• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-87
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• 2014

Interaction between closely-spaced buildings subject to earthquake induced strong ground motions, termed in the literature as "seismic pounding", occurs commonly during major seismic events in contemporary congested urban environments. Seismic pounding is not taken into account by current codes of practice and is rarely considered in practice at the design stage of new buildings constructed "in contact" with existing ones. Thus far, limited research work has been devoted to quantify the influence of slab-to-slab pounding on the inelastic seismic demands at critical locations of structural members in adjacent structures that are not aligned in series. In this respect, this paper considers a typical case study of a "new" reinforced concrete (R/C) EC8-compliant, torsionally sensitive, 7-story corner building constructed within a block, in bi-lateral contact with two existing R/C 5-story structures with same height floors. A non-linear local plasticity numerical model is developed and a series of non-linear time-history analyses is undertaken considering the corner building "in isolation" from the existing ones (no-pounding case), and in combination with the existing ones (pounding case). Numerical results are reported in terms of averages of ratios of peak inelastic rotation demands at all structural elements (beams, columns, shear walls) at each storey. It is shown that seismic pounding reduces on average the inelastic demands of the structural members at the lower floors of the 7-story building. However, the discrepancy in structural response of the entire block due to torsion-induced, bi-directionally seismic pounding is substantial as a result of the complex nonlinear dynamics of the coupled building block system.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2018

Floor location of adjacent buildings may be different in terms of height elevation, and thus, the slab may hit on the columns of adjacent insufficiently separated buildings during severe ground motions. Such impacts, often referred to as mid-column pounding, can be catastrophic. Substantial pounding damage or even total collapse of structures was often observed in large amount of adjacent low rise buildings. The research on the mid-column pounding between low rise buildings is in urgency need. In present study, the responses of two adjacent low rise buildings with unequal heights and different dynamic properties have been analyzed. Parametric studies have also been conducted to assess the influence of story height difference, gap distance and input direction of ground motion on the effect of structural pounding response. Another emphasis of this study is to analyze the near-fault effect, which is important for the structures located in the near-fault area. The analysis results show that collisions exhibit significant influence on the local shear force response of the column suffering impact. Because of asymmetric configuration of systems, the structural seismic behavior is distinct by varying the incident directions of the ground motions. Results also show that near-fault earthquakes induced ground motions can cause more significant effect on the pounding responses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.2
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• pp.293-304
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• 2021

Structural failure due to seismic pounding between two adjacent buildings is one of the major concerns in the context of structural damage. Pounding between adjacent structures is a commonly observed phenomenon during major earthquakes. When modelling the structural response, stiffness of impact spring elements is considered to be one of the most important parameters when the impact force during collision of adjacent buildings is calculated. Determining valid and realistic stiffness values is essential in numerical simulations of pounding forces between adjacent buildings in order to achieve reasonable results. Several impact model stiffness values have been presented by various researchers to simulate pounding forces between adjacent structures. These values were mathematically calculated or estimated. In this study, a linear spring impact element model is used to simulate the pounding forces between two adjacent structures. An experimental model reported in literature was adopted to investigate the effect of different impact element stiffness k on the force intensity and number of impacts simulated by Finite Element (FE) analysis. Several numerical analyses have been conducted using SAP2000 and the collected results were used for further mathematical evaluations. The results of this study concluded the major factors that may actualise the stiffness value for impact element models. The number of impacts and the maximum impact force were found to be the core concept for finding the optimal range of stiffness values. For the experimental model investigated, the range of optimal stiffness values has also been presented and discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.113-136
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• 2009

The seismic induced interaction between multistory structures with unequal story heights (inter-story pounding) is studied taking into account the local response of the exterior beam-column joints. Although several parameters that influence the structural pounding have been studied sofar, the role of the joints local inelastic behaviour has not been yet investigated in the literature as key parameter for the pounding problem. Moreover, the influence of the infill panels as an additional parameter for the local damage effect of the joints on the inter-story pounding phenomenon is examined. Thirty six interaction cases between a multistory frame structure and an adjacent shorter and stiffer structure are studied for two different seismic excitations. The results are focused: (a) on the local response of the critical external column of the multistory structure that suffers the hit from the slab of the adjacent shorter structure, and (b) on the local response of the exterior beam-column joints of the multistory structure. Results of this investigation demonstrate that the possible local inelastic response of the exterior joints may be in some cases beneficial for the seismic behaviour of the critical column that suffers the impact. However, in all the examined cases the developing demands for deformation of the exterior joints are substantially increased and severe damages can be observed due to the pounding effect. The presence of the masonry infill panels has also been proved as an important parameter for the response of the exterior beam-column joints and thus for the safety of the building. Nevertheless, in all the examined inter-story pounding cases the presence of the infills was not enough for the total amelioration of the excessive demands for shear and ductility of the column that suffers the impact.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.193-202
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• 2018

This paper studied the probability of pounding occurred between decks and abutments of a long span high-pier continuous rigid fame bridge subjected to ground motions with local soil effect. A pounding probability analysis methodology has been proposed using peak acceleration at bedrock as intensity measure (IM) for multi-support seismic analysis. The bridge nonlinear finite element (FE) models was built with four different separation distances. Effect of actual site condition and non-uniform spatial soil profiles on seismic wave propagating from bedrock to ground surface is modelled. Pounding probability of the high-pier bridge under multi-support seismic excitations (MSSE) is analyzed based on the nonlinear incremental dynamic analysis (n-IDA). Pounding probability results under uniform excitations (UE) without actual local site effect are compared with that under MSSE with site effect. The study indicates that the required design separation length between deck and abutment under uniform excitations is larger than that under MSSE as the peak acceleration at bedrock increases. As the increase of both separation distance between deck and abutment and the peak acceleration, the probability of pounding occurred at a single abutment or at two abutments simultaneously under MSSE is less than that under UE. It is of great significance considering actual local site effect for determining the separation distance between deck and abutment through the probability pounding analysis of the high-pier bridge under MSSE.

• KCI Concrete Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2001

This paper presents the results of a study on the effects of pounding at expansion joints of concrete bridges under earthquake ground motions. An engineering approach, rather than continuum mechanics, is emphasized. First, the sensitivity analysis of the gap element stiffness is performed. Second, usefulness of the analysis method for simulation of pounding phenomena is demonstrated. Third, the effects of pounding on the ductility demands measured in terms of the rotation of column ends are investigated. Two-dimensional FE analysis using a bilinear hysterestic model for bridge substructure joints and a nonlinear gap element for the expansion joint is performed on a realistic bridge with an expansion joint. Effects of the primary factors on the ductility demand such as gap sizes and characteristics of earthquake ground motion are investigated through a parametric study. The major conclusions are that pounding effect is generally negligible on the ductility demand for wide practical ranges of gap size and peak ground acceleration, but is potentially significant at the locations of impact.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2014

This paper examines the pounding problem between adjacent decks subjected to strong earthquakes. The elastomeric bearings in an isolated bridge reduce the stresses on the superstructure and cushion the impact by transferring smaller seismic forces to the substructure. On the other hand, these bearings also allow large horizontal displacement of the superstructure due to seismic forces. Bridges having various supporting soil conditions and different frequency ratios between adjacent decks are investigated by numerical analysis. In the analysis, decision making is conducted whether the collision took place or not and, the magnitude of pounding force and the duration time of collision are obtained and the results are discussed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2018

Under strong ground motion, pounding can be caused because of the different dynamic properties between two adjacent buildings. Using different structural systems in two adjacent structures makes a difference in the lateral stiffness and thus changes the pounding force between them. In this paper, the effect of the structural system of adjacent buildings on the amount of force applied by pounding effects has been investigated. Moment resisting frame systems (MRFs), lateral X-bracing system (LBS), shear wall system (SWS) and dual system (DS) have been investigated. Four different cases has been modelled using finite element (FE) method. The number of stories of the two adjacent buildings is different in each case: case 1 with 6 and 4 stories, case 2 with 9 and 6 stories, case 3 with 15 and 6 stories and case 4 with 10 and 10 stories. The structures have been modelled three-dimensionally. Non-linear time history analysis has been done on the structures using the finite element software SAP2000. In order to model pounding effects, the non-linear gap elements have been used.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.247-258
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• 2023

Multiple pounding tuned rolling mass damper (MPTRMD) distributed in the cavity of voided slabs is proposed to passively control multi-story frame structures, which disperses the mass of the oscillator to multiple dampers so that the control device can be miniaturized without affecting the vibration control performance. The mechanism and the differential motion equations of the MPTRMD-controlled multi-degree-of-freedom system are derived based on the Lagrange principle. Afterward, this advanced RMD is applied to a simplified 20-floor steel frame to evaluate the seismic control performance in the numerical analysis. A four-storey frame structure equipped with MPTRMD is then taken for a shaking table test to verify its effectiveness of control performance. The pounding mechanism has been detailed studied numerically and experimentally as well. The numerical and experimental results show that the proposed damper is practically promising not only for its prominent control performance but also for its lightweight and space-saving. Additionally, the pounding mechanism influenced by the variable impact parameters exhibits a balance between the two effects of motional limitations and energy dissipation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.1
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• pp.29-48
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• 2023

Pounding happens when contiguous structures with differing heights vibrate out of line caused by a seismic activity. The situation is aggravated due to the insufficient separation gap between the structures which can lead to the crashing of the buildings or total collapse of an edifice. Countries around the world have compiled building standards to address the pounding issue. One of the strategies recommended is the introduction of the separation gap between structures. AS1170.4-2007 is an Australian standard that requires 1% of the building height as a minimum separation gap between buildings to preclude pounding. This article presents experimental and numerical tests to determine the adequacy of this specification to prevent the occurrence of seismic pounding between steel frame structures under near-field and far-field earthquakes. The results indicated that the recommended minimum separation gap based on the Australian Standard is inaccurate if low-rise structure in a coupled case is utilised under both near and far field earthquakes. The standard is adequate if a tall building is involved but only when a far-field earthquake happens. The research likewise presents results derived by using the ABS and SRSS methods.