EARTHQUAKE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

OF BUILDINGS

By Ir. Heng Tang Hai

 SYPNOSIS

1. Earthquake-Induced Motions

2. Building Configurations

3. Effectiveness Of Shear Walls

4. Enhancement Of Ductility In Buildings

5. Mitigation Of Earthquake-Induced Vibrations

6. Cracking In Buildings

7. Tremor Design Forces For Buildings

8. Structural Adequacy Of Existing Buildings

9. Conclusions
Earthquake-Induced Motions In Multistory Buildings

a) Possible ground movement-normally b) Typical vibration modes for a tall building

accelerations In the horizontal plane subjected to varying horizontal ground accelerations.
are the largest and most significant.
 Fundamental Period Of Buildings

40 story
Citicorp

Equipment Buildings
10-20 story

4 story

1 story

Seconds 0.05 0.1 0.5 1.0 2.0 7.0

 Symmetrical Buildings

Centroid of resisting
forces

No torsional
effects develop

Centroid of applied
forces

a) Symmetrical buildings do not experience exceptionally high torsional forces and

are hence preferred to nonsymmetrical buildings.
 Nonsymmetrical Buildings

Torsion develops

Nonalignment of applied and Off-center stiffening elements (e.g.

resisting forces elevator cores)

Open-ended bearing wall Off-center loading

building

b) Buildings that are nonsymmetrical because of either their basic configuration or the
nonsymmetrical placement of lateral-load-resisting elements typically experience high torsional
forces which are very destructive. Nonsymmetrically placed masses can also lead to similar
torsional effects.
 Nonsymmetrical Buildings With Reentrant Corners

Seismic joint

c) Nonsymmetrical configuration with reentrant corners (e.g., L-or H-shaped buildings) are particularly
susceptable to destructive torsional effetcs. Primary damage often occurs at the reentrant corners.
Allowing separate building masses to vibrate independently by using seismic seperator joints that
allow free movement to occur generally improves structural performance.
Nonsymmetrical Buildings In Vertical Direction

Little torsion
Excessive torsion
develops develops

d) Buildings that are nonsymmetrical in the vertical direction also experience destructive
torsional effects. Discontinuous shear walls are particularly problematical.
 Damage Due To Soft Story

Chi-chi Earthquake,
Taiwan Sept 21, 1999

Izmit Earthquake,
Turkey Aug 17, 1999
Torsional Failure

Gualan Earthquake, Guatemala

4 February, 1976
 Elongated Buildings

Seismic joint (actually

quite narrow)

High-damaged
zone

a) Not desirable

b) Preferred.

Elongated buildings are more susceptible to destructive forces associated with differences in
ground movements along the length of the building than are more compact shapes. Long
buildings can be subdivided by using seismic joints.
 Slender Buildings

Possible overturning High forces Lower forces

a) Not desirable. b) Preferred.

Relatively slender buildings are less able to resist efficiently the overturning
movements cause by earthquakes than are shorter and more compact configurations.
 Small Separation Between Buildings

Clearance

Pounding
a) Small separation-not desirable. b) Large separation-preferred.

Adjacent buildings should be adequately separated so that buildings do not pound against
each other during seismic events.
 Pounding Damage

Prince William Sound Earthquake, Alaska Izmit Earthquake, Turkey

24 March, 1964 17 August, 1999
 Rigid Frame Buildings

Frame
Plastic hinges

a) Frame b) Post-and-beam assembly

Rigid frame buildings are generally preferable to pin-connected ones because the plastic hinges
that necessarily form in rigid frame buildings before they collapse absorb large amounts of
energy.
Collapse of Columns

Taiwan
Shear Failure & Short Columns Failure

Shear Failure, Northridge Earthquake

Short Column Failure

Santa Monica, Northridge Earthquake
17 January 1994 (Magnitude 6.8)
 Rigid Floor Diaphragm

Fig.7

a) Typical diaphragm action : the horizontal plane b) If diaphragms are improperly designed, failure can
acts like beam in carrying earthquake-induced result in floor or roof plans.
forces to shear walls or other lateral-load-carrying
mechanism.

Important of rigid floor and roof elements : for earthquake-induced inertial forces to be
transferred to lateral-load-carrying elements, floor and roof elements must be capable of acting
like rigid diaphragms.
 Failure Of Soffit

Faade and soffit damage, Northridge Earthquake,

14 January, 1994 (magnitude 6.8)

Fallen Soffit at Entrance, Northridge Earthquake

 Strong-Column-Weak-Beam Strategy

a) Beam failure occurs first b) Column failure occurs first (very un-desirable).

Members should be designed such that failure occurs first in horizontal members
rather than in vertical members (a strong-column-weak-beam strategy).
Collapse of Upper Floor

Kobe, Japan 1995

 Regular Building Configurations

Shear Walls/Moment-Resistant Frames/Braced Frames

Low Height to Base Ratios

Equal Floor Heights

Symmetrical Plans

Uniform Sections and Elevations

Maximum Torsional Resistance

Short Spans and Redundancy

Direct Load Paths

 Regular Building Configurations

Shear Wall Braced Frames Moment Resistant Frames

 Irregular Building Configurations

Soft First Story : Discontinuity of Strength & Stiffness for

lateral load.

Discontinuous Shear Walls.

Variation in Perimeter Strength & Stiffness .

Problematic Stress Concentrations & Torsion

 Irregular Building Configurations

Building with Irregular Configuration

L-Shaped Plan Cruciform Plan U-Shaped Plan T-Shaped Plan Other Complex Shape

Multiple Outwardly Uniform

Unusual Low Unusual High Split Levels
Tower Appearance but
Story Story Setbacks
Non-uniform Mass
Distribution or
converse
 Irregular Building Configurations

Building with Abrupt Changes in Lateral Resistance

Interruption Soft Lower Openings in Large Openings in Interruption

of Beams Levels Diaphragm Shear Walls of Columns
 Irregular Building Configurations

Building with Abrupt Changes in Lateral Stiffness

Shear walls in some stories, Interruption of Abrupt Changes Drastic Changes

Moment Resisting frames in Vertical Resisting in in Mass/Stiffness
others Elements Size of Member Ratio
EFFCTIVENESS OF SHEAR WALLS
 Structural Framings

a) Shear wall : a stiff structure with a short b) Shear wall with small openings : still a relatively
natural period of vibration. stiff structure with a short natural period.

c) Frame : a flexible structure with a d) Combination shear wall/

long natural period of vibration. frame.

Different structural responses have widely varying natural periods of vibration, an

important consideration in seismic design.
Fundamental Period Shift & Damping
DUCTILITY OF SHEARWALLS
AND BEAM & COLUMN
CONNECTIONS
Arrangement of Reinforcement In Shear Wall

Opening

Shallow lintel

e
rag
o
n ch h
A ngt
le
Additional diagonal
bars in deep lintels
Additional closely
Spaced link

Additional
reinforcement
for high base
shear
Anchorage
Reinforcement length
concentrated at Foundation
extremities of wall
Shear
reinforcement
Detailing Requirements For Potential Yield Zones
<200

>200 >200

Close tie

Compression yield strain may be

exceeded within these limits
 Shear In Joint
Col. Steel

V col
C2 = T2
T1 = aAstfy

Ast

SHEAR CRACK
V1 beam
V beam
Asb
T2 = aAsbfy C1=T1

V col.

a) Forces in members at joint b) Shear stress in joint

Reinforcement Details At Joint

Splice not permitted in joint,

splices must be made outside
joints.

Const. Joint

Additional closely
spaced link

Provide ties to carry 1.5 times horizontal

component of thrust in offset bars. If offset bend
occurs below beam longitudinal bars.
 Transverse Reinforcement Details

6 db ( 6 db extension
75mm)

X X X

Example for transverse reinforcement in columns; consecutive crossties engaging the same
longitudinal bars must have 90hooks on opposite si des of columns.
MITIGATION OF EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED
VIBRATION
Lateral Ground Movement Isolation

Lateral ground movement is quieted within

Building Loads building by the isolation bearing.
La

Installation of Deformation of isolation

New isolation bearing during lateral
Bearing ground movement.

Footing
 Lead Rubber Bearings,
Bhuj District Hospital, India 2002
Damper (Energy Absorber/Dissipator)
STRUCTURAL CRACKING IN CONCRETE
Diagonal Tension Cracking In R.C. Beams

Web-shear crack

Flexural crack

(a) Web-shear cracking

Flexure shear crack

Flexural crack

(b) Flexure-shear cracking

Splitting Of Concrete Along Reinforcement

Splitting

Splitting

(a)
(b)
Torsional Cracks In R.C. Beam

(b)
Failure Of A Tied Column
Flexural Cracking In Slabs

Nonparallel
supports

(a)
(b)
 Flexural Cracking In Slabs

Simple supports Simple supports

all sides all sides

(c) (d)
Flexural Cracking In Slabs

Axes of rotation

Four columns

Fixed supports Free edge

two sides
(e)

Column
(g)
Free edge

Fixed supports
two sides
(f)
NON-STRUCTURAL CRACKING IN
CONCRETE
Plastic Shrinkage Cracking In Slabs
Crack Formed Due To Obstructed Settlement
Typical Crack Patterns At Reentrant Corners
Severe Cracking in Unreinforced
Masonry Wall
 Reinforcing In-Filled Brickwalls And Opening

Typical lintol details

Typical details of r.c. stiffener and horizontal beam.

TREMOR DESIGN FORCES FOR BUILDINGS
 Kulim

0km
70

Tremor Acceleration at Malaysia Seismic Stations

Station 26 Dec 2004 28 Mar 2005

Kulim N-S : 0.01332g N-S : 0.00915g

E-W : 0.01067g E-W : 0.01284g
V : 0.01957g V : 0.02153g
Ipoh N-S : 0.01317g N-S : 0.013g
E-W : 0.01231g E-W : 0.00905g
V : 0.0129g V : 0.02628g

Ring of Fire
COMPARISON BETWEEN AMERICAN 1994
UBC SEISMIC LOADS AND BRITISH BS8110
NOTIONAL LOADS
10-Storey Apartment/Hotel/Office Building
20 to 30-Storey Apartment/Hotel/Office Building
ASSUMPTIONS MADE IN SEISMIC ANALYSIS
1. Earthquake Loads

- Seismic Loads Derived From American 1994 UBC

Static Method

2. Soil Profile Type S3

- Soil Profile With 21.3m Or More In Depth Containing

More Than 6.1m Of Soft To Medium-Stiff Clay But
Not More Than 12.2m Of Soft Clay.

- Assume As Average Soil Condition In Klang Valley

Areas.
ASSUMPTIONS MADE IN SEISMIC ANALYSIS (COTD)

3. Seismic Zone

- ZONE 0 Peak Acceleration = 0.00g To 0.02g

(Non-Seismic Areas & Design To ACI Code)

- ZONE 1 Peak Acceleration < 0.05g

- Max. Tremor Acceleration

In Peninsular Malaysia = 0.01332g

- Adopt Zone 1 For Comparison

COMPARISON OF TOTAL HORIZONTAL SEISMIC &
NOTIONAL LOADS AT THE BASE OF BUILDING

Height Of Total Service Horizontal Loads (kN)

Building
(Apartment, Hotel,
Office) American 1994 UBC British BS8110 Notional
Seismic Loads Loads ( Multiply By
1.5/1.4)

10-storey 1.225 % DL 1.071 % DL

20-storey 1.013 % DL 1.071 % DL

30-storey 0.897% DL 1.071 % DL

COMPARISON OF TOTAL BASE MOMENTS IN CORE
WALLS

Height Of Total Service Base Moment (kN-m)

Building
(Apartment, Hotel, American British BS8110 Difference
Office) 1994 UBC Notional Loads
Seismic
Loads

10-storey 10071 7110 - 42 %

20-storey 18936 15152 - 25 %

30-storey 22950 27714 +17 %

 CONCLUSIONS

No Earthquake In Peninsular Malaysia.
Only Tremor Is Felt.

BS8110 Horizontal Notional Loads >

Max. Tremor Force Of 0.01332g.
Existing Buildings Have Adequate
Lateral Resistance At This Moment.

Regular Building Configurations Have

Better Tremor Resistance.

Ductile Structural Design And Detailing

Will Help In Resisting The Tremor.
THANK YOU