Numerical and Experimental Investigations of the Seismic Response of Light-Frame Wood Structures

Keywords: NEESWOOD Project.  Light-frame construction.  Wood-frame structures.  Residential structures.  Performance-based seismic design.  Full-scale tests.  Shaking tables.  Experimental tests.  Numerical simulations.  Substructuring method.  Dynamic behaviors.  Analytical models.  Inelastic analyses.  Static analyses.  Strength.  Stiffness.  Energy dissipation.

Abstract: In support of the performance-based seismic design procedures for light-frame wood structures, developed within the NSF-funded NEESWood Project, a dual study with experimental and analytical components was conducted. In the context of the experimental investigation, a full-scale, two-story, light-frame wood townhouse building was tested on the twin relocatable tri-axial shake tables operating in unison, at the University at Buffalo UB-NEES site. The test structure was designed according to modern US engineered seismic design requirements and constructed according to applicable practices in the 80’s in California. The analytical task focused on the development, implementation and validation of a novel numerical framework, suitable for nonlinear inelastic, static and dynamic two-dimensional (2D) analysis of light-frame wood structures. To validate the proposed numerical framework, a number of simulation examples are presented, based on existing experimental results from pseudo-static tests of single- and two-story full-scale shear wall specimens, as well as shake-table tests of a single-story full-scale structure. These examples demonstrate the capability of the model to accurately simulate load paths in the structure and successfully predict variations in strength, stiffness and energy dissipation properties of the lateral-load resisting system.