• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.137-148
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• 2019

Korean piloti-type buildings are comprised of pilotis in the first story and shear walls in the upper stories. This vertical irregularity causes excessive lateral plastic deformation on the first story while the upper stories stay elastic. Meanwhile, asymmetric position of structural components such as core walls and columns of RC piloti-type buildings tends to produce torsional irregularities of the structures. Korean Building Code(KBC2016) requires the special seismic load and torsional amplification factor to apply to the piloti-type buildings lower than six-story or 20m if it has vertical and torsional irregularities when the building corresponds to seismic design category C or D. Many Korean low-rised RC buildings fall into the class. Therefore, the special earthquake load and torsional amplification factor are often applied to a building simultaneously. However, it has not been studied enough how much influence each parameter has on buildings with vertical and torsional irregularities at the same time. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of factor special seismic load and torsional amplification on seismic performance of irregular buildings. In this study, a damaged 4^th story piloti-type building by the Pohang earthquake was selected and the earthquake response analysis was carried out with various seismic design methods by the KBC 2016. The effect of the design parameters on seismic performance was analyzed by the dynamic analysis of models with special seismic load and torsional amplification factor based on the selected building. It was concluded that the application of the torsional amplification factor to the reference model to which special seismic design was applied, does not significantly affect the seismic performance.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.67-74
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• 2010

Because of the difference between the actual and computed eccentricity of buildings, symmetrical buildings will be affected by torsion. In provisions, accidental eccentricity is intended to cover the effect of several factors, such as unfavorable distributions of dead- and live-load masses and the rotational component of ground motion about a vertical axis. The torsional amplification factor is introduced to reduce the vulnerability of torsionally imbalanced buildings. The effect of the torsional amplification factor is observed for a symmetric rectangular building with various aspect ratios, where the seismic-force-resisting elements are positioned at a variable distance from the geometrical center in each direction. For verifying the torsional amplification factor in provisions, nonlinear reinforced concrete models with various eccentricities and aspect ratios are used in rock. The difference between the maximum displacements of the flexible edge obtained between using nonlinear static and time-history analysis is very small but the difference between the maximum torsional angles is large.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.33-40
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• 2012

To reduce the vulnerability of torsional irregular buildings caused by seismic loads, the torsional amplification factor was introduced by the seismic code. This factor has been applied differently in a variety of seismic codes. In this study, the final static eccentricity, and the lateral and torsional stiffness ratios of buildings designed with different design eccentricities were compared. The increment of the torsional amplification factor resulted in a decrement of the final static eccentricity of the building. However, after reaching the maximum value of this factor, the final static eccentricity of the building increased again. The final static eccentricity of the building designed by multiplying the sum of the inherent and accidental eccentricity by the torsional amplification factor was zero or had a minus value, depending to the position of the vertical element.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.283-295
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• 2022

Seismic design codes permit the use of Equivalent Static Analysis of buildings considering torsional eccentricity e with dynamic amplification factors on structural eccentricity and some accidental eccentricity. Estimation of e in buildings is not addressed in codes. This paper presents a simple approximate method to estimate e in RC Moment Frame and RC Structural Wall buildings, which required no detailed structural analysis. The method is validated by 3D analysis (using commercial structural analysis software) of a spectrum of building. Results show that dynamic amplification factor should be applied on torsional eccentricity when performing Response Spectrum Analysis also. Also, irregular or mixed modes of oscillation arise in torsionally unsymmetrical buildings owing to poor geometric distribution of mass and stiffness in plan, which is captured by the mass participation ratio. These irregular modes can be avoided in buildings of any plan geometry by limiting the two critical parameters (normalised torsional eccentricity e/B and Natural Period Ratio 𝜏 =T_𝜃/T, where B is building lateral dimension, T_𝜃 uncoupled torsional natural period and T uncoupled translational natural period). Suggestions are made for new building code provisions.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-260
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• 2021

Torsional response of buildings is attributed to poor structural configurations in plan, which arises due to two factors - torsional eccentricity and torsional flexibility. Usually, building codes address effects due to the former. This study examines both of these effects. Buildings with torsional eccentricity (e.g., those with large eccentricity) and with torsional flexibility (those with torsional mode as a fundamental mode) demand large deformations of vertical elements resisting lateral loads, especially those along the building perimeter in plan. Lateral-torsional responses are studied of unsymmetrical buildings through elastic and inelastic analyses using idealised single-storey building models (with two degrees of freedom). Displacement demands on vertical elements distributed in plan are non-uniform and sensitive to characteristics of both structure and earthquake ground motion. Limits are proposed to mitigate lateral-torsional effects, which guides in proportioning vertical elements and restricts amplification of lateral displacement in them and to avoid torsional mode as the first mode. Nonlinear static and dynamic analyses of multi-storey buildings are used to validate the limits proposed.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 2020

In this paper, the ASCE 7 equivalent static approach for seismic design of non-structural elements is critically evaluated based on the measured floor acceleration data, theory of structural dynamics, and linear/nonlinear dynamic analysis of three-dimensional building models. The analysis of this study on the up-to-date database of the instrumented buildings in California clearly reveals that the measured database does not well corroborate the magnitude and the profile of the floor acceleration as proposed by ASCE 7. The basic flaws in the equivalent static approach are illustrated using elementary structural dynamics. Based on the linear and nonlinear dynamic analyses of three-dimensional case study buildings, it is shown that the magnitude and distribution of the PFA (peak floor acceleration) can significantly be affected by the supporting structural characteristics such as fundamental period, higher modes, structural nonlinearity, and torsional irregularity. In general, the equivalent static approach yields more conservative acceleration demand as building period becomes longer, and the PFA distribution in long-period buildings tend to become constant along the building height due to the higher mode effect. Structural nonlinearity was generally shown to reduce floor acceleration because of its period-lengthening effect. Torsional floor amplification as high as 250% was observed in the building model of significant torsional irregularity, indicating the need for inclusion of the torsional amplification to the equivalent static approach when building torsion is severe. All these results lead to the conclusion that, if permitted, dynamic methods which can account for supporting structural characteristics, should be preferred for rational seismic design of non-structural elements.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.443-462
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• 2015

Some model building codes stipulate that the design displacement of a building can be computed using the elastic static analysis results multiplied by the deflection amplification factor, $C_d$. This approach for estimating the design displacement is essential and appealing in structural engineering practice when nonlinear response history analysis (NRHA) is not required. Furthermore, building codes stipulate the consideration of accidental torsion effects using accidental eccentricity, whether the buildings are symmetric-plan, or asymmetric-plan. In some model building codes, the accidental eccentricity is further amplified by the torsional amplification factor $A_x$ in order to minimize the discrepancy between statically and dynamically estimated responses. Therefore, this warrants exploration of the reliability of statically estimated design displacements in accordance with the building code requirements. This study uses the discrepancy curves as a way of assessing the reliability of the design displacement estimates resulting from the factors $C_d$ and $A_x$. The discrepancy curves show the exceedance probabilities of the differences between the statically estimated design displacements and NRHA results. The discrepancy curves of 3-story, 9-story, and 20-story example buildings are investigated in this study. The example buildings are steel special moment frames with frequency ratios equal to 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6, as well as existing eccentricity ratios ranging from 0% to 30%.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.237-243
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• 2013

In the Korean Building Code (KBC), the Design Eccentricity involves the torsional amplification factor (TAF), and the inherent and accidental eccentricities. When a structure of less than 6-stories and assigned to seismic design category C or D is designed using equivalent static analysis method, both KBC-2006 and KBC-2009 use the TAF but apply different calculation methods for the of design eccentricity. The design eccentricity in KBC-2006 is calculated by multiplying the sum of inherent eccentricity and accidental eccentricity at each level by a TAF but that in KBC-2009 is calculated by multiplying only the accidental eccentricity by a TAF. In this paper, the damage indices of a building with planar structural irregularity designed by different design eccentricities are compared and the relationship between the earthquake damage and design eccentricity of the building is evaluated. On the basis of this study, the increment of design eccentricity results in the decrement of final eccentricity and global damage index of structure. It is observed that design eccentricity in KBC-2006 reduces the vulnerability of torsional irregular building compared to design eccentricity in KBC-2009.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2002

It is well known that torsionally unbalanced buildings are more vulnerable to earthquake hazards than are the regular structural systems. In this paper, a parametric investigation is presented, in order to observe the amplification in the internal forces, when increased eccentricities are used instead of the ones corresponding to the 5% accidental eccentricity. A series of five, ten-story framed and walled structures, with rather high torsional irregularity coefficients, are selected and a numerical test procedure is applied. Numerical results show that the maximum amplification in the internal forces at the most critical beams and columns at the flexible sides of the structures is about 10%. It is concluded that, more serious measures in the codes are needed in the case of this rather dangerous type of irregularity.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-35
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• 2000

Dynamic response of a three span continuous bridge has been determined by full scale experiments on the bridge. In the experiments, a heavy vehicle was driven across the bridge at different speeds and along different lanes of travel and the strains were recorded at different locations. The bridge was made of reinforced concrete and was asymmetric in plan and in elevation. Frequencies and modes of vibration excited by the vehicle were determined. The dependence of the dynamic amplification on bridge location and vehicle speed was investigated and dynamic amplifications up to 1.5 were recorded, which was higher than values predicted by bridge design codes. It was evident that when this asymmetric bridge was loaded by an asymmetric forcing function, higher modes, which are lateral and/or torsional in nature, were excited. Dynamic modulus of elasticity and the support stiffness influenced the natural frequencies of the bridge, which in turn influenced the dynamic amplifications. Larger than anticipated dynamic amplification factors and the excitation of lateral and/or torsional modes should be of interest and concern to bridge engineers.