Behaviour of Irregular Concrete Buildings under Seismic Forces

Abstract

The study of irregularities in a building is a fundamental parameter controlling the seismic response of buildings. From the past history of earthquakes, it is evident that the use of improper structural configurations with plan irregularities and soft storeys has decisive effects on the seismic performance of buildings. The buildings with abrupt changes in storey stiffness have uneven lateral force distribution along the height, which is likely to locally induce stress concentration. This has adverse effect on the performance of buildings and hence, is to be analysed for dynamic loads and designed carefully. An attempt has been made to arrive at a criterion for optimal seismic performance of irregular concrete buildings by conducting a comparative parametric study on various irregular buildings, considering drift as the crucial parameter affecting building performance and accounting for the stiffness changes induced due to variations in infill percentage.

Keywords: Dynamic, Irregular buildings, Seismic performance, Infill percentage, Storey drift.