Semirigid Diaphragm Analysis of Archetype Floor Using Design Office Models

Abstract

Diaphragms are the floor or roof structures in a building that transfer lateral load horizontally to the braced frames or shear walls. For many types of buildings, the building code requires semirigid diaphragm analysis whereby a three-dimension computer model of a building is created with diaphragm elements that can deform elastically. As a companion to a research project called the Steel Diaphragm Innovation Initiative (SDII), this report describes the semirigid diaphragm analysis of typical floors from archetype buildings. In other publications, the archetype buildings are analyzed using advanced simulation techniques that capture nonlinearity and failure of the diaphragms. The models in this report use software and modelling techniques typical in structural engineering practice and therefore allow the evaluation of design office models for use in understanding behavior of diaphragms during extreme loads such as earthquakes.American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Steel Deck Institute (SDI), Steel Joist Institute (SJI), Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), National Science Foundation (NSF