P. Magudeaswaran et al.

, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Research Paper
PUSHOVER ANALYSIS OF STEEL FRAME
Dr.P.Eswaramoorthi1 P.Magudeaswaran2 A. Dinesh2

Address for Correspondence

1
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore-49.
2
Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Ramakrishna Institute of Technology, Coimbatore-49.
ABSTRACT:
In the present scenario, Steel framed structures plays an important role in construction industry because they are cost
efficient, sustainable, durable, ductile and safe. To analyze the structure under seismic loads, the deformed geometry and the
non-linear behavior of the structure is to be considered. Hence to determine the performance of the structure, non-linear or
pushover analysis is performed. The pushover testing has been carried out on two frames namely Bare frame and Steel
braced frame. The research concentrates on a computer based push-over analysis technique and experimental analysis for
performance-based design of steel framed structures. In this present study, nonlinear analysis of Steel frame using ANSYS
14.5 under the horizontal loading has been carried out and it is validated experimentally. It is evident that the yield load &
ultimate load of Steel braced frame is greater than the bare frame and the deflection of the steel braced frame is less
compared to the bare frame due to increase in its diagonal stiffness. The values are validated experimentally and by stiffness
method of matrix analysis.
KEYWORDS: Steel, pushover analysis, ANSYS, bare frame, braced frame.
1. INTRODUCTION at the top corner of the beam and its behaviour is
The Indian Construction is often guided by steel, determined. Then the results from analytical and
cement as the prime material of construction. Cement experimental investigations are compared.
requires a healthy partnership with aggregates and 1.1. Materials and Details of frame
steel to form the structural element called concrete. The geometric detail of bare frame and braced frame
Steel, on the other hand has an advantage of are 920mm X 50mm X 1050mm and 920mm X
partnering with concrete and also can go alone as an 50mm X 1050mm with 8mm dia rod respectively.
individual structural element. Steel frames play an The box section detail of both frames is 100mm X
important role in construction industry because they 50mm X4mm.The materials used for casting of deck
are cost efficient, sustainable, durable, ductile and slab are Coarse aggregate (25mm), fine aggregate
safe. Recently, the need for structural rehabilitation of (sand), 53 grade cement, binder, PVC pipe, U-Hook,
civil infrastructures all over the world is well known Wood. The size of form work is 1240mm X 940mm.
and a great amount of research is going on this field. The deck slab is casted for M20 mix, which has the
Every time new technology will develop which are concrete mix of 1:1.5:3 and Water/Cement ratio of
changes in the contributing factors to structure such as 0.5. Deck slab is casted along with frames for
increase in load requirement, corrosion deterioration experimental investigations.
to exposure to aggressive environments, changes in 2. Analytical and Experimental Procedure
functionality, potential damaged caused by A Frame is a structure made up from columns and
mechanical and environmental effects, increase in beams that connected to each other at joints. Braced
material strength and durability. Nowadays, steel frame is a frame that has been supported by a bracing
frame system with beams and columns is become the system to prevent it from sway when subjected to
conventional building structure in construction world. lateral loading. The installation of bracing system had
Structural design and structural analysis are both of provided more stability to system because it can resist
the criteria needed to create a structure that safely the lateral loading from wind and earthquake.
accomplish its function in order to produce structures Analytical study on steel frame is carried out by
in a stability condition. The main advantage in steel ANSYS 14.5 software. Meshing element used is
frame is that, the post elastic behavior will occurs SOLID186 3D 20 Node structural solid for both
only in it. To analyze the structure under seismic Bare frame and Braced steel frame. After meshing
loads, the deformed geometry and the non-linear horizontal load and fixed boundary conditions are
behavior of the structure is to be considered. Hence to defined and behaviour of the frame is computed. In
determine the performance of the structure, non-linear the experimental investigations, Deck slab is casted
or pushover analysis is performed. Pushover analysis along with the frames and load is applied at the top
is the preferred analysis procedure for design and and its behaviour is determined.
seismic performance evaluation purposes as the 3. Results and Discussion
procedure is relatively simple and considers post 3.1 Bare frame
elastic behavior. To analyse and evaluate the seismic In the analytical investigation, the unit system of the
performance of bare frame in the ANSYS 14.5 software is set as
1. Bare steel frame metric, deg and rad/s. The drafted bare frame is
2. Braced steel frame imported to the ANSYS 14.5 with length along X, Y
by pushover analysis using ANSYS software and to and Z direction as 920mm, 1050mm and 50mm
validate it experimentally. The geometric and respectively. The bare frame is provided with a fixed
structural details of bare, braced are drafted using support at its bottom and horizontal load is applied at
AutoCAD software. The non-linear pushover analysis top left corner of the frame and the deflection is
was carried out to determine the behaviour of the computed for each load step. The bare frame is
frame by applying horizontal load at the top corner of subjected to a horizontal load of 50kN, so that the
the frame using ANSYS software. In experimental frame gets deflected and the maximum deformation
work, mat and formwork are prepared and deck slab is occurs at the top of the section. The deflected shape of
casted with the frames. After casting, load is applied Bare frame in ANSYS is shown in figure 1

Int J Adv Engg Tech/Vol. VII/Issue II/April-June,2016/1061-1062

 P. Magudeaswaran et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

and Z direction as 920mm, 1050mm and 50mm

respectively. The braced frame is provided with a
fixed support at its bottom and horizontal load is
applied at top left corner of the frame and the
deflection is computed for each load step. The braced
frame is subjected to a horizontal load of 60kN, so
that the frame gets deflected and the maximum
deformation occurs at the top of the section. The load
deformation values of braced steel frame is noted.
The deflected shape of Braced frame in ANSYS is
Figure 1 Deflected shape of Bare frame in ANSYS shown in figure 4
In the experimental investigation, the deck slab is
casted with M20 mix. The deck slab strength is tested
using Rebound hammer test. Once it attains sufficient
strength, the frame can taken to the loading frame.
Once the frame is shifted to testing position, the frame
is subjected to lateral loading and its deflection is
measured at its top and mid-height position using dial
gauges. The deflected shape of bare frame in the
experimental investigation is shown in figure 2.
Figure 4 Deflected shape of Braced frame in ANSYS
In the experimental investigations, same procedure in
Bare frame is carried out. During testing, the
compression bracing rod is subjected to bending due
to compression and the tensile bracing rod is
subjected to elongation due to tension. The failure of
the braced frame occurs due to the breaking of weld in
the tensile rod. The deflected shape of braced frame in
the experimental investigation is shown in figure 5.
Figure 2 Deflected shape of bare frame in experimental
investigation
The deflection is noted for each load and the load
deflection curve is plotted. The results obtained are
plotted in Table 1.
Table 1: Results of Bare frame
Description Bare frame
Yield load (kN) 36
Deflection @ yield load 8.965
Analytical

(mm)
Ultimate load (kN) 45
Figure 5 Deflected shape of Braced frame in
Deflection @ ultimate load 100.53
experimental investigation
(mm) The deflection is noted for each load and the load
Yield load (kN) 41 deflection curve is plotted. The results obtained are
Experimental

Deflection @ yield load 12.695

(mm)
plotted in Table 2.
50 Table 2: Results of Braced frame
Ultimate load (kN)
Description Braced frame
Deflection @ ultimate load 77.89 Yield load (kN) 44
Experimen Analytical

(mm)
Deflection @ yield load (mm) 10.19
Figure 3 represents the analytical and experimental Ultimate load (kN) 57.6
comparison of load deflection of bare frame. Deflection @ ultimate load (mm) 36.96
Yield load (kN) 54
LOAD - DEFLECTION GRAPH Deflection @ yield load (mm) 9.167
tal

60 Ultimate load (kN) 85

Analytical Experimental Deflection @ ultimate load (mm) 25.237
50
Figure 6 represents the analytical and experimental
LOAD (kN)

40 comparison of load deflection of braced frame.

30
LOAD-DEFLECTION GRAPH
20 100
Analytical Experimental
10 80
LOAD (kN)

0
60
0 50 100
DEFLECTION (mm) 40
Figure 3 Load deflection graph of bare frame 20
3.2 Braced frame
In the analytical investigations, the unit system of 0
the braced frame in the ANSYS 14.5 software is set as 0 10 20 30
metric, deg and rad/s. The drafted bare frame is DEFLECTION (mm)
imported to the ANSYS 14.5 with length along X, Y Figure 6 Load deflection graph of braced frame
Int J Adv Engg Tech/Vol. VII/Issue II/April-June,2016/1101-1103
 P. Magudeaswaran et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

4. Comparative result 7. Mouzzoun.M, Moustachi.O, Taleb.A, Jalal.S, Seismic

After removal of load, deflection of the bare and performance assessment of reinforced concrete
braced are noted as 6.5 mm, 5.7mm. buildings using pushover analysis, Journal of
Mechanical and Civil Engineering., 5, 44 49., 2013
8. Mwafy.A.M., Elnashai.A.S., Static pushover versus
dynamic collapse analysis of RC buildings,
Engineering structures, 23, 407 -424., 2001
9. Nivedita N. Raut & Ms. Swati D. Ambadkar, Pushover
analysis of multi-storey building, Global journal of
researches in engineering civil and Structural
engineering, 13, 4, 2013
10. Srinivasu. A, Dr. Panduranga Rao. B, Non-Linear
Static Analysis of Multi-Storied Building, Journal of
engineering and technology, 2013
Figure 7 Deflection of bare frame after removal of load
From the result it is understand that
Due to the presence of Steel bracing in
frames, the diagonal stiffness of the frame is
increased which in turn increase the yield
strength and reduce the deflection in Braced
steel frame compared to the Bare frame.
Compared to analytical values, yield load
and ultimate load is increased and deflection
is decreased in the experimental investigation
which implies that use of ANSYS software
in analysing the frame is feasible.
5. CONCLUSION
The thorough investigation of the pushover analysis
of steel frames such as bare frame, Braced frame are
done. The Non-linear analysis of Steel frame using
ANSYS and through experiment under the lateral
loading has been carried out with the intention to
investigate about the percentage of strength achieved.
It is evident that the yield load of steel braced frame is
1.22 times greater than the yield load of bare frame in
the analytical investigation and the yield load of steel
braced frame is 1.32 times greater than the yield load
of bare frame in the experimental investigation.
Similarly, the ultimate load of steel braced frame is
1.28 times greater than the ultimate load of bare frame
in the analytical investigation and the ultimate load of
steel braced frame 1.07 times greater than the ultimate
load of bare frame in the experimental investigation.
At the ultimate load, Deflection of the Braced Frame
is reduced 2.72 times compared to Bare frame in the
analytical investigation and Deflection of the Braced
Frame is reduced 3.09 times compared to Bare frame
in the experimental investigation. The deflection
value arrived through ANSYS is also validated by
Stiffness method of Matrix analysis.
REFERENCES:
1. Akhaveissy.A. H , Abbassi.M, Pushover analysis of
unreinforced masonry structures by fiber finite
element method , Research in civil and environmental
engineering., 2, 96-119., 2014
2. Donglin Wang, Li Wang, Nonlinear Analysis of the
New Composite Frame Structure, Journal of Nonlinear
Science, 11, 213-219 ., 2011
3. Gopen Paul and Pankaj Agarwal, Experimental
verification of seismic evaluation of RC frame building
designed as per previous IS codes before and after
retrofitting by using steel bracing, Asian journal of
civil engineering, 13,165 -179., 2012
4. Hasan. R, Xu.L , Grierson.D.E., Pushover analysis for
performance based seismic design ,Computers and
structures, 80. 2483 -2493., 2002.
5. Ismail, Nonlinear static analysis of a retrotted
reinforced concrete building, Housing and building
national research center, 10 ,100-107.,2014
6. Jamnekar.V.P, Durge.P.V., Seismic valuation of brick
masonry infill, Journal of emerging trends in
Engineering & Technology, 2, 2248 9592., 2013