SEISMIC DESIGN

BLDG. TECH- 05 | BS ARCH- 3 | OLOGAR

Seismic analysis
a subset of structural analysis
and is the calculation of the
response of a building (or non-
building) structure to
earthquakes. It is part of the
process of structural design,
earthquake engineering or
structural assessment and
retrofit in regions where
earthquakes are prevalent
First and second modes of building
seismic response
As seen in the figure, a building has the potential
to ‘wave’ back and forth during an earthquake (or
even a severe wind storm). This is called the
‘fundamental mode’, and is the lowest frequency of
building response. Most buildings, however, have
higher modes of response, which are uniquely
activated during earthquakes. The figure just
shows the second mode, but there are higher
‘shimmy’ (abnormal vibration) modes.
Nevertheless, the first and second modes tend to
cause the most damage in most cases.
Seismic Design Principles
essence of successful seismic design is
three-fold
 the design team must take a multi-hazard approach towards design
that accounts for the potential impacts of seismic forces as well as all
the major hazards to which an area is vulnerable.
 performance-based requirements, which may exceed the minimum
life safety requirements of current seismic codes, must be
established to respond appropriately to the threats and risks posed
by natural hazards on the building's mission and occupants.
 as important as the others, because earthquake forces are dynamic
and each building responds according to its own design complexity,
it is essential that the design team work collaboratively and have a
common understanding of the terms and methods used in the
seismic design process.
general rule

 buildings designed to resist earthquakes

should also resist blast (terrorism) or wind,
suffering less damage
Effects of Earthquakes on Buildings
Earthquakes generate waves that may be slow and long, or
short and abrupt. All objects, including buildings, have a
natural or fundamental period at which they vibrate if jolted by
a shock. The natural period is a primary consideration for
seismic design, although other aspects of the building design
may also contribute to a lesser degree to the mitigation
measures. If the period of the shock wave and the natural
period of the building coincide, then the building will "resonate"
and its vibration will increase or "amplify" several times.
Height is the main determinant of fundamental period—each
object has its own fundamental period at which it will vibrate.
The period is proportionate to the height of the building.
Tall buildings will undergo several modes of
vibration, but for seismic purposes (except for very
tall buildings) the fundamental period, or first mode
is usually the most significant
 Seismic Design Factors
• Torsion: Objects and buildings have a center of mass, a point by
which the object (building) can be balanced without rotation
occurring.
• Damping: Damping is a rate at which natural vibration is
absorbed.
• Ductility: characteristic of a material (such as steel) to bend, flex,
or move, but fails only after considerable deformation has occurred.
• Strength and Stiffness: a property of material to resist and
bear applied forces within a safe limit AND degree of resistance to
deflection or drift (drift being a horizontal story-to-story relative
displacement).
• Building Configuration: a building's size and shape, and
structural and nonstructural elements.
Regular Configuration
• buildings have Shear Walls or Moment-Resistant Frames or
Braced Frames and generally have:

• Low Height to Base Ratios

• Equal Floor Heights
• Symmetrical Plans
• Uniform Sections and Elevations
• Maximum Torsional Resistance
• Short Spans and Redundancy
• Direct Load Paths
Irregular Configuration

Buildings seldom overturn—they

fall apart or "pancake"
Seismic Design Strategies and Devices
• Diaphragms: Floors and roofs can be used as rigid horizontal planes, or diaphragms,
to transfer lateral forces to vertical resisting elements such as walls or frames.

• Shear Walls: Strategically located stiffened walls are shear walls and are capable of
transferring lateral forces from floors and roofs to the foundation.

• Braced Frames: Vertical frames that transfer lateral loads from floors and roofs to
foundations. Like shear walls, Braced Frames are designed to take lateral loads but are
used where shear walls are impractical.

• Moment-Resistant Frames: Column/beam joints in moment-resistant frames are

designed to take both shear and bending thereby eliminating the space limitations of
solid shear walls or braced frames. The column/beam joints are carefully designed to be
stiff yet to allow some deformation for energy dissipation taking advantage of the
ductility of steel (reinforced concrete can be designed as a Moment-Resistant Frame as
well).
 Eccentric Braced
Frame, with link
beams

Concentric Braced
Frame
• Energy-Dissipating Devices:

• Making the building structure more resistive will increase shaking which
may damage the contents or the function of the building. Energy-
Dissipating Devices are used to minimize shaking. Energy will dissipate if
ductile materials deform in a controlled way. An example is Eccentric
Bracing whereby the controlled deformation of framing members
dissipates energy. However, this will not eliminate or reduce damage to
building contents. A more direct solution is the use of energy dissipating
devices that function like shock absorbers in a moving car. The period of
the building will be lengthened and the building will "ride out" the shaking
within a tolerable range.
 Passive Energy Dissipation includes the
introduction of devices such as dampers
to dissipate earthquake energy
producing friction or deformation

Base Isolation Bearings are used to

modify the transmission of the
forces from the ground to the
building
types of dampers
• used to mitigate seismic effects, including:
• Hysteric dampers utilize the deformation of metal parts
• Visco-elastic dampers stretch an elastomer in combination
with metal parts
• Frictive dampers use metal or other surfaces in friction
• Viscous dampers compress a fluid in a piston-like device
• Hybrid dampers utilize the combination of elastomeric and
metal or other parts