Collision Shear Walls to Mitigate Seismic Pounding of Adjacent Buildings

Abstract eng:
The use of collision shear walls (bumper-type), acting transversely to the side subject to pounding as a measure to minimize damage of reinforced concrete buildings in contact, is investigated using 5-story building models. Due to story height differences potential pounding in case of an earthquake will occur between floor slabs, a case specifically chosen because this is when pounding can turn out to be catastrophic. The investigation is carried out using non linear dynamic analyses for real earthquake motions and also a solution for triangular dynamic force of short duration, comparable to the forces caused by pounding. The effects of pounding are expressed in terms of changes in rotational ductility factors of the building elements and in terms of stresses in the collision walls. Results indicate that pounding will cause instantaneous acceleration pulses in the colliding buildings and will increase somewhat ductility demands in the members of the top floor, but all within tolerable limits. At the same time the collision walls will suffer repairable local damage at the points of impact, but will effectively protect both buildings from collapse, which could occur if columns were in the place of the walls.

• Export as: BibTeX | MARC | MARCXML | DC | EndNote | NLM | RefWorks
• Add to your basket