IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering | Volume 3 | Issue 03 | September 2016

ISSN (online): 2349-784X

Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant

Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators
Devi Sreenivas
M. Tech. Student
Department of Civil Engineering
Saintgits College of Engineering, Kottayam Kerala, India

Ancy Mathew
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Saintgits College of Engineering, Kottayam Kerala, India

Abstract
During earthquakes, the strain energy released imparts lateral forces to the buildings and hence the buildings need to be designed
to withstand these forces. Thus earthquake resistant design became an important area of concern. The conventional method was
to make a structure stiffer but since a few decades the concept of the base isolation techniques has been in practise. The studies
on the seismic behaviour of buildings showed that the buildings with asymmetry have more chance to get collapsed during an
earthquake. This paper presents a study on the seismic response of various plan irregular buildings under different base isolation
techniques by carrying out a response spectrum analysis on the building models using ETABS 2015. This paper studies various
parameters such as total base shear force, storey acceleration, displacement and time period of a building with respect to the
fixed base and isolated base (friction pendulum and lead rubber bearing isolator). The study also compares the performance of
three irregular buildings with L- shape, T- shape and plus shape in plan with same area. The study concluded that the
incorporation of isolator mechanism reduced the storey drift, acceleration and base shear values. The study indicated that the plus
shaped building offers better performance when compared to the other models.
Keywords: Base Isolation, Friction Pendulum System, Re-Entrant Corners, Response Spectrum, ETABS
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I.

INTRODUCTION

Earthquakes are one of the main natural hazards that cause enormous damage to buildings and property. The earthquake, in a
sense doesnt kill people but buildings do. Thus the buildings need to be seismic resistant for providing safety to life and
property. Base isolators are installed between the superstructure and the foundation thus the amount of vibration transferred to
the superstructure can be considerably reduced. It is because they imparts flexibility in the horizontal direction and thus deflects
it through the dynamics of the system. So the concept of base isolation has been widely in use since a few decades.
The inferences from the studies carried out on the performance of buildings during earthquake showed that irregular buildings
were more vulnerable to collapse than symmetric buildings. But in the present scenario, the constructions of irregular buildings
have become inevitable. Therefore, the present study is conducted to understand the structural behaviour of plan irregular base
isolated buildings in comparison to fixed base irregular building under seismic loading. It is recommended that for analysis of
plan irregular buildings dynamic analysis needs to be carried out and hence response spectrum method of analysis was done
utilizing software ETABS 2015 (version 15.0.0).
II. MODELLING AND ANALYSIS
Modeling of the irregular buildings was done using the software ETABS 2015. Three models with re-entrant corners (L shaped,
T shaped and plus shaped) having the same plan area were considered for the study. Also, the performance of these buildings
under different isolation techniques, namely Friction Pendulum System (FPS) and Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB) isolator was
studied. Thus six different models associated with the study are as follows:
Model I: Plus- shaped Building with Fixed Base
Model II: Plus- shaped Building with FPS isolator
Model III: Plus- shaped Building with LRB isolator
Model IV: T- shaped Building with Fixed Base
Model V: T- shaped Building with FPS isolator
Model VI: T- shaped Building with LRB isolator
Model VII: L- shaped Building with Fixed Base
Model VIII: L- shaped Building with FPS isolator
Model IX: L- shaped Building with LRB isolator

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Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators

(IJSTE/ Volume 3 / Issue 03 / 020)

Building Description
Three G+6 storied buildings with typical floor height 3m was considered for the present study. The structural material was
assumed to be isotropic and homogenous. The slab elements were modeled as rigid diaphragm.
Table - 1
Building Data
Column Size
Beam Size
Plinth Beam Size
Slab Thickness
Wall Thickness
Characteristics Strength of Concrete fck
Grade of Steel fy
Poissons ratio of concrete
Poissons ratio of masonry
Density of Concrete

500mm x 500mm
300mm x 500mm
500mm x 500 mm
150 mm
230 mm
30
415
0.15
0.16
25 kN/m3

The modulus of elastcity of the concrete is given by 5000(fck) 0.5. The building was assumed to be located on a medium type
soil with zone factor 0.36. The building had an importance factor 1 and the response reduction factor was taken as 5. Response
Spectrum Method of analysis was performed using design spectrum specified in I.S. 1893(Part1):2002. The loads acting on
various rooms and passages were taken according to the specification given in IS 875(part 2). The plan and 3D model of the
buildings are given below:

Fig. 1: Plan and 3D Model of Plus- shaped Building

Fig. 2: Plan and 3D Model of T- shaped Building

Fig. 3: Plan and 3D Model of L- shaped Building

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Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators

(IJSTE/ Volume 3 / Issue 03 / 020)

Properties of FPS and LRB Isolators

The isolators were modelled as spring elements (point springs) in ETABS 2015 and their properties were given in Link
Properties. The properties of the friction pendulum system isolator and lead rubber bearing isolator was referred from
Torunbalci1 and G. Ozpalanlar octo.12-17(2008), based on which they are enlisted below in table 2 and table 3.
Table - 2
Properties of Friction Pendulum System Isolator
U1 Linear Effective Stiffness
15000000 kN/m
U1 Nonlinear Effective Stiffness
15000000 kN/m
U2 and U3 Linear Effective Stiffness
750 kN/m
U2 and U3 Nonlinear Stiffness
15000 kN/m
U2 and U3 Friction Coefficient, Slow
0.03
U2 and U3 Friction Coefficient, Fast
0.05
U2 and U3 Rate Parameter
40
U2 Radius of Sliding Surface
2.23
Table - 3
Properties of Lead Rubber Bearing Isolator
U1 Linear Effective Stiffness
15000000 kN/m
U2 and U3 Linear Effective Stiffness
800 kN/m
U2 and U3 Nonlinear Stiffness
2500 kN/m
U2 and U3 Yield Strength
80 kN
U2 and U3 Post Yield Stiffness Ratio
0.1
PYSR
0.1

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results of analysis conducted are discussed in detail. The parameters such as modal period, lateral displacement, storey drift,
storey acceleration, and base shear were compared.
Modal Analysis
Modal participation factor of mode k of vibration is the amount by which mode k contributes to the overall vibration of the
structure under horizontal and vertical earthquake ground motions. Since the amplitudes of 95 percent mode shapes can be scaled
arbitrarily, the value of this factor depends on the scaling used for mode shapes. The number of modes to be used in the analysis
should be such that the sum total of modal masses of all modes considered is at least 90 percent of the total seismic mass and
missing mass correction beyond 33 percent. The following tables shows the value of mass participating ratio for model I, model
IV and model VI considered for the study. The mode 1 corresponds to the displacement in X-direction, mode 2 represents the
displacement in Y- direction whereas mode 3 represents the torsion.
Table - 4
Time Period and Modal Mass Participating Ratio of model I
Modal Mass Participating Ratio
Mode Time Period Frequency
X-Trans
Y-Trans
Rz-Rot
1
0.797
1.255
0.0014
0.6205
0.1905
2
0.786
1.272
0.0289
0.1392
0.043
3
0.781
1.281
0.7348
0.0016
0.0005
Sum of 12 Modes
90.53
90.52
90.35
Table - 5
Time Period and Modal Mass Participating Ratio of model IV
Modal Mass Participating Ratio
Mode Time Period Frequency
X-Trans
Y-Trans
Rz-Rot
1
0.829
1.206
0.0195
0.3951
0.1102
2
0.810
1.234
0.6338
0.1203
0.0325
3
0.803
1.245
0.132
0.2684
0.0717
Sum of 12 Modes
93.21
93.2
93.09
Table - 6
Time Period and Modal Mass Participating Ratio of model VI
Modal Mass Participating Ratio
Time
Mode
Frequency
Period
X-Trans
Y-Trans
Rz-Rot
1
0.872
1.146
0.0006
0.656
0.2052
2
0.863
1.159
0.0061
0.1036
0.0324
3
0.847
1.181
0.7582
2.646E-05
8.779E-06
Sum of 12 Modes
90.52
90.5
90.35

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Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators

(IJSTE/ Volume 3 / Issue 03 / 020)

Based on the values of time period of all the models under consideration, graphs were plotted from which it can be seen from
the graphs that the addition of isolators have increased the period of vibration. This may be attributed to the flexibility of the
isolators in the horizontal direction. On comparing the three models, we can find that the buildings with LRB isolator have the
highest value of the time period.

Fig. 4: Comparison of time period values of Plus- shaped building, T-shaped and L-shaped building

Storey Drift of the Building

Storey drift is the relative displacement between consecutive floors produced by lateral forces. The graphical representations of
variation of storey drift in X direction at each storey for the models under consideration are given below in Fig.5. For the bare
frame models, the lateral displacement at the base is negligible whereas the base isolated models have a considerable value of
displacement at the base. It can be seen from the graphs that the fixed base buildings have less drift value at the base level, then
gradually increases at first story level and finally reduces to very small values at top story levels.
It is clear that the addition of base isolator to the building increases the drift value at the base level and then gradually
decreases to a minor value at the top level which is lesser when compared to the bare frame model. The plot of drift is similar for
the T- shaped building and L- shaped building. The plus shaped buildings have lesser drift value which may be attributed to its
symmetry in shape. It is obvious from the graphs that the building with Lead Rubber Bearing isolator has less drift value when
compared to other models.

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Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators

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Fig. 5: Plot of storey drift in X direction v/s storey level in plus-shaped, T-shaped and L shaped building

Storey Acceleration of the Buildings

A building with lower value of story acceleration will be a safer building with regard to its performance during an earthquake. It
is observed that the plot of acceleration for the different models follows the same pattern. It can be seen from Fig.6. that bare
frame building have lesser value of acceleration at the base tough it increases to a considerable value at the top floors. But the
isolated models have greater value of acceleration at the base level when compared to the value at the base level of the bare
frame model. However this remains almost constant from bottom to top storeys in contrast to the bare frame model.

Fig. 6: Plot of storey acceleration in X direction v/s storey level in Plus shaped, T-shaped and L-shaped building

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Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Re-Entrant Cornered Buildings with Base Isolators

(IJSTE/ Volume 3 / Issue 03 / 020)

Base Shear
Base shear is the total design lateral force at the base of a structure. From the analysis results, the base shear value of the
buildings under different isolation techniques for the two models is plotted as given in Fig.7. It was found that the base shear
value decreased by 56% by the addition of the FPS isolator whereas 65% reduction in base shear value was found in the
buildings with LRB isolator. The graph implies that the plus shaped building model with LRB isolator has the least value of base
shear.

Fig. 7: Base shear value of the three models in X- direction

IV. CONCLUSIONS
The important conclusions drawn from the various parametric studies are as follows:
The implementation of base isolation system to these re-entrant cornered buildings is found to be effective in reducing the
base shear, storey drift and storey acceleration.
The isolated models had a greater value of drift at its base in contrast to the bare frame model. However, the value
decreased to a lesser value than in the bare frame model as the storey height increased. Thus base isolation technique is
effective in reducing the drift value of the buildings.
The addition of the isolators to the building increased the time period of vibration which may be due to the flexibility of the
isolators.
It was found that the acceleration value got reduced by 74% in the FPS isolated building whereas there was 81% reduction
in LRB isolated buildings when compared to the fixed based building.
An average of 56% reduction of base shear value was observed in the buildings with FPS isolator and 65% reduction was
observed in the base shear value of the LRB isolated buildings.
On comparing the three different buildings (plus, T-shaped and L-shaped), the performance of the plus shaped building is
found to be better which may be attributes to its symmetry in plan.
From the results, it was found that the lead rubber bearing isolator offers better performance when compared to the FPS
isolator.
REFERENCES
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Minal Ashok Somwanshi, Seismic Analysis of Fixed Based and Base Isolated Building Structures, International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current
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Mital N. Desai, Comparative Study of Multi-Storey Building Different Base Isolators, International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,
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