Topic: To find out expansion joint width between

the two buildings as per UBC97

Let us consider two buildings for study purpose:

BUILDING - 1 BUILDING - 2

Plan area of building = 30m x 45m Plan area of building = 30m x 45m
No of floors = 30 No of floors = 30
Height of the building = 100m Height of the building = 100m
Lateral force system = Shear Walls Lateral force system = Shear Walls
Code considered = UBC 97 Code considered = UBC 97
R value = 5.5 R value = 5.5

45m 45m

BUILDING - 1 30m BUILDING – 2 30m

PLAN PLAN

Expansion joint width (need to find out)

As the two buildings are identical, create one building Etabs model to find out
displacements.

Following are the Etabs results……

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Etabs Outout: Typical floor Plan

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Etabs Outout: Maximum deflection at top of the building is 350mm as shown

The maximum deflection at top of the building as per Etabs = 348.34mm say 350mm
(As a general thumb rule, 350mm < ( H/250 = 100x1000/250 = 400mm ) for seismic load,
So it is OK.

Assuming the Building-2 is similar having same deflection = 350 mm

Therefore: Elastic deflection for Building-1 is, ∆S = 350mm

& Elastic deflection for Building -2 is ∆S = 350mm

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Calculation of expansion joint width as per UBC 97, Clause 1633.2.11 is…

∆M1 = 0.70 R ∆S = 0.70 * 5.5 * 350mm = 1348mm

∆M2 = 0.70 R ∆S = 0.70 * 5.5 * 350mm = 1348mm

∆MT = Square Roof of (∆M12 + ∆M12) = Square Roof of (1348^2+1348^2) = 1906mm

There fore the expansion joint width required as per UBC97 is 1900mm= 1.90m

This value 1.90m expansion joint width looks very high and strange.
So topic needs further investigation to resolve the issues.
Date: 17th Aug 2011 End of report

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