Seismic performance assessment of li̇ght gauge steel frame structure

Throughout history, disasters have deeply affected human life and shaken social structures. Among these disasters, earthquakes stand out in terms of both their destructiveness and the losses they cause. When evaluated on a global scale, approximately 500,000 earthquakes occur each year, approximately 100,000 of which are of sensible magnitude. Turkey is faced with frequent and destructive earthquakes because it is located on active tectonic belts. The 1999 Marmara, 2011 Van and 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes have shown us that the current building stock is inadequate in terms of earthquake safety. The level of destructiveness of earthquakes necessitates the re-evaluation of building systems and materials used in terms of earthquake performance. Reinforced concrete building systems, which are widely used in our country, cause serious damage and destruction in the face of earthquakes, especially due to workmanship errors, low material quality and inadequate inspection. In contrast, light steel construction systems can reach similar strength values with smaller sections and exhibit better performance by reducing the load exposed during an earthquake thanks to the lower structural weight. In addition, these systems stand out with their suitability for controlled production processes, high strength capacity, recyclability and sustainability. Light steel construction systems, which have been increasingly used in recent years, are considered an important alternative in terms of reducing seismic risks. In the study, the methods used to determine the seismic performance of light steel structures were examined. In this context, a single-storey light steel construction model with dimensions of 12.65 m x 8.3 m x 2.7 m and a two-storey light steel construction model with dimensions of 12.65 m x 8.3 m x 5.7 m were designed in a finite element program. Various analyses were performed to determine the seismic performance of the designed models. The analysis results were evaluated comparatively for the single and two-storey construction models.