• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2012

The higher the building height and the larger the temperature difference between the outdoor and indoor space, the more remarkable is the draft driven by the stack effect in high-rise buildings. Moreover, the stack effect can bring about the deterioration of habitability and the degradation of the performance of the indoor control system in high-rise buildings. In this study, as a measure to attenuate the stack effect, the E/V shaft cooling method was proposed and its performance was compared with the conventional stack effect control method for strengthening the air-tightness of the building using a numerical simulation method. The total decreasing ratios on the stack effect in a building were compared, and the probabilities of the secondary problems were analyzed. The results show that the E/V shaft cooling is very effective to decrease the stack effect in a high-rise building in terms of the reduction performance and application. Moreover, this method does not cause secondary problems, such as stack pressure transition to other walls, unlike the conventional stack effect mitigation method.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.363-368
• /
• 2022

For taller buildings with unconventional architecture, refined structural systems or in geographical areas with high wind conditions, performance-based design can be seen as an enhanced design process and is either a supplement to, or alternative to a prescriptive code-based design. The ultimate goal of Performance-Based Wind Design (PBWD) is to result in a building that better addresses key goals of performance over the buildings full life cycle. Major innovations around the use of a PBWD approach include nonlinear dynamic analysis for wind design, limited inelasticity in the main wind force resisting system elements, and system-based performance criteria. This paper discusses potential considerations and benefits made when using a performance-based approach, in addition to the general practicality of use, for the structural design on a few key tall buildings.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.209-214
• /
• 2023

Seismic performance-based design methods are widely used in the field of engineering. This paper introduces the current status of seismic performance-based design methods for high-rise buildings in China, and summarizes latest advancements in seismic performance-based design methods for high-rise buildings in China, with a focus on the design methods based on predetermined yield mode and the design methods based on member ductility requirements. Finally, the development direction of seismic performance-based design method for high-rise buildings is prospected.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.85-92
• /
• 2021

Dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) in the form of tuned sloshing dampers (TSDs) and tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are commonly used to reduce the wind-induced motion of high-rise buildings. Full-scale performance of structure-DVA systems must be evaluated during the DVA commissioning process using structural monitoring data. While the random decrement technique (RDT) is sometimes employed to evaluate the DVA performance, it is shown to have no theoretical justification for application to structure-DVA systems, and to produce erroneous results. Subsequently, several practical methods with a sound theoretical basis are presented and illustrated using simulated and real-world data. By monitoring the responses of the structure and DVA simultaneously, it is possible to directly measure the effective damping of the system or perform system identification from which the DVA performance can be evaluated.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.219-226
• /
• 2015

By the end of 2014, the number of completed and under-construction supertall buildings above 250 meters in China reached 90 and 129, respectively. China has become one of the centers of supertall buildings in the world. Supertall buildings in China are getting taller, more slender, and more complex. The structural design of these buildings focuses on the efficiency of lateral resisting systems and the application of energy dissipation. Furthermore, the research, design, and construction of high-performance materials, pile foundations, and mega-members have made a lot of progress. Meanwhile, more and more challenges are presented, such as the improvement of structural system efficiency, the further understanding of failure models, the definition of design criteria, the application of high-performance materials, and construction monitoring. Thus, local structural engineers are playing a more important role in the design of supertall buildings.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.1 no.3
• /
• pp.169-179
• /
• 2012

The development history, the current situation and the future of the performance-based seismic design of building structures in China are presented in this paper. Firstly, the evolution of performance-based seismic design of building structures specified in the Chinese codes for seismic design of buildings of the edition 1974, 1978, 1989, 2001 and 2010 are introduced and compared. Secondly, in two parts, this paper details the provisions of performance-based seismic design in different Chinese codes. The first part is about the "Code for Seismic Design of Buildings" (GB50011) (edition 1989, 2001 and 2010) and "Technical Specification for Concrete Structures of Tall Building", which presents the concepts and methods of performance-based seismic design adopted in Chinese codes; The second part is about "Management Provisions for Seismic Design of Outof-codes High-rise Building Structures" and "Guidelines for Seismic Design of Out-of-codes High-rise Building Structures", which concludes the performance-based seismic design requirements for high-rise building structures over the relevant codes in China. Finally, according to those mentioned above, this paper pointed out the imperfections of current performance-based seismic design in China and proposed the possible direction for further improvement.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.179-192
• /
• 2013

The lack of systematic validation for the design process supporting tall buildings motivated the authors' research groups and their collaborators to found the Chicago Full-Scale Monitoring Program over a decade ago. This project has allowed the sustained in-situ observation of a collection of tall buildings now spanning worldwide. This paper overviews this program and the lessons learned in the process, ranging from appropriate technologies for response measurements to the factors influencing accurate prediction of dynamic properties all the way to how these properties then influence the prediction of response using wind tunnel testing and whether this response does indeed correlate with in-situ observations. Through this paper, these wide ranging subjects are addressed in a manner that demonstrates the importance of continued promotion and expansion of full-scale monitoring efforts and the ways in which these programs can provide true value-added to building owners and managers.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.1 no.3
• /
• pp.149-154
• /
• 2012

This paper presents a summary of the state of the practice for Performance Based Seismic Design (PBSD) in the United States. While it is not included in the prescriptive provisions of the United States' building codes, the PBSD procedure has been successfully implemented for two decades. The recent publication of the Guidelines for Performance-Based Seismic Design of Tall Buildings by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) illustrates the fact that the engineering community has embraced this procedure and provides a thoughtful set of recommendations to building designers who intend to implement PBSD. The key parameters currently required for a PBSD also are outlined, such as seismic hazard definition, modeling procedures, and acceptance criteria. These Guidelines will serve as the basis for many PBSD projects in the coming years and as such are a common reference used throughout this paper. Finally, a brief summation of recent PBSD projects in the United States is presented.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.187-195
• /
• 2018

Buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) are widely used as highly ductile seismic devices, with the first building using BRBs completed in 1989 in Tokyo, and thousands more now in Japan, USA, Taiwan, China, New Zealand and other countries. Although design codes of several countries specify BRB performance criteria, detailed design provisions are not necessarily provided, as BRBs are typically treated as a manufactured device. This paper briefly reviews the early history of BRB research and offers state-of-the-art views on the design criteria required to obtain stable and reliable performance. Representative project examples and up-to-date studies relevant to tall buildings are summarized.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.271-291
• /
• 2016

There is much architectural and engineering literature which discusses the virtues of exterior bracing and diagrid systems in regards to sustainability - two systems which generally reduce building materials, enhance structural performance, and decrease overall construction cost. By surveying past, present as well as possible future towers, this paper examines another attribute of these structural systems - the blend of structural functionality and aesthetics. Given the external nature of these structural systems, diagrids and exterior bracings can visually communicate the inherent structural logic of a building while also serving as a medium for artistic effect. Viewed in this light, the visual appeal of these systems can be enhanced to give a tower a more distinct urban identity. This entails the creation of structural elements that are aesthetically pleasing, geometrically coherent and that demonstrate dexterity of application in regards to a building's composition, while also respecting the laws of physics and mechanics. In this fashion, an artistic approach can exhibit structural systems as not just purely rational features that enable the construction of tall buildings, but as important visual components that afford opportunities for creative expression. This paper, therefore, synthesizes the concepts of structural performance and creative artistry to facilitate a better understanding of the aesthetic developments in skyscrapers worldwide.