Evaluation of Seismic Acceleration Demands on Building Nonstructural Elements
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 7
Abstract
As proven by several past earthquakes, seismic losses associated with nonstructural damage in modern buildings are likely to significantly exceed those associated with structural damage. Hence, to satisfactorily assess the overall seismic performance of a building and consequently the associated losses, it is paramount to properly account for the nonstructural damage through the adequate estimation of acceleration demands that are imposed on its acceleration-sensitive nonstructural elements in any one-floor level during an earthquake. Component acceleration amplification factors, , which measure how much the acceleration of a component is amplified relative to the peak floor acceleration are evaluated by floor motions recorded during earthquakes on instrumented buildings in the United States. The study shows that component amplification factors currently used in codes significantly underestimate acceleration demands for components whose periods are tuned or nearly tuned to modal periods of the supporting structure. Simplified equations are proposed to estimate component acceleration amplifications. The study also evaluates inelastic floor acceleration spectral ordinates. As a result of the filtering and amplification of the ground motion by the structure, the results show that even small levels of nonlinearity in the nonstructural element or its attachment to the structure lead to significant reductions in acceleration demands.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Data and models generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
This work was partially supported by the Applied Technology Council through the ATC-120 project “Seismic Analysis, Design, and Installation of Nonstructural Components and Systems - Background and Recommendations for Future Work” and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The substance of such work is dedicated to the public. Comments and suggestions by members of the project technical committee M. Phipps, J. Gillengerten, W. Holmes. B. Lizundia, R. Medina, and R. Pekelnicky are gratefully acknowledged. The authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of statements or interpretations contained in this publication. No warranty is offered with regard to the results, findings, and recommendations contained herein, either by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Applied Technology Council, its directors, members, or employees. These organizations and individuals do not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any of the information, product, or processes included in this publication.
References
Adam, C., and P. A. Fotiu. 2000. “Dynamic analysis of inelastic primary-secondary systems.” Eng. Struct. 22 (1): 58–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-0296(98)00073-X.
Anajafi, H., and R. A. Medina. 2018. “Evaluation of ASCE 7 equations for designing acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components using data from instrumented buildings.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 47 (4): 1075–1094. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.3006.
ASCE. 2017. Minimum design loads and associate criteria for buildings and other structures. ASCE/SEI 7-16. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Astroza, R., E. Pantoli, F. Selva, J. I. Restrepo, T. C. Hutchinson, and J. P. Conte. 2015. “Experimental evaluation of the seismic response of a rooftop-mounted cooling tower.” Earthquake Spectra 31 (3): 1567–1589. https://doi.org/10.1193/071513EQS205M.
Beck, J. L., and P. C. Jennings. 1980. “Structural identification using linear models and earthquake records.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 8 (2): 145–160. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.4290080205.
CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 2004. Eurocode 8: Design of structures for earthquake resistance. Part 1: General rules, seismic actions and rules for buildings. EN1998-1. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CESMD (Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data). 2018. “Data for latest earthquakes.” Accessed May 28, 2018. http://www.strongmotioncenter.org.
Fathali, S., and B. Lizundia. 2011. “Evaluation of current seismic design equations for nonstructural components in tall buildings using strong motion records.” Supplement, Struct. Des. Tall Spec. Build. 20 (S1): 30–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/tal.736.
Fierro, E. A., E. Miranda, and C. L. Perry. 2011. “Behavior of nonstructural components in recent earthquakes.” In Proc., AEI 2011: Building Integration Solutions, 369–377. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Filiatrault, A., and T. Sullivan. 2014. “Performance-based seismic design of nonstructural building components: The next frontier of earthquake engineering.” Supplement, Earthquake Eng. Eng. Vib. 13 (S1): 17–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-014-0238-9.
Flores, F. X., D. Lopez-Garcia, and F. A. Charney. 2015. “Assessment of floor accelerations in special steel moment frames.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 106 (Mar): 154–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2014.12.006.
ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials). 1927. 1927 Uniform building code. Whittier, CA: ICBO.
Li, Y., and S. T. Mau. 1991. “A case study of MIMO system identification applied to building seismic records.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 20 (11): 1045–1064. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.4290201106.
Lin, Y. Y., E. Miranda, and K. C. Chang. 2005. “Evaluation of damping reduction factors for estimating elastic response of structures with high damping.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 34 (11): 1427–1443. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.499.
Lucchini, A., P. Franchin, and F. Mollaioli. 2017. “Uniform hazard floor acceleration spectra for linear structures.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 46 (7): 1121–1140. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2847.
Lucchini, A., F. Mollaioli, and P. Bazzurro. 2014. “Floor response spectra for bare and infilled reinforced concrete frames.” J. Earthquake Eng. 18 (7): 1060–1082. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2014.916633.
Miranda, E. 1993. “Evaluation of site-dependent inelastic seismic design spectra.” J. Struct. Eng. 119 (5): 1319–1338. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1993)119:5(1319).
Miranda, E., and V. V. Bertero. 1991. “Evaluation of structural response factors using ground motions recorded during the Loma Prieta earthquake.” In Proc., CSMIP-1991. Sacramento, CA: California Dept. of Conservation.
Miranda, E., A. Kazantzi, and D. Vamvatsikos. 2018. “New approach to the design of acceleration-sensitive non-structural elements in buildings.” In Proc., 16th European Conf. on Earthquake Engineering. Thessaloniki, Greece: The European Association for Earthquake Engineering.
Miranda, E., G. Mosqueda, R. Retamales, and G. Pekcan. 2012. “Performance of nonstructural components during the 27 February 2010 Chile earthquake.” Supplement, Earthquake Spectra 28 (S1): 453–471. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.4000032.
Miranda, E., and S. Taghavi. 2009. “A comprehensive study of floor acceleration demands in multi-story buildings.” In Proc., ATC & SEI 2009 Conf. on Improving the Seismic Performance of Existing Buildings and Other Structures. San Francisco: Applied Technology Council and Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE.
Mylonakis, G., and G. Gazetas. 2000. “Seismic soil-structure interaction: Beneficial or detrimental?” J. Earthquake Eng. 4 (3): 277–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632460009350372.
Naeim, F. 2004. “Impact of the 1994 Northridge earthquake on the art and practice of structural engineering.” Struct. Des. Tall Special Build. 13 (5): 373–389. https://doi.org/10.1002/tal.280.
NIST. 2018. Recommendations for improved seismic performance of nonstructural components. Gaithersburg, MD: NIST.
Obando, J. C., and D. Lopez-Garcia. 2016. “Inelastic displacement ratios for nonstructural components subjected to floor accelerations.” J. Earthquake Eng. 22 (4): 569–594. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2016.1244131.
Ray-Chaudhuri, S., and T. C. Hutchinson. 2011. “Effect of nonlinearity of frame buildings on peak horizontal floor acceleration.” J. Earthquake Eng. 15 (1): 124–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632461003668046.
Sankaranarayanan, R., and R. A. Medina. 2007. “Acceleration response modification factors for nonstructural components attached to inelastic moment-resisting frame structures.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 36 (14): 2189–2210. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.724.
Sewell, R. T., C. A. Cornell, G. R. Toro, R. K. McGuire, R. P. Kassawara, A. Singh, and J. C. Stepp. 1987. “Factors influencing equipment response in linear and nonlinear structures.” In Vol. K2 of Proc., 9th Int. Conf. on Structural Mechanics and Reactor Technology, edited by F. H. Wittmann. Rotterdam, Netherlands: A.A.Balkema.
Soong, T. T. 1994. “Seismic behavior of nonstructural elements: State-of-art report.” In Proc., 10th European Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, 1599–1606. Vienna, Austria: The European Association for Earthquake Engineering.
Sullivan, T. J., P. M. Calvi, and R. Nascimbene. 2013. “Towards improved floor spectra estimates for seismic design.” Earthquakes Struct. 4 (1): 109–132. https://doi.org/10.12989/eas.2013.4.1.109.
Taghavi, S., and E. Miranda. 2005. Response assessment of nonstructural building elements.. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Berkeley.
Taghavi, S., and E. Miranda. 2006. Probabilistic Seismic Assessment of Floor Acceleration Demands in Multi-Story Buildings. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ.
Taghavi, S., and E. Miranda. 2008. “Effect of interaction between primary and secondary systems on floor response spectra.” In Proc., 14th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, 12–17. Beijing: International Association for Earthquake Engineering.
Villaverde, R. 2006. “Simple method to estimate the seismic nonlinear response of nonstructural components in buildings.” Eng. Struct. 28 (8): 1209–1221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2005.11.016.
Vukobratović, V., and P. Fajfar. 2016. “A method for the direct estimation of floor acceleration spectra for elastic and inelastic MDOF structures.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 45 (15): 2495–2511. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2779.
Wang, X., T. C. Hutchinson, R. Astroza, J. P. Conte, J. I. Restrepo, M. S. Hoehler, and W. Ribeiro. 2017. “Shake table testing of an elevator system in a full-scale five-story building.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 46 (3): 391–407. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2793.
Watkins, D. A., L. Chiu, T. C. Hutchinson, and M. S. Hoehler. 2009. Survey and characterization of floor and wall mounted mechanical and electrical equipment in buildings.. San Diego: Univ. of California, San Diego.
Wieser, J., G. Pekcan, A. E. Zaghi, A. Itani, and M. Maragakis. 2013. “Floor accelerations in yielding special moment resisting frame structures.” Earthquake Spectra 29 (3): 987–1002. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.4000167.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 7 • July 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 18, 2019
Accepted: Jan 27, 2020
Published online: Apr 21, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 21, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.