Verification of diaphragm seismic design factors for precast concrete office buildings

Abstract

A new seismic design methodology has been developed for precast concrete diaphragms. Seismic design factors were used to be applied on top of diaphragm seismic design forces in the current code. These factors, established through extensive parametric studies, align diaphragm design strengths with different seismic performance targets. A simplified evaluation structure with a single-bay plan was used in the parametric studies. This simplified evaluation structure is reasonable and cost-effective as it can comprehensively cover structural geometries and design parameters. However, further verification and investigation are required to apply these design factors to prototype structures with realistic layouts. This paper presents diaphragm design of several precast concrete office buildings using the new design methodology. The applicability of the design factor to the office building was evaluated and verified through nonlinear time history analyses. The seismic behavior and performance of the diaphragm were investigated for the precast concrete office buildings. It was found that the design factor established for the new design methodology is applicable to the realistic precast concrete office buildings.