ABSTRACT
Abstract As a first step of a wider research, which has the aim to examine the possibility of using thin gauge steel members in dissipative zones of seismic structures, the dynamic behaviour of three single storey one bay frames is analysed in this paper. The portal frames are built up with a cold-formed steel beam, and columns with the member cross section of different slenderness. The horizontal load vs. displacement curve is defined both on the basis of existing experimental results and by theoretical simulations, taking into account the geometrical and mechanical cyclic deterioration. The dynamic response of the structures, obtained by using a large number of historical italian accelerograms, is compared to the analogous results based on an ideal elasto-plastic s.d.o.f. system. Keywords: Dynamic behaviour, Cold-formed steel sections.
