Seismic Behaviour of Multi-story Buildings with Asymmetric Setback

Building structures with asymmetric setbacks possess both vertical and in-plan irregularities. The former is due to the abrupt changes in the plan dimension at the level of the setback while the latter results from the asymmetry between the upper tower portion and the lower base portion. An asymmetric setback introduces mass, stiffness and resistance eccentricities in the entire structure. As a result, the behavior of the structure under lateral seismic excitation in the direction perpendicular to the setback is coupled in translation-torsion, which could have a detrimental effect on the structural response. This coupling behavior has not been studied in detail, and its effect is largely ignored by many conventional seismic design practices. In this research, the effects of both the degree and level of setback on the seismic behavior of multi-story building frames with eccentric setback are investigated. The degree of setback refers to the ratio of the plan area of the upper tower to the plan area of the lower base. A comprehensive analytical study will be carried out to identify the governing parameters of the structural configuration and their effects on the overall response of the setback structure.

Faculty Supervisor:

Charles-Darwin Annan

Student:

VAMSHI KADUMURI

Partner:

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

University:

Program:

Globalink