A Phenomenological Study on Inelastic Torsion Caused By Nonlinear Behavior Changes during Earthquake Excitations

Torsion of many symmetric structures, which were designed based on the seismic codes, is due to their asymmetricity induced during inelastic behavior. Although the structure was designed symmetrically assuming elastic based criteria, different factors such as material inconsistency in structure, construction details discrepancy and construction errors may result in asymmetric behavior in inelastic deformation range. So far, these considerations have been rarely contemplated in previous published investigations and should be studied regarding the importance of irregularity in increase of seismic demand of structures in the inelastic range. In this paper, as the first step, the asymmetry and irregularity in plan due to non-similar inelastic characteristics with respect to axis passing through center of gravity as well as the effect and importance of each irregularity factors are studied by changing the excitation properties applying to one-storey one-bay steel structures. This simplified structure is chosen due to studying and illustrating the absolute effect of this kind of irregularity in which higher mode effect is eliminated. The results show that the behavior of a structure with inelastic asymmetry is completely different from the structure with elastic asymmetry. As for inelastic asymmetry structure, although the translational and rotational oscillations before yielding were uncouple, these DOFs after yielding become coupled until reaching the terminal rotation point (rotation reaches a constant value) and then become uncoupled, i.e., again oscillated symmetrically. This behavior is different from the structures with elastic asymmetricity, in which the translational and rotational movements being coupled during all the excitation time. This effect has not been recognized in previews studies on inelastic behavior of initially elastic symmetry buildings. The study of these behaviors aids the designer to choose the appropriate rehabilitation method for a vulnerable irregular structure.