SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF STEEL FRAMES WITH DEFORMABLE PANEL ZONES

This paper presents an analytical study on the effect of panel zone (P Z) distortions on moment-resisting steel frame behavior. Analytical fr ame models were developed to study the influence of PZ distortions on frames with hinging beam and hinging column joints. A simple, trilinea r analytical model was developed based on the mechanics of the column web and the flanges at the beam-column joint. Two bilinear rotational springs were needed at each joint to accurately simulate PZ distortion s. Results suggest that simple analytical models that do not include P Z distortions underestimate the elastic drift and overestimate the bas e shear capacity for moment-resisting steel frames. Further, simple an alytical models used to determine inelastic seismic behavior may under estimate the rotational ductility for beam-column joints.