCA, which hag its Schieab MNBL division in Lawndale and its Sounders] MNH division in Costa Mesa