Efficient models for analysis of a multistory structure with flexible wings

Abstract

This study lays emphasis on the development of efficient analytical models for a multistory structure with wings, including the in-plane deformation of floor slabs. For this purpose, a multistory structure with wings is regarded as the combination of multistory structures with rectangular plan and their junctions. In addition, a multistory structure with a rectangular plan is considered to be an assemblage of two-dimensional frames and floor slabs connecting two adjacent frames at each floor level. This modeling, concept can be easily applied to multistory structures with plans in the shape of L, T, Y, U, H, etc. To represent the in-plane deformation of floor slabs efficiently, a two-dimensional frame and the floor slab connecting two adjacent frames at each floor level are modeled as a stick model with two degrees of freedom per floor and a stiff beam with shear deformations, respectively. Three models are used to investigate the effect of in-plane deformation of the floor slab at the junction of wings on the seismic behavior of structures. Based on the comparison of dynamic analysis results obtained using the proposed models and three-dimensional finite element models, it could be concluded that the proposed models can be used as an efficient tool for an approximate analysis of a multistory structure with wings.