Simulating the assembly size on seismic response of building clusters using PLAXIS

Abstract

Behaviour of any building under the influence of earthquake depends on the flexibility of the foundation, free field ground motion and soil structure interaction. In currently adopted design methods, earthquake resistant structures are designed as isolated buildings. However, the effect of two adjacent buildings on each other cannot be totally neglected, given the fact that their foundation is in the same soil layer and in vicinity to each other especially in urban areas where buildings are arranged in clusters. The present aims at investigating the nature of interaction between soil and structure and its effect on seismic response of adjacent buildings in urban environment (building clusters) using numerical modelling technique (Plaxis 8.2). The proposed analysis model was studied for dynamic response due to harmonic excitation for building cluster. The response spectra for building cluster with variation in number of buildings and number of storeys in each building was studied. It was concluded that the seismic response was effected by the size of cluster and developed general conclusions for the dynamic responses for various cases.