Seismic response of setback buildings with multiple underground levels

Abstract

The topic of this paper exceeds the provisions of the present regulations concerning the structural design issues related to the connection or the behaviour of the setback buildings on slopped ground surface. Setback buildings means that the spans progress in a step-like succession from one side of the building along the entire length. Due to the increased number of buildings positioned on sloping ground this paper aims to highlight aspects related to the influence of a variable number of underground levels. This research follows the differences between the loading effects acting on three types of setback buildings that differ by the number of the underground levels (one, two, respectively three), on the length of two spans. The conclusions of the paper refer to the influence of the number of underground levels on the seismic response of reinforced concrete structural elements: columns, beams and walls. The obtained results are compared in the form of internal forces: axial force, shear force and bending moment. The structural modelling and analysis of the buildings have been performed by using ETABS software. In the end these results will show the influence of the number of underground levels in the alteration of the structural elements above ground in terms of material consumption.