Abstract Summary
Steel Moment Frames (SMFs) are among the most popular lateral load-resisting systems, especially in seismic zones. Due to their popularity, these systems have been studied extensively over the last decades. With the advances in computational capabilities, sophisticated mathematical models have been developed and used to study SMFs deeply, particularly in the context of performance-based earthquake engineering. Under this context, masonry infills are among the most vulnerable components of SMF buildings. Recent earthquakes (e.g., Ecuador 2016) have caused significant damage to these components. Motivated by this issue, this research investigates the influence of different types of infills on the seismic performance of SMFs. For this purpose, nonlinear mathematical models of SMFs varying in height are developed and subjected to nonlinear time history analysis. Thus, the effect of different types of infills on metrics such as the collapse probability (following the FEMAp695 methodology) is assessed. The infills evaluated in this study are masonry infills attached to the frame structure, light infills (e.g., gypsum), and masonry infills with flexible vertical joints. The mathematical models used to simulate the infills consist of state-of-the-art models validated experimentally in previous studies on the topic. Design recommendations will be suggested based on the numerical simulations. Limitations of the study, as well as lines for future research, will be discussed.
