Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Floor acceleration amplification and response spectra of reinforced concrete frame structure based on shaking table tests and numerical study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the seismic design of acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components, floor acceleration response spectra are commonly selected for analysis, which has proven to be effective in practice. To accurately study the floor acceleration response spectrum of a reinforced concrete structure under earthquakes, a 3-story reinforced concrete frame structure designed based on Chinese codes was built and placed on a shaking table for testing to obtain actual floor acceleration response for investigation of spectral characteristics. In addition, a set of finite element models of reinforced concrete frame buildings were analyzed to better study the variation of floor acceleration peaks and response spectra with different modal periods. The results show that floor dynamic magnification is highly related to structural dynamic characteristics and building’s relative height. Obvious peaks are observed in the floor response spectrum, which correspond to the structural modal periods. The values of the spectra, particularly the peaks, show a strong correlation with the floor level and the damping ratios of nonstructural components. Based on the observations gained from shaking table tests and numerical study, a function for predicting the floor dynamic magnification factor and a method for generating the spectral amplification factor of the floor are proposed. Then the findings acquired from the test, numerical study, and existing methods were applied for the validation of the proposed methods. It is shown that the proposed floor dynamic magnification factor prediction function and spectral amplification factor prediction method are useful for the seismic design of nonstructural components in various reinforced concrete structures, taking into account the structural dynamic characteristics, the floor level, and the damping ratio of nonstructural components.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
Fig. 26
Fig. 27
Fig. 28
Fig. 29

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The results of numerical simulation generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.

Abbreviations

NSCs:

Nonstructural components

PFA:

Peak floor acceleration

MDOF:

Multi-degrees-of-freedom

SDOF:

Single-degree-of-freedom

PGA:

Peak ground acceleration

FRS:

Floor acceleration response spectrum

RC:

Reinforced concrete

THAs:

Time-history analyses

CAF:

Component dynamic amplification factor

PCA:

Peak component acceleration

References

  1. Miranda E, Mosqueda G, Retamales R, Pekcan G. Performance of nonstructural components during the 27 February 2010 Chile earthquake. Earthq Spectra. 2012;28:S453–71. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.4000032.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang Y, Yang WG. Floor response spectral analysis and fitting of museum building before and after isolation. Proc Inst Civil Eng Struct Build. 2021;174:615–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-015-9846-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Sboras S, Dourakopoulos JA, Mouzakiotis E. Seismic hazard assessment for the protection of cultural heritage in Greece: methodological approaches for national and local scale assessment (pilot areas of Aighio, Kalamata and Heraklion). Ann Geophys Italy. 2017. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-7154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Perrone D, Calvi PM, Nascimbene R, Fischer EC, Magliulo G. Seismic performance of non-structural elements during the 2016 Central Italy earthquake. B Earthq Eng. 2019;17:5655–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-018-0361-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gautam D, Adhikari R, Rupakhety R. Seismic fragility of structural and non-structural elements of Nepali RC buildings. Eng Struct. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.111879.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Yn B, Onat O, Oncu ME. Earthquake damage to nonstructural elements of reinforced concrete buildings during 2011 van seismic sequence. J Perform Constr Facil. 2019;33:04019075. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0001341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Filiatrault A, Sullivan T. Performance-based seismic design of nonstructural building components: the next frontier of earthquake engineering. Earthq Eng Eng Vib. 2014;13(S1):17–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-014-0238-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fajfar P. A nonlinear analysis method for performance-based seismic design. Earthq Spectra. 2000;16(3):573–92. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.1586128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Malaga-Chuquitaype C, Psaltakis ME, Kampas G, Wu K. Dimensionless fragility analysis of seismic acceleration demands through low-order building models. B Earthq Eng. 2019;17(7):3815–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00615-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Pal A, Gupta VK. Peak factor-based modal combination rule of response-spectrum method for peak floor accelerations. J Struct Eng. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0003044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Anajafi H, Medina RA, Santini-Bell E. Inelastic floor spectra for designing anchored acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components. B Earthq Eng. 2020;18(5):2115–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00760-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Petrone C, Magliulo G, Manfredi G. Floor response spectra in RC frame structures designed according to Eurocode 8. B Earthq Eng. 2016;14(3):747–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-015-9846-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Peters KA, Schmitz D, Wagner U. Determination of floor response spectra on basis of response spectrum method. Nucl Eng Des. 1977;44(2):255–62. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4993403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhou Y, Xie WC. The generation of uniform hazard Floor response spectra. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2022.107383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Anajafi H, Medina RA, Adam C. Evaluation of the floor acceleration response spectra of numerical building models based on recorded building response data. J Earthq Eng. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2021.1927887.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Vukobratovic V, Yeow TZ, Kusunoki K. Floor acceleration demands in three RC buildings subjected to multiple excitations during shake table tests. B Earthq Eng. 2021;19(13):5495–523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-021-01181-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Surana M, Singh Y, Lang DH. Effect of structural characteristics on damping modification factors for floor response spectra in RC buildings. Eng Struct. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112514.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Vukobratovic V, Fajfar P. Code-oriented floor acceleration spectra for building structures. B Earthq Eng. 2017;15(7):3013–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-0076-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhou H, Shao X, Tian Y, Xu G, Shang Q, Li H, Wang T. Reproducing response spectra in shaking table tests of nonstructural components. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2019.105835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kazantzi AK, Miranda E, Vamvatsikos D. Strength-reduction factors for the design of light nonstructural elements in buildings. Earthq Eng Struct D. 2020;49(13):1329–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.3292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kazantzi AK, Vamvatsikos D, Miranda E. The effect of damping on floor spectral accelerations as inferred from instrumented buildings. B Earthq Eng. 2020;18(5):2149–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00781-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kothari P, Parulekar YM, Reddy GR, Gopalakrishnan N. In-structure response spectra considering nonlinearity of RCC structures: experiments and analysis. Nucl Eng Des. 2017;322:379–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.07.009.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pu WC, Xu X. Estimation of floor response spectra induced by artificial and real earthquake ground motions. Struct Eng Mech. 2019;71(4):377–90. https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2019.71.4.377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Perrone D, Brunesi E, Filiatrault A, Nascimbene R. Probabilistic estimation of floor response spectra in masonry infilled reinforced concrete building portfolio. Eng Struct. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109842.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Vukobratovic V, Fajfar P. A method for the direct determination of approximate floor response spectra for SDOF inelastic structures. B Earthq Eng. 2015;13(5):1405–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-014-9667-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Vukobratovic V, Fajfar P. A method for the direct estimation of floor acceleration spectra for elastic and inelastic MDOF structures. J Earthq Eng. 2016;45(15):2495–511. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Jaimes MA, Garcia-Soto AD. Evaluation of floor acceleration demands from the 2017 Mexico City code seismic provisions using a continuous elastic model and records of instrumented buildings. Earthq Spectra. 2021;36(2):213–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755293020974692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Filiatraulta A, Perronea D, Merinoa RJ, Calvi GM. Performance-based seismic design of nonstructural building elements. J Earthq Eng. 2021;25(2):237–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2018.1512910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Johnson TP, Dowell RK, Silva JF. A review of code seismic demands for anchorage of nonstructural components. J Build Eng. 2016;5:249–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2015.11.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Devin A, Fanning PJ. Non-structural elements and the dynamic response of buildings: a review. Eng Struct. 2019;187:242–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.02.044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wang T, Shang QX, Li JC. Seismic force demands on acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components: a state-of-the-art review. Earthq Eng Eng Vib. 2021;20(1):39–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-021-2004-0.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Di Domenico M, Ricci P, Verderame GM. Floor spectra for bare and infilled reinforced concrete frames designed according to Eurocodes. Earthq Eng Struct D. 2021;50(13):3577–601. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.3523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Shang QX, Li JC, Wang T. Floor acceleration response spectra of elastic reinforced concrete frames. J Build Eng. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Surana M, Singh Y, Lang DH. Floor spectra of inelastic RC frame buildings considering ground motion characteristics. J Earthq Eng. 2018;22(13):488–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2016.1244134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. GB 50011-2010. Code for Seismic Design of Buildings. Beijing: China Architecture and Building Press; 2010. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  36. GB 50010-2010. Code for design of concrete structures. Beijing: China Construction Industry Press; 2010. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Zou XG, Yang WG, Liu P, Wang M. Shaking table tests and numerical study of a sliding isolation bearing for the seismic protection of museum artifacts. J Build Eng. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Gao CH, Yuan XB. Development of the shaking table and array system technology in China. Adv Civ Eng. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8167684.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Richard B, Cherubini S, Voldoire F, Charbonnel PE, Chaudat T, Abouri S, Bonfils N. SMART 2013: experimental and numerical assessment of the dynamic behavior by shaking table tests of an asymmetrical reinforced concrete structure subjected to high intensity ground motions. Eng Struct. 2016;109(Feb 15):99–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2015.11.029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE 7–16: Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, 2016. Reston, Virginia

  41. Cen, Eurocode 8: Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance-Part 1: General Rules, Seismic Actions and Rules for Buildings. EN 1998-1, 2004. Brussels, Belgium

  42. NZS 1170.5: 2004, Structural Design Actions Part 5: Earthquake Actions-New Zealand Commentary. Standards New Zealand, 2004, Wellington

  43. Wang Y, Yang WG. Floor response spectral analysis and fitting of museum building before and after isolation. Proc Inst Civil Eng Struct Build. 2021;174(8):615–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-015-9846-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Petrone C, Magliulo G, Manfredi G. Seismic demand on light acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components in European reinforced concrete buildings. Earthq Eng Struct Dynam. 2015;44(8):1203–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Liu P, Pang H, Xue W, Yang WG. Fragility and risk assessment for sliding artifacts in artifact-showcase-museum systems subjected to three-component ground motions. J Build Eng. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2021.1979132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Liu P, Li ZH, Yang WG. Seismic fragility analysis of sliding artifacts in nonlinear artifact-showcase-museum systems. Struct Eng Mech. 2021;78:333–50. https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2021.78.3.333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Weiser J, Pekcan G, Zaghi AE, Itani A, Maragakis M. Floor accelerations in yielding special moment resisting frame structures. Earthq Spectra. 2013;29(3):987–1002. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.4000167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Du C, Guo R, Zhou MJ, Zhang CL. Comparison of calculation method on bi-directional shearing capacity of RC framed columns. Proceeding of the second international conference on civil engineering, Architecture and Building Materials. 2012, Yantai, China. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.166-169.2863.

  49. Anajafi H, Medina RA. Evaluation of ASCE 7 equations for designing acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components using data from instrumented buildings. Earthq Eng Struct D. 2018;47(4):1075–94. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.3006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Singh MP, Moreschi LM, Suarez LE, Matheu EE. Seismic design forces. II: Flexible nonstructural components. J Struct Eng. 2006;132(10):1533–42. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(2006)132:10(1533).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Kazantzi AK, Vamvatsikos D, Miranda E. Evaluation of seismic acceleration demands on building nonstructural elements. J Struct Eng. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002676.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China [Grant number 2019YFC1521000] and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China [Grant number KCJB0521020536]. The financial supports are gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, China

    Xiaoguang Zou, Weiguo Yang, Pei Liu & Meng Wang

  2. Beijing’s Key Laboratory of Structural Wind Engineering and Urban Wind Environment, Beijing, 100044, China

    Weiguo Yang, Pei Liu & Meng Wang

Authors
  1. Xiaoguang Zou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Weiguo Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pei Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Meng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weiguo Yang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Research involving human participants and animals

This paper does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zou, X., Yang, W., Liu, P. et al. Floor acceleration amplification and response spectra of reinforced concrete frame structure based on shaking table tests and numerical study. Archiv.Civ.Mech.Eng 23, 156 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-023-00648-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-023-00648-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation