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Fundamental Period

of a
Tall Building

An application of linear harmonic motion

Dr. Aamer Haque


June, 2008
Aon Center, Chicago

H =1136 ft

B=194 ft
●No published data found for the fundamental period of oscillation of the Aon Center
●Fundamental period can be estimated using model/material assumptions

●Will not require any information concerning wind loading conditions


Model Assumptions
 Linear Harmonic Motion
 Periodic motion
 Requires “spring” constant
 Linear Elastic Cantilever Beam
 Building deforms primarily in cantilever mode
 Models
 Continuous beam model
 Lumped mass truss model
 Effective Moment of Inertia
 Thin-walled tube
 Requires assumed wall thickness
Linear Harmonic Motion

Newton's 2nd Law: F =ma a= ü

Hooke's Law: F =−ku

Angular frequency: =
k
m  Period: T=
2

2nd Order differential equation Initial Conditions:


2
ü u=0 u0=u 0
u̇0=0
Solution:
ut =u0 cos t
Cantilever Beam Model

Wind Load Tip Deflection Oscillation


Spring Constant

Continuous Beam Model Truss Model

12.36 EI 3 EI
k= 3
k= 3
H H
Effective Moment of Inertia
●The building is not solid; entire cross-section does not resist bending
●Assume that the structure can be modeled as a thin-walled tube

●Must make an assumption for the thickness of the tube (assume 3 inches thick)

B=194 ft
B1=193.5 ft
a=0.25 ft
B B1
a Moment of Inertia:
4 4
B −B 1
I=
12
6 4
B I ≈1.21×10 ft
Building Mass
lb
Assumed specific weight for a steel building: =10 3
ft

ft
Gravitational acceleration: g=32 2
s

2
V  B H
Mass of the building: m= =
g g

6
m≈13.36×10 slugs
Truss Model - Fundamental Period

T=
2

=2
m
k 
T =2 BH
2

  1 1
g 3 E  I

6
E=29×10 psi

T ≈7 s

The fundamental period of oscillation is about 7 seconds


Truss Model - Dimensional Analysis

Define: = H
2

  1 1
g 3 E  I

  
2 lb s
2 2
ft 1 s
Dimension: = ft =
ft ft
2
lb ft
4 ft

2B 1
Period: T =2  B= Define: c=
c 

2 B=c T

The parameter c has the units of velocity and is the speed at which “information”
travels across the cross section and back during one period.

Does this make any physical sense?


Truss Model - More Dimensional Analysis
T =2 BH
2

  1 1
g 3 E  I
I ~B
4

Sound speed: c=
E
/ g
1 1 2 21 1
Period: T ~B H =B H
c B 4 c B2

T~
H
c    H
B

H/c = Time it takes for sound signal to propagate the height of the building
H/B = Ratio of building height to width
Truss Model - Validation

Data on tall buildings indicate the following approximate relationship:

T = N

0.05≤≤0.15
N = Number of floors

N =83
4.15 s≤T ≤12.45 s
Thus T=7 s is reasonable!
Conclusions
 Models provide “back on the envelope” calculations
 Continuous beam model would compute a value for
period that is about half that of the truss model
 Effective moment of inertia highly conjectural
 More accurate models require large amounts of
numerical computation
 Many degrees of freedom
 Nonlinearity
 Damping
References

Dym, Principles of Mathematical Modeling, 2nd Ed.,
Elsevier, 2004
 Mikhelson, Structural Engineering Formulas,
McGraw-Hill, 2004
 Newland, Mechanical Vibration, Analysis and
Computation, Dover, 2006
 Taranath, Structural Analysis and Design of Tall
Buildings, McGraw-Hill, 1988

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