Seismic response evaluation of connected super-tall structures

Abstract

This paper reports on numerical modelling of the seismic behaviour of two super-tall buildings with a connecting skybridge – the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia. Three-dimensional dynamic analysis, with the linking bridge position varied, was performed and verified using a structural software package. Two strong earthquake records scaled to 0·15g, representing the expected ground motion in Cairo, were used for time history analyses. To investigate the response in the direction of the connecting bridge as well as in the perpendicular direction, selected ground motion records were applied separately, in both longitudinal and transverse directions. The results reveal that the location of the linking bridge has an insignificant effect on the overall dynamic response of the connected towers in both longitudinal and transverse directions. However, the linking bridge itself was found to be significantly affected, with the detrimental effects of the location becoming more pronounced at higher levels.