Abstract
This paper proposes simulation material test technique using 99% lead - 1% antimony alloy instead of actual structural material. It is very essential to clarify the structure failure mechanisms under excessive seismic loads. However, structural tests using actual structural materials are very difficult and expensive. Therefore, the authors have proposed the structure test approach using lead alloys in order to simulate the structure failure mechanisms under the excessive seismic loads. Because the strength of such alloys is much inferior to that of the actual structural materials, failure phenomena can be observed by much small load. For demonstration of qualitative analogy between the failure mechanisms of the structures made of lead alloys under small loads and those of the actual structural materials under the actual loads, numerical analyses are required. In this study, the authors conducted material tests using lead alloy and verified the effectiveness of the simulated material tests. Moreover, the authors formulated inelastic constitutive equations (best fit fatigue curve equation and cyclic stress range – strain range relationship equation) of lead alloy based on the results of a series of material tests. Nonlinear numerical analyses, e.g. finite element analyses, can be performed using the proposed equations. A series of simulation material test technique enables structural tests and analyses using lead alloy to simulate the structure failure phenomena under excessive seismic loads. It is important to note that while mechanical behavior can be simulated by structural tests using such alloys, metallurgical evolutions cannot be simulated.
