Effects of Soil–Structure Interaction on the Seismic Response of RC Frame–Shear Wall Building Structures Under Far-Field Long-Period Ground Motions

Abstract

This paper focuses on the effect of soil–structure interaction (SSI) on the seismic response of high-rise RC frame–shear wall structures under far-field long-period ground motions. Elastic–plastic time–history analyses were performed using ABAQUS. The effects of the ground motion type, soil type, and structural frequency on the seismic response are analyzed and quantitatively evaluated. On this basis, the influence mechanism of SSI on the seismic response under far-field long-period ground motions is discussed and revealed through a ground motion spectrum analysis. The results show that the consideration of the SSI effect leads to an increase in the displacement response and a decrease in the shear response. The SSI coefficient of the base shear is all less than 1, ranging from 0.5 to 1. The SSI effect under far-field long-period ground motions is more pronounced than that under ordinary ground motions. The shear force reduction in the current code may not be applicable to the structural design considering the SSI effect under far-field long-period ground motions. The displacement response amplification of the SSI effect on loess soil (Site 2) is more remarkable than that on sand soil (Site 1). The SSI effect can reduce the structural frequency, especially for the structures with fewer floors on the softer soil site. The “bimodal characteristic” of the acceleration response spectrum for far-field long-period ground motions may lead to shear force amplification when SSI is considered.