Database-assisted Seismic Analysis of Tall Buildings Subjected to Long Predominant Period Vrancea Earthquakes

Abstract

Facing the new economic environment and public needs, there is an exploratory concern to develop modern tall building structures in Romania. The seismic hazard generated from the Vrancea source is the major concern for the practitioners, especially due to medium-soft soil conditions in the Bucharest-city. Tall buildings therefore might have the highest exposure to significant damage as well as economical and human losses.
The integrated seismic performance analysis system is an unitary format that allows (1) performing the seismic response analysis, energy balance-based analysis, fragility and seismic risk analyses, by using the time series of real/scaled/simulated earthquake ground motions and the induced effects (stresses, efforts, strains, displacements, velocities, accelerations, forces, energies), (2) the design of the structural elements and connections in a straightforward and transparent manner and (3) getting higher performance structures, safer and cost effective. This format becomes much more important in the case of irregular structures, having plan and elevation complex shape, in which the main directions of motion are not obvious.
The paper investigates the applicability of such procedure that makes it possible to estimate the earthquake-induced effects in tall buildings, at a higher level of automation and transparency. Seismic response analyses of a 60 story typical building subjected to long predominant period ground motions are conducted and the main results are emphasized.