Title: Effect of Deflection on Pounding of Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Author(s): Y. L. Mo and H. C. Lai

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 161

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 97-112

Keywords: buildings; collisions; damage; damping; deflection; earthquake-resistant structures; models; reinforced concrete; stiffness; Structural Research

DOI: 10.14359/1443

Date: 4/1/1996

Abstract:
Although structures with elastic response are fairly well understood, structures with inelastic response are more difficult to analyze. Furthermore, in studies of inelastic response, attention has generally been paid to the response of reinforced concrete structures with relatively little attention being given to pounding of reinforced concrete buildings. Generally, the mutual collisions, or pounding, result from excessive deflections of adjacent buildings. In this paper, an algorithm is described for computing the pounding response of reinforced concrete buildings. In this situation, the buildings are idealized as two-dimensional multi-degree-of-freedom systems with nonlinear force-deformation characteristics. Collision between adjacent masses can occur at any level and are simulated by means of impact elements. Using real earthquake motions, the effect of deflection is investigated. In this study, the following conclusions are found. 1. Pounding can cause high overstresses, mainly when the colliding buildings have excessive deflections. 2. The code-specified separation distance is adequate to prevent pounding. 3. Pounding problems of adjacent buildings with large difference in mass are common.