Investigation of the Benefits of Application of Earthquake Action on the Design of Double Layer Barrel Vaults

Abstract

Space structures are generally light and rich in redundancy. These two characteristics caused this assumption for a while that these structures are aseismic. However, some events like Kobe 1995 earthquake, Japan, showed that although the space structures are safer than ordinary structures, but are not aseismic. A lot of research based on the seismic behavior of the space structures are carried out since then [1, 2, 3 and 4], however few of the is lead to practical results. Sadeghi in 2004 have established some formula for assessing the equivalent static earthquake action on the double layer barrel vaults. In the current work, those formulae are considered in the design of six double layer barrel vaults with different rise to span ratios and support conditions. Then the seismic behavior of these double layer barrel vaults are compared with corresponding barrel vaults which are designed without considering the seismic actions. To do this, the finite element package of ANSYS is utilized. The results show that these formulae are practically useful and versatile and application of them on the barrel vaults improves the structures' seismic safety significantly.