06/07/2016

DuctilityDetailingofStructures

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DuctilityDetailingofStructures

2014April

WrittenbySwamiKrishnan

2013May
2013March
2013February

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[1]WhatisDuctilityDetailing?
Foragivenseismicdemand(dynamicforcesgeneratedbyagivengroundmotion),ifyourstructure(oryourdesign)
doesnotremainelastic,i.e.,itundergoesplasticity/fracture/damage,thenstiffnesscoulddropdramatically,
deformationswillincreasesignificantly.Undertheseincreaseddeformations,youshouldensurethatyour
structureremainsstablewithoutcollapsing,i.e.,itshouldnotlooseverticalloadcarryingcapacityyouhavetodetailit
insuchawaythatitcanundergolargedeformationswithoutcollapsing.Theabilityofastructuretoundergolarge
deformationswithoutcollapsingiscalledductility,andthedetailingofthestructurethatenablesthestructuretohave
largeductilityiscalledductileorductilitydetailing.Thewordductilityhasastrictdefinitioninmaterialsciencewhere
itisdefinedastheratioofultimatestraintoyieldstrainofthematerial.Thetermislooselyusedin
earthquakeengineeringtoindicatethedegreetowhichanassembledstructurethatisdamagedcanundergolarge
deformationswithoutcollapsing.
[2]WhendoyouneedDuctilityDetailing?
Ifyoucandesignyourstructuretoremainelasticunderthemaximumexpectedlevelofearthquakeshaking,thenthere
isnoneedforductilitydetailing.However,engineersrecognizedlongagothatitwasnotpracticallypossibletocome
upwitheconomicallyorarchitecturallyviabledesignsifthestructuresweretoremainelasticduringmaximum
consideredearthquakemotions(everystructurewouldlooklikeaFortKnox).So,thenextbestoptionwastoallowthe
structuretoundergodamage(plasticity,fracture,crushing,etc.),butmakesurethatthestructuredoesnotlooseits
verticalloadcarryingcapacityasitisundergoinglargedeformationswhendamaged.Forexample,ifyouwantconcrete
columnstocontinuecarryingverticalloadsevenwhenthereissignificantcracking,concretecrushingand/orsteel
yielding,youwouldwanttoconfinetheconcrete(keepchunksofconcretefromfallingoutofthesteelcage)andyou
wouldwanttopreventbucklingofthelongitudinalbars.Youcanachievebothofthesecharacteristicsbyproviding
verycloselyspacedclosedtieswith135degreehookstosturdilyanchorthemagainstalongitudinalbar.
Becausethematerialhasnowbecomecompliantthestiffnessforcesinthecomponentsandstructurewilldrop.Inother
words,ifthestructureweretoremainelastictheinternalforces(andthetotalbaseshearwhichisthesumoftheinternal
shearforcesinalltheverticalloadcarryingelements)wouldbefarhigherthanifthestructureweretobedamaged.This
reductioninbasesheararisingoutofthefactthatwehaveallowedthestructuretogetdamagedisembodiedinthe
"DynamicResponseModification"factororthe"Ductility"factor,Rd,inbuildingcodesworldwide.Rdisspecificto
eachtypeoflateralforceresistingsystem.Rdishigherforsystemswhereductilitydetailingcanenablethesystemto
undergolargerdeformationswithoutcollapsingwhendamaged,itislowerforsystemswhereductilitydetailingenables
thesystemtoundergoonlysmallerdeformationsbeforecollapsing.RdisNOTthesameasthemorefamiliarRfactorin
buildingcodes.Itisoneoftwofactorsthatgointothecomputationofthe"R"factor.
[3]Rfactor
TheRfactoristheproductofthe"ductility"factor,Rd,andthe"overstrength"factoror"totalsystemresistance
capacity"factor,Ro(i.e.,R=Rd*Ro).Roistheratioofthetruestructuralstrengthofindividualelementstothedesign
strength.Itaccountsforloadfactorsinloadcombinations,extrasystemdesignprovisions,contributionfromthegravity
system(nonlateralforceresistingsystem)andnonstructuralelements,aswellastheasbuiltsizesandmaterialsstrength.
Ifyouarenotdoingductiledetailingofanyportionofyourstructure(saythebasement),youcanstilltakeadvantageof
theoverstrengthfactor(i.e.,R=Ro)whenyouaredesigningthebasementwallsforthemaximumconsidered
earthquakeforces.
[4]Doyouneedductiledetailinginthebasements?
Fromtheabovediscussion,itcanbeconcludedthatifbasementwallscanbedesignedtoremainelasticduring
maximumconsideredearthquakemotions,i.e.,designforR=Roalonewithnoallowanceforductility(Rd=1),thenthere
isnoneedforanyductilitydetailing.However,thereisoneveryimportantuncertainty,andthatis"the
actualearthquakegroundmotion".Whatifthemaximumconsideredmotionsinthedesignareexceeded?Thishappens
allthetime(themostrecentChristchurch,NewZealand,eventandtheTohoku,Japaneventareexamples).Willthere
notbebrittlefailurespossiblyleadingtocollapse?Toaddressthisandtobalanceitwitheconomyofconstruction,the
ACIrequiresductilitydetailingforshearwallsystemsinregionsof"highseismicrisk",butnotinregionsof"moderate
seismicrisk".Thisinitselfmaynotbeagoodcriterion.Eveninregionscategorizedasregionsofmoderaterisk,the
groundmotionscanbequiteintense,aswasthecaseinTohokuandChristchurchwhichwereconsideredasregionsof
moderaterisk.Theclassificationofmoderateorhighseismicriskisbasedonthefrequencyandsizeofeventsasgauged
fromthehistoricalrecord,whichisunfortunatelyisfartooshort.Whenanearthquakeoccursinaregionclassifiedas
moderaterisk,itcouldstillresultinveryintensemotions(fargreaterthanwhathasbeenobservedinrecordedhistory)
ductilitydetailingwouldbeneededforsatisfactoryperformance.Thecodes,however,donotrequireductilitydetailing
inshearwalls,andIfeelthisissomethingthatmayneedtoberevisited.Nevertheless,thatisthecriterionasofnow.
Note:ACIrequiresductilitydetailingforRCframeseveninregionswithmoderateseismicrisk.
[4.1]Whataretheserequirementsasapplicabletobasementshearwallsystems?

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Typically,basementwallsarethickandcontinuousaroundtheperimeterofthebasement,designedasretainingwalls
foroutofplanecantileverbendingtoresistsoilpressuresduringexcavation.Theirshearcapacity(withoverstrength
included,i.e.,R=Ro)inthelongitudinaldirectionisusuallysolargethatitfarexceedsthestiffnessforcedemandfrom
thesuperstructure,i.e.,thedeformationdemandonthesewallswillbesmall.Asaresult,eveninhighseismicity
regions,onlycertainbasic,butveryimportant,ductilityrequirementsneedtobesatified{twocurtainsofhorizontaland
verticalreinforcementifshearstressexceeds2*sqrt(fc')[fc'andsqrt(fc')areinpsiunits]withcertainminimumlevelsin
eitherdirection}.Boundaryelementstypicallywillnotbenecessary(asthemaximumextremefiberstresscorresponding
tofactoredforcesincludingearthquakeeffectwilltypicallynotexceed0.2fc').However,theboundaryelementsinthe
firststoryofthesuperstructurewallsshouldbecontinueddownthroughthebasementtothefoundations.Theseshould
NOTbeterminatedatthetopbasementlevelorotherlowerbasementlevels.Thisisbecausetheaxialforcesresulting
fromsuperstructurecantileverbendinghavetobetransmittedsafelytothefoundation.Unlikeshearforceswhich
canberedistributedtothebasementwallsbythefloordiaphragm,thereisnomechanismforredistributingtheseaxial
forcestothebasementwalls.
Youwouldcheckthebasementwallsforthefollowingbaseshear:
Vdb=(Vb+Vs*Rsuper)/Rbasement
Vdb=basementdesignbaseshear
Vb=unreducedbasementbaseshear
Vs=shearforcesfromthesuperstructure
Rsuper=Rfactorofthesuperstructure
Rbasement=Rfactorforthebasement(correspondingtoa"bearingwall"system)notethatbecauseyouareproviding
basicductilitydetailing,youareallowedtouseRdgreaterthan1,i.e.,R=Ro*Rd.
Notethatwhencombinationsofstructuralsystemsareemployed(asinthiscase,forexample,differentstructuralsystems
forthesuperstructureandthebasement),theflexibleupperportionshouldbedesignedasaseparatestructure,supported
laterallybytherigidlowerportion.Therigidlowerportionshouldbedesignedasaseparatestructurewiththe
appropriatevalueofR.Thereactionsfromtheupperportiondeterminedfromtheanalysisofthesuperstructureshould
beamplifiedbytheratiooftheRoftheupperstructuretothatofthelowerstructure(basement).Intheaboveequation,
Rsuper/Rbasementrepresentsthisamplification.
Youwouldstillneedtocombinetheseismicshearforceswiththeshearforcesfromsoils(ifthereisadifferenceinsoil
heightsattwooppositefacesofthebuilding).
[4.2]WhataboutIS13920:1993anditsrevisions?
TheaboveprocedurewouldbeconsistentwiththeintentofIS13920(originallydraftedbyProfs.MurtyandJainwhen
theywereatIITKanpur)whichdrawsheavilyfromtheACI.InIndianseismiczonesIII,IV,andV,theductilitydetailing
requirementsaresimilartotheACIrequirementsdescribedabove.Youmaytypicallyrequiretwocurtainsof
reinforcement,fromeitherseismicand/orsoilretentionduringexcavationconsiderations.Myownopinionisthat
confinementofwallconcreteisbestachievedbytwocurtains,andIwoulddesignbasementwallsthatway,evenifitis
notstrictlyrequiredbycode.
[5]Undergroundstructures
Undergroundstructuressuchastunnelsbeingconfinedbythesurroundingsoilmediumtendtobepulled,pushed,
twisted,andshearedbythesurroundingmediumasseismicwavestravelthroughthemedium.Theyaremoresusceptible
togrounddeformation(inthelongitudinalandtransversedirections)alongtheirlength,asopposedtoaccelerations.
Axialdeformations,curvaturechanges,rackingdeformationofrectangularcrosssections,and/orovalingof
circularcrosssectionscanresult.Pastperformanceindicatesthattunnelsbuiltwithshallowsoiloverburdencovertend
tobemorevulnerabletoearthquakesthandeepones.Soilstructureinteractioniscentraltotheresponse(beamon
elasticfoundationmodelingisappropriate).Ontheotherhand,basementsinbuildings,unlesstheyareverydeep,
forthemostpart,interactwiththegroundthroughthefoundations(andtheslabonground).Theconfiningsoilsonthe
sides(nooverburden)andSSIplayalessimportantrole.Fromthebehavioralandgeometricproportioning
perspectives,basementsinbuildingscannotbeequatedwithothertypicalundergroundstructures.
Havingsaidthis,ifthedeformationdemandscouldcausetheundergroundstructuretogoinelastic,ductilitydetailing
iswarranted,beitabasementoratunnel.
[6]Differencesbetweenfoundationdesign/detailingandbasementdesign/detailing
Thekeydifferencebetweenfoundationsandbasementwallsisthatfoundationsare"confined"bythesurroundingsoils.
Evenifextensivecrackingoccursinthefoundations(sayfootingsorrafts),theconcretewillremainmoreorlessin
placeandbeabletotransferthegravityloadssafelytothesoilsbecauseoftheconfinementofferedbythesurrounding
soils,i.e.,foundationsseldomlosegravityloadcarryingcapacityevenwhendamaged.Concreteinbasementwalls,on
theotherhand,cancrackorgetcrushedandspalloffinchunks,ifnotproperlyconfined.Intheprocess,thewallsmay
loosegravityloadcarryingcapacity.Thisisespeciallytrueforthedowngoingsuperstructurewalls,butalsoforthe
perimeterwalls.
HereisanarticledescribingtheissuesassociatedwithlargeaxialstressesinbasementwallsofChileanbuildingsduring
the2010earthquake.Somethingtothinkabout:
http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/chilesconcretecodebuildingscalledquestion?page=0,1
HereisanimageofextensivecrackingintransversewallsinthebasementofaChileanbuilding.Thesewallswilllose
theirgravityloadcarryingcapacityiftheconcreteisnotproperlyconfined.
http://degenkolb.com/images/uploads/2010/04/eeri_3.jpg
Havingsuggestedthatfoundationsmaynotrequireductilitydetailingunlikebasementwalls,Iwouldliketooffersome
qualifyingstatements:
i.Soilspronetoliquefactionmaynotbeabletoofferthenecessarydegreeofconfinement.Inthiscaseductilitydesign
willbenecessary.
ii.Piles:Pilescandevelopplastichingesduringanearthquake.Concreteinthisregionmustbeconfined.Sincepiles
areusuallyusedinsoilswithlowbearing/shearcapacities(orwhereverylargeaxialforcesexistasintallbuildings),the
degreeofconfinementofferedcannotgenerallybecountedupon.Closelyspacedtiesorspiralswithsmallpitchwillbe
requiredintheplastichingeregiontoconfinetheconcrete.
iii.Sinceitishardtodeterminethedegreeofdamagetofoundationsand/orundertakerepairsfollowinganearthquake,
thesafestbetistoperformcapacitydesignofthefoundationsi.e.,ensurethatthefoundationremainselasticunderthe
axialandlateralforcesthatcanbetransmittedbythecolumns/braces/wallsabove(elasticstrengthoffoundation>
plasticcapacityofelementsbeingsupportedbythefoundation).Ifwetakethisapproach,obviously,ductilitydesignis

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DuctilityDetailingofStructures
nolongernecessary.TheEurocodetakesthisapproach.
iv.Capacitydesignisrecommendedforpiledesign,i.e.,designpilestructural(elastic)strengthtobelargerthanthe
pileslipcapacity.
v.Capacitydesignisalsorecommendedfortheanchorageofapiletothepilecaporgradebeam,i.e.,designthe
pilecap/gradebeamforthetensilecapacityandmomentcapacityofthepile.
vi.Gradebeamssupportingmomentframecolumnsaredesignedtoensurethatnoplastichingescanforminthem,i.e.,
designthegradebeamstohaveanelasticstrengthgreaterthanthecolumnplasticmomentcapacity.Thisrequirementis
similartothedesignoftransfergirdersinthesuperstructurewhereacolumnisbeingterminatedinanupperstoryand
itsloadsaretransmittedtotheadjacentcolumns/wallsthroughthetransfergirder.
Insummary,whilewedonotexplicitlyrequireductilitydetailinginfoundations(exceptinthecaseofpilesand/or
liquifiablesoils),wewouldstillliketoavoidprematurefoundationfailurebyadoptingcapacitydesignprinciplesto
makethefoundationstrongerthanthebasement/superstructure.
[7]Deformationcompatibility
Itshouldbenotedthatductilitydetailingcannotbelimitedtothelateralforceresistingsystemonly.Itisimportantthat
elementsnotpartofthelateralsystembedesignedanddetailedfordeformationcompatibility.Iftheseelementsarenot
capableofsustainingtheirgravityloadsunderthedeformationsinducedbytheearthquake(thedeformationsthatthe
lateralsystemisgoingthrough),thencollapsewilloccur.Indeterminingthedeformationdemands,propercaremustbe
giventoflexural,shear,andaxialdeformations,PDeltaeffects,diaphragmdeformations,foundationdeformations
(rotations,differentialsettlement,etc.),crackedsectionpropertiesforconcreteelements,torsionalandorthogonal
effects,etc.Forexample,gravitycolumnsmustbeabletosustaintheirgravityloadsatpeaklateraldeformation
experiencedbythelateralforceresistingsystemduringthemaximumconsideredearthquake.Ductiledetailingwill
generallybenecessarytoachieveproperdeformationcompatibility.
[8]AgoodreferenceforunderstandingalltheseismicprovisionsintheAmericancodesistheSEAOCBlueBook.
SwaminathanKrishnan
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PublishedinMarch2013

SwamiKrishnan

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