Analysis of pounding between adjacent buildings founded on different soil types

Abstract

Earthquake-induced pounding was experienced in many previous earthquakes and it was found to be a critical issue. This study investigates the effect of pounding between buildings founded on the same and different soil types. Three 3-D buildings with 4, 6 and 8 storeys were considered in this study. Three pounding scenarios were taken into account, i.e. pounding between 4-storey and 6-storey buildings, between 4-storey and 8-storey buildings and between 6-storey and 8-storey buildings. To consider the soil type, the effects of different site parameters on the response of buildings exposed to earthquakes was firstly investigated so that the values that lead to significant effects and larger responses could be taken into account in further study related to structural interactions. In the next stage of the investigation, the effects of pounding between buildings founded on a specified soil type were analysed and compared with the no pounding case. The results of this part of this study show that pounding significantly increases the peak accelerations in all situations. Indeed, the peak displacements experience both amplification and de-amplification. Moreover, the shear forces were found to be increased for all storeys in all the cases with few exceptions concerning the top storeys. Finally, pounding between 4-storey and 8-storey buildings as well as between 6-storey and 8-storey buildings was considered under different soil types defined in the ASCE 7–10 code (hard rock, rock, very dense soil and soft rock, stiff soil and soft clay soil). The results of this stage of this study show that the highest displacements and shear forces can be expected for buildings founded on the soft clay soil, then for buildings founded on the stiff soil, then for buildings founded on very dense soil and soft rock, and finally for buildings founded on the rock and hard rock.