A new modular structural system for tall buildings based on tetrahedral configuration

Inspired by the high mechanical performance of diagrid structures, the minimization of material consumption on braced tubes and the expressive potency of tensegrity modular structures, this work proposes an innovative three-dimensional system for tall buildings. A new modular structural system generated from the assembly of tetrahedral units is investigated. The paper integrates insights on the architectural implications and mechanical performance of the reticular system arranged in repetitive triangular-based modules. The impact of different geometric configurations of the structural members on the economic design is also discussed and recommendations for the optimal topology are made. Guidelines for the design and analytical formula for accessing preliminary member sizes are proposed on the basis of stiffness requirements

ENERGY BASED SEISMIC DESIGN OF A TIMBER CORE-WALL MULTI-STOREY HYBRID BUILDING

Current earthquake design philosophy in North America recommends an equivalent static force procedure (ESFP). Much research lately has been in new performance based methodologies including direct displacement based design (DDBD) and energy-based design (EBD). Research in energy-based design has not had the attention of DDBD yet now is gaining in popularity because of the methods reliance on the velocity spectrum and duration of earthquake hazard. This paper discusses an energy based methodology in designing a novel multi-storey hybrid building consisting of a timber-steel core wall system. This hybrid system combines Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels with steel plates and connections to provide the required strength and ductility to core walled buildings. To improve the applicability of the hybrid system an EBD methodology is proposed to design the core-walled building. The methodology is proposed as it does not rely on empirical formulas and force modification factors to determine the final design of the structure. In order to assess the feasibility of the EBD method, it is implemented in the design of a 7-storey building based off an already built concrete benchmark building. The design is first carried out following the ESFP outlined by the National Building Code of Canada for Vancouver, BC. Nonlinear time history analysis is carried out on the ESFP design and the proposed EBD methodology using 10 ground motions selected at 2% in 50 years return period, to evaluate the suitability of the method and the results of the ESFP and EBD methodologies are discussed and compared

GENERATION OF UNIFORM HAZARD FLOOR RESPONSE SPECTRA FOR LINEAR MDOF STRUCTURES

This paper presents a probabilistic seismic demand model for predicting the pseudo-acceleration response of a linear nonstructural component attached to a linear structure. The model relates the response of the component with the pseudo-acceleration response of the generic mode of vibration of the supporting structure. Interaction between component and structure is ignored. Independency of the model on the specific characteristics of seismic hazard at the site is showed. The model is used to develop a method for direct generation of uniform hazard floor response spectra. By using the method floor spectra are determined through a closed-form expression, given the mean annual frequency of interest, the non-structural component damping ratio, the modal properties of the structure, and three uniform hazard spectra representing seismic hazard at the site

Evaluation of optimal lateral resisting systems for tall buildings subject to horizontal loads

The tendency of modern designs towards optimal structures often leads to the lightest and best performing choice among a large set of design alternatives. In a similar scenario, the introduction of automated tools to further guide designers in achieving efficient solutions has been a recurrent topic for mechanical and structural engineers, over the past decades. Nowadays, topology optimization is considered a powerful preliminary design tool to determine the optimal material distribution in a design domain, i.e. the most effective configuration that satisfies a given set of prescribed constraints while reducing the consumption of structural material. Among different applications in the field of Civil Engineering, this work focuses on the definition of optimal layouts of lateral resisting systems for multi-storey steel building frameworks subject to lateral loads using topology optimization techniques. The objective of the research is to illustrate the benefits deriving from the introduction of automated routines within the preliminary design stage and establish reliable guidelines for performing accurate and objective optimization procedures. Since the optimal material distribution follows the load flow within the structure, optimal topologies are especially sensitive to the alteration of support and loading conditions: different loading scenarios naturally lead to distinct optimal layouts. In order to avoid the loss of objectivity and preserve the optimality of the results, the effects that preliminary modelling and loading assumptions produce on final layouts are investigated. Numerical applications to high-rise building models are presented and discussed

Quantification of energy-related parameters for near-fault pulse-like seismic ground motions

An energy-based approach facilitates the explicit consideration of the damage associated with both maximum displacements and cumulative plastic deformations under earthquakes. For structural systems that can undergo pulse-like seismic ground motions close to causative faults, an energy-based approach is deemed especially appropriate with respect to well-established force-or displacement-based strategies. In such a case, in fact, most of the damage is attributable to the dominant pulse-like component, which usually occurs into the velocity time history of the seismic ground motion, thus implying high energy levels imparted to a structural system. In order to enable the implementation of an energy-based approach in the analysis and design of structures under near-fault pulse-like seismic ground motions, this study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation about the influence of seismological parameters and hysteretic behavior on the spectra of the following energy-related parameters: inelastic absolute and relative input energy; input energy reduction factor; hysteretic energy dissipation demand; hysteretic energy reduction factor; dimensionless cumulative plastic deformation ratio. Closed-form approximations are proposed for these spectra, and the numerical values of the corresponding parameters have been also calibrated (with reference to both mean and standard deviation values) as functions of earthquake magnitude, type of hysteretic behavior (i.e., non-degrading or degrading) and ductility level. The outcomes of this study are meant to support the derivation of design spectra for the energy-based seismic design of structures under near-fault pulse-like seismic ground motions

Correlation between energy and displacement demands for infilled reinforced concrete frames

Introduction: It is well recognized that masonry infills, even though they are non-structural elements, might offer a significant earthquake resistance and can prevent the collapse of relatively weak reinforced concrete structures.Methods: The goal of this study is to investigate the energy dissipation contribution of masonry infills in reinforced concrete frames subjected to earthquake ground motion. To this purpose, a sticktype model with and without infills is considered for the evaluation of the inelastic response of representative frame structures. The infills are modeled by means of equivalent strut elements, which can only carry compressive loads. To investigate the influence of their mechanical characteristics, different idealized type of masonry infills are considered, and the weakest one is selected for the dynamic analyses based on the whole strong motions database.Results: Wide ranges of structural systems and natural periods are taken into account, in such a way to establish response spectra for several significant parameters, including those based on energy. The results of the present investigation demonstrate that the infills significantly contribute to the energy dissipation capacity, provided that they are present in all stories.Discussion: It is found that the contribution of masonry infills is of great importance in reducing both dissipation and displacement energy demands in frame elements. The effectiveness of their contribution depends on the characteristics of the ground motion, especially for non-seismic frames

RINTC-E: Towards seismic risk assessment of existing residential reinforced concrete buildings in Italy

The RINTC research project (RINTC Workgroup, 2018), financed by the Italian Department of Civil Protection, is aimed at evaluating the seismic risk of buildings conforming to the Italian building code. Within the framework of this project, the attention has been recently focused on existing buildings, too. In this study, case-study structures, representative of the existing residential reinforced concrete (RC) building stock in Italy, are analyzed. These structures are three-storey buildings with compact rectangular plan, and they have been defined through a simulated design process, in order to represent two types of buildings, namely designed for gravity loads only during 1970s (gravity load designed, GLD) or for moderate seismic loads during 1990s (seismic load designed, SLD). GLD buildings are assumed to be located in three different sites, namely Milan, Naples and Catania, in increasing order of seismic hazard. SLD buildings are assumed to be located in L'Aquila. The assumed design typologies are consistent with the seismic classification of the sites at the assumed ages of construction. The presence of typical nonstructural masonry infill walls (uniformly distributed in plan as external enclosure walls) is taken into account, assuming three configurations along height, namely “bare” (without infills), uniformly infilled and “pilotis” (without infills at the bottom storey) buildings. Two (not code-based) Limit States are investigated, namely Usability-Preventing Damage, corresponding to an interruption of the building use, and Collapse. RC elements are modelled with a lumped plasticity approach, through an empirical-based macromodel. The possible occurrence of shear failures in columns is taken into account through a preliminary classification of the expected failure mode (flexure- or shear-controlled, in the latter case prior to or following flexural yielding) and, if needed, a modification of the backbone of the nonlinear moment-chord rotation response, through empirical models providing the expected deformation capacity at shear and axial failure, the latter meant as the (initiation of) loss of axial-load-carrying-capacity. The nonlinear response of beam-column joints is modelled, too, with a “scissors model” based on concentrated springs representing the nonlinear response of the joint panel, at the intersection of beams' and columns' centerlines, through a preliminary evaluation of the expected failure mode (i.e. prior to or following yielding of adjacent beam/column elements). Materials properties are provided by literature studies, consistent with the age of construction of the buildings. The in-plane response of infills is modelled, taking into account the presence of openings, too. Modeling should be considered as simplified and, from some points of view, still preliminary, since advances are foreseen within the project in order to capture further failure modes that can occur in structural and nonstructural elements of older, nonductile RC buildings. Nonlinear static analyses, allowing to identify the (top) displacement capacity at the investigated Limit States, are carried out. Multiple stripe nonlinear time history bi-directional analyses of the three-dimensional structural models are carried out in order to evaluate the demand, for ten stripes - each corresponding to a return period ranging from 10 to 105 years - and for twenty couples of records for each stripe. Records were selected, within the activities of the research project, based on a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis at the sites of interest for the selected return periods. Results are illustrated, highlighting the role of a - although obsolete - seismic design in the response of the buildings and in their capacity, more specifically in terms of displacement capacity at Collapse, but also in terms of demand estimated from multiple stripe analyses. Finally, demand-to-capacity ratios at the investigated Limit States are analyzed, which allow, within the scope of the project, the assessment of the seismic risk of the case study structures

Recorded Motions of the Mw6.3 April 6, 2009 L’Aquila (Italy) Earthquake and Implications for Building Structural Damage: Overview.

The normal-faulting earthquake of 6 April 2009 in the Abruzzo Region of central Italy caused heavy losses of life and substantial damage to centuriesold buildings of significant cultural importance and to modern reinforcedconcrete- framed buildings with hollow masonry infill walls. Although structural deficiencies were significant and widespread, the study of the characteristics of strong motion data from the heavily affected area indicated that the short duration of strong shaking may have spared many more damaged buildings from collapsing. It is recognized that, with this caveat of shortduration shaking, the infill walls may have played a very important role in preventing further deterioration or collapse of many buildings. It is concluded that better new or retrofit construction practices that include reinforcedconcrete shear walls may prove helpful in reducing risks in such seismic areas of Italy, other Mediterranean countries, and even in United States, where there are large inventories of deficient structures.Published651-6844.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journalreserve