ASSIGNMENT ON CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

OF EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT
BUILDINGS

SHAIJAL K M
M190148CE
M Tech- Structural engg
INTRODUCTION
Earthquake-resistant structures are designed and constructed to withstand various types
of hazardous earthquake exposures at the sites of their particular location. According to
building codes, earthquake-resistant structures are meant to withstand the largest earthquake of
a certain probability that is likely to occur at their location. This means the loss of life should
be minimized by preventing collapse of the buildings for rare earthquakes while the loss of
functionality should be limited for more frequent ones. Building designed to prevent total
collapse, preserve life, and minimize damage in case of an earthquake or tremor. Earthquakes
exert lateral as well as vertical forces, and a structure's response to their random, often sudden
motions is a complex task that is just beginning to be understood. Earthquake-resistant
structures absorb and dissipate seismically induced motion through a combination of means:
damping decreases the amplitude of oscillations of a vibrating structure, while ductile materials
(e.g., steel) can withstand considerable inelastic deformation. If a skyscraper has too flexible a
structure, then tremendous swaying in its upper floors can develop during an earthquake. Care
must be taken to provide built-in tolerance for some structural damage, resist lateral loading
through stiffeners (diagonal sway bracing), and allow areas of the building to move somewhat
independently.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR SEISMIC RESISTANT

BUILDINGS
 Structures should not be brittle or collapse suddenly. Rather, they should be tough, able
to deflect or deform a considerable amount.
 Resisting elements, such as bracing or shear walls, must be provided evenly throughout
the building, in both directions side-to-side, as well as top to bottom.
 All elements, such as walls and the roof, should be tied together so as to act as an
integrated unit during earthquake shaking, transferring forces across connections and
preventing separation
 The building must be well connected to a good foundation and the earth. Wet, soft soils
should be avoided, and the foundation must be well tied together, as well as tied to the
wall.
 Care must be taken that all materials used are of good quality, and are protected from
rain, sun, insects and other weakening actions, so that their strength lasts.
SEISMIC PERFORMANCE
Earthquake or seismic performance defines a structure's ability to sustain its due
functions, such as its safety and serviceability, at and after a particular earthquake exposure.

 A structure is, normally, considered safe if it does not endanger the lives and well-
being of those in or around it by partially or completely collapsing
 A structure may be considered serviceable if it is able to fulfil its operational functions
for which it was designed.
 Building should survive a rare, very severe earthquake by sustaining significant
damage but without globally collapsing.
 Building should remain operational for more frequent, but less severe seismic events.

GENERAL PLANNING AND DESIGN ASPECTS

The behaviour of building during earthquakes depends critically on its overall shape,
size and geometry. Hence, at planning stage itself, architects and structural engineers must
work together to ensure that the unfavourable features are avoided and a good building
configuration is chosen. If both shape and structural system work together to make the structure
a marvel.

In tall buildings with large weight-to-base size ratio the horizontal movement of the floors
during ground shaking is large. In short but very long buildings, the damaging effects during
earthquake shaking are many. And, in buildings with large plan area, the horizontal seismic
forces can be excessive to be carried by columns and walls.

Vertical layout of buildings:

Earthquake forces developed at different floor levels in a building need to be brought

down along the height to the ground by the shortest path, any deviation or discontinuity in this
load transfer path results in poor performance of building. Buildings with vertical setbacks
cause a sudden jump in earthquake forces at the level of discontinuity. Buildings that have
fewer columns or walls in a particular storey or with unusually tall storey tend to damage or
collapse which is initiated in that storey. Buildings on sloppy ground have unequal height
columns along the slope, which causes twisting and damage in shorter columns that hang or
float on beams have discontinuity in load transfer. Buildings in which RC walls do not go all
the way to the ground but stop at upper levels get severely damaged.
Horizontal Layout of Buildings:

Buildings with simple geometry in plan perform well during strong earthquakes.
Buildings with re-entrant corners, like U, V, H and + shaped in plan sustain significant damage.
The bad effects of these interior corners in the plan of buildings are avoided by making the
buildings in two parts by using a separation joint at the junction.
Adjacency of Buildings:
When two buildings are close to each other, they may pound on each other during strong
shaking. When building heights do not match the roof of the shorter building may pound at the
mid- height of the column of the taller one; this can be very dangerous.

PRINCIPLES OF CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF EARTHQUAKE

RESISTANT STRUCTURES

The basic principles of conceptual design of earthquake resistant structures includes:

 Structural simplicity

 Uniformity, redundancy and symmetry

 Bi-directional resistance and stiffness

 Torsional resistance and stiffness

 Adequacy of diaphragms at each storey level

 Adequate foundations
STRUCTURAL SIMPLICITY FOR EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT DESIGN :

 Structural simplicity pertains to the provision of obvious, simple and straightforward

load path to transfer seismic forces from different part of the structure to its foundation.

 Not only does the load path need to be clear and simple but also its components must
have sufficient stiffness, ductility and strength. This requirement should be examined
by a structural designer who commonly designs the load path.

 One of the significant advantages of direct load path is that it would contribute in the
decrease of doubts and uncertainty in the evaluation of strength, ductility and dynamic
behavior.

 In contrary, complicated load path is likely to cause stress concentration and toughen
the estimation of strength, ductility and dynamic response of structures. It should be
bore in mind that, acceptable structures with complex load path can be designed.

Simple and Straight Forward Load Path of Structure

STRUCTURAL UNIFORMITY, REDUNDANCY AND SYMMETRY :
It is proven that, if the strength, stiffness and mass of a structure is spread symmetrically
and uniformly in elevation and plan, it would show far better seismic performance in
comparison with structure that does not have such properties.

As far as strength and stiffness uniformity in elevation is concerned, it prevents the creation of
soft storey in the structure. It should be bore in mind that non-uniformity does not mean bad
seismic performance, for instance, if such structure is isolated seismically then it would show
satisfactory seismic performance.

Structural Uniformity in Elevation and Plan

Desirable Symmetrical Shape Plan for Building in Seismic Prone Areas

Undesired Shape Plan for Structure in Seismic Regions

 Provision of Seismic Joints for Decrease or Eliminate Torsional Motion due to Earthquakes

Provision of Seismic Joints to Decrease or Eliminate Torsional Motion due to Earthquakes

BI-DIRECTIONAL RESISTANCE AND STIFFNESS OF STRUCTURES DURING

EARTHQUAKES :
Normally, seismic loads on both horizontal axes of structures are similar, that is why
the provision of similar resistant systems in both direction is recommended. So, the structural
members need to be configured orthogonally guaranteeing similar resistance property in both
major directions.

ADEQUACY OF DIAPHRAGMS AT EACH STOREY LEVEL :

The influence of diaphragms on the seismic response of a structure is considerably
crucial. Not only does it transfer seismic inertia load to the vertical structure members but also
prevents considerable lateral movement of the such vertical elements. So, in order for the floors
to perform their function properly, adequate in plan stiffness should be provided. In addition,
to attention to the joint between floors and vertical structural members. These measures are
specifically important if there is sizable opening diaphragm or in the case of considerably long
in plan floor shapes. Finally, if the floor is constructed from precast concrete, it is necessary to
provide sufficient bearing to avoid the loss of bearing during earthquakes.
 Floor and Roof Diaphragm Action

ADEQUATE FOUNDATIONS FOR EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT STRUCTURES :

It is required to design and construct foundation and its connection to the superstructure,
so as for the entire structure to experience uniform excitation during earthquakes. That is why
it is advised to provide proper linkage between individual piles such as slabs or beams between
piles. Added to that, when superstructure is composed of discrete walls with various stiffness
then it is recommended to use tough cellular foundation. Connection of individual footing with
tie beams or structural slabs to prevent possible relative movement during earthquakes

TORSIONAL RESISTANCE AND STIFFNESS OF STRUCTURES :

Lateral torsional deformation, which might stress various structural members in an un-
uniform manner, could occur during earthquakes. The factor that leads to lateral torsional
motion is the eccentricity between center of mass and stiffness. So, this problem need to be
tackled at the design stage.
 Center of Mass and Center of Stiffness in a Structure Subjected to Earthquakes and Suffered
Displacements

The eccentricity could be decreased at design stage but it may not be completely eliminated
because of number of factors which are out of designer control. For example, non-uniform
mass distribution and uneven stiffness deterioration of structural elements during earthquakes.

FRAMING SYSTEMS
 The moment-resisting frame is the fundamental structural system. The strength and
stiffness of a frame are not adequate; the frame may be strengthened by incorporating
load-bearing walls, shear walls, and bracings.
 For buildings taller than about forty storeys, the effect of lateral forces becomes
increasingly intense, and tube systems become economical. Tube systems may be
classified as framed-tube, trussed-tube, tube-in-tube, and bundled-tube systems.
 The trussed-tube system shown in is advancement over the framed tube system. The
diagonal members, along with girders and columns, form a truss system that imparts a
great deal of stiffness to the building.
 The framed-tube system combines the behaviour of a true cantilever, such as a shear
wall, with that of a beam–column frame. Overturning under the lateral load is resisted
by the tube form, causing compression and tension in the columns.
EFFECT OF NON-STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
Non-structural elements such as claddings, infill walls, partition walls, etc., interfere with the
free deformation of the structure and thus become structurally very responsive in earthquakes.
If the material used in construction is flexible, the non-structures will not affect the structure
significantly. However, these are often made with brittle materials like bricks, concrete blocks,
etc., and so affect the overall behaviour of the structure in the following ways.
(a) The natural period of vibration of the structure may be reduced and may cause a change
in the intake of seismic energy and, consequently, a change in the seismic stresses of
the structure.
(b) The lateral stiffness of the structure may redistribute, changing the stress distribution.
(c) The structure may suffer pre-mature failure, usually in shear or by pounding.
Non-structures may suffer excessive damage due to shear forces or pounding