• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.527-538
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• 2012

In seismic analyses of structures, additional eccentricity is introduced to take account for oscillations of random and unknown origins. In many codes of practice, the torsion about the vertical axis is considered through empirical accidental eccentricity formulation. Due to the random nature of structural systems, it is very difficult to evaluate the accidental eccentricity in a deterministic way and to specify its effect on the overall seismic response of structures. The aim of this study is to develop a procedure for the evaluation of the accidental eccentricity induced by uncertainties in stiffness and mass of structural members, using the neural network techniques coupled with Monte Carlo simulations. This method gives very interesting results for single story structures. For real structures, this method can be used as a tool to determine the accidental eccentricity in the seismic vulnerability studies of buildings.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2022

The need to account for accidental torsion in seismic design is no longer debatable, however, the seismic codes' requirement for accidental eccentricity has recently faced criticism. In order to get as close to real conditions as possible, this study investigated the impact of accidental torsion in symmetric RC multistory buildings caused by one of its many sources, the torsional earthquake component, and compared the results to those obtained by using the accidental eccentricity recommended by the codes (shifting the center of mass). To cover a wide range of frequencies and site conditions, two types of torsion seismic components were used: a recorded torsion accelerogram and five others generated using translation accelerograms. The main parameters that govern seismic responses, such as the number of stories (to account for the influence of all modes of vibration) and the frequency ratio (Ω) variation, were studied in terms of inter-story drift and displacement responses, as well as torsional moment. The results show that the eccentricity ratio of 5% required by most codes for accidental torsion should be reexamined and that it is prudent for computer analysis to use the static moment approach to implement the accidental eccentricity while waiting for new seismic code recommendations on the subject.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.457-471
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• 2009

This study investigates the role of accidental torsion in seismic reliability assessment. The analyzed structures are regular 6-story and 20-story steel office buildings. The eccentricity in a floor plan was simulated by shifting the mass from the centroid by 5% of the dimension normal to earthquake shaking. The eccentricity along building heights was replicated by Latin hypercube sampling. The fragilities for immediate occupancy and life safety were evaluated using 0.7% and 2.5% inter-story drift limits. Two limit-state probabilities and the corresponding earthquake intensities were compared. The effect of ignoring accidental torsion and the use of code accidental eccentricity were also assessed. The results show that accidental torsion may influence differently the structural reliability and limit-state PGAs. In terms of structural reliability, significant differences in the probability of failure are obtained depending on whether accidental torsion is considered or not. In terms of limit-state PGAs, accidental torsion does not have a significant effect. In detail, ignoring accidental torsion leads to underestimates in low-rise buildings and at small drift limits. On the other hand, the use of code accidental eccentricity gives conservative estimates, especially in high-rise buildings at small drift limits.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.237-243
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• 2013

In the Korean Building Code (KBC), the Design Eccentricity involves the torsional amplification factor (TAF), and the inherent and accidental eccentricities. When a structure of less than 6-stories and assigned to seismic design category C or D is designed using equivalent static analysis method, both KBC-2006 and KBC-2009 use the TAF but apply different calculation methods for the of design eccentricity. The design eccentricity in KBC-2006 is calculated by multiplying the sum of inherent eccentricity and accidental eccentricity at each level by a TAF but that in KBC-2009 is calculated by multiplying only the accidental eccentricity by a TAF. In this paper, the damage indices of a building with planar structural irregularity designed by different design eccentricities are compared and the relationship between the earthquake damage and design eccentricity of the building is evaluated. On the basis of this study, the increment of design eccentricity results in the decrement of final eccentricity and global damage index of structure. It is observed that design eccentricity in KBC-2006 reduces the vulnerability of torsional irregular building compared to design eccentricity in KBC-2009.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.463-484
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• 2015

Modern codes for earthquake resistant building design require consideration of the so-called accidental design eccentricity, to account for torsional response caused by several factors not explicitly considered in design. This provision requires that the mass centres in the building floor be moved a certain percentage of the building's dimension (usually 5%) along both the x and y axes and in both positive and negative directions. If one considers also the spatial combinations of the two component motion in a dynamic analysis of the building, the number of required analyses and combinations increases substantially, causing a corresponding work load increase for practicing structural engineers. Another shortcoming of this code provision is that its introduction has been based primarily on elastic results from investigations of oversimplified, hence questionable, one story building models. This problem is addressed in the present paper using four groups of eccentric braced steel buildings, designed in accordance with Eurocodes 3 (steel) and 8 (earthquake design), with and without accidental eccentricities considered. The results indicate that although accidental design eccentricities can lead to somewhat reduced inelastic response demands, the benefit is not significant from a practical point of view. This leads to suggestions that accidental design eccentricities should probably be abolished or perhaps replaced by a simpler and more effective design provision, at least for torsionally stiff buildings that constitute the vast majority of buildings encountered in practice.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.443-462
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• 2015

Some model building codes stipulate that the design displacement of a building can be computed using the elastic static analysis results multiplied by the deflection amplification factor, $C_d$. This approach for estimating the design displacement is essential and appealing in structural engineering practice when nonlinear response history analysis (NRHA) is not required. Furthermore, building codes stipulate the consideration of accidental torsion effects using accidental eccentricity, whether the buildings are symmetric-plan, or asymmetric-plan. In some model building codes, the accidental eccentricity is further amplified by the torsional amplification factor $A_x$ in order to minimize the discrepancy between statically and dynamically estimated responses. Therefore, this warrants exploration of the reliability of statically estimated design displacements in accordance with the building code requirements. This study uses the discrepancy curves as a way of assessing the reliability of the design displacement estimates resulting from the factors $C_d$ and $A_x$. The discrepancy curves show the exceedance probabilities of the differences between the statically estimated design displacements and NRHA results. The discrepancy curves of 3-story, 9-story, and 20-story example buildings are investigated in this study. The example buildings are steel special moment frames with frequency ratios equal to 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6, as well as existing eccentricity ratios ranging from 0% to 30%.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-40
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• 2003

The steady state response of a torsionally coupled system with tuned mass dampers (TMDs) to external wind-induced harmonic excitation is presented. The torsionally coupled system is considered as one-way eccentric system. The eccentricity considered in the system is accidental eccentricity only. The performance of single tuned mass damper (TMD) optimally designed without considering the torsion is investigated for the torsionally coupled system and found that the effectiveness of a single TMD is significantly reduced due to torsion in the system. However, the design of TMD system without considering the torsion is only justified for torsionally stiff systems. Further, the optimum parameters of a single TMD considering the accidental eccentricity are obtained using numerical searching technique for different values of uncoupled torsional to lateral frequency ratio and aspect ratio of the system. The optimally designed single TMD system is found to be less effective for torsionally coupled system in comparison to uncoupled system. This is due to the fact that a torsionally coupled system has two natural frequencies of vibration, as a result, at least two TMDs are required which can control both lateral and torsional response of the system. The optimum damper parameters of different alternate arrangements such as (i) two identical TMDs placed at opposite corners, (ii) two independent TMDs and (iii) four TMDs are evaluated for minimum response of the system. The comparative performance of the above TMDs arrangements is also studied for both torsionally coupled and uncoupled systems. It is found that four TMDs arrangement is quite effective solution for vibration control of torsionally coupled system.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.423-442
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• 2015

The effects of accidental eccentricity on the seismic response of four-storey steel buildings laterally stabilized by buckling restrained braced frames are studied. The structures have a square, symmetrical footprint, without inherent eccentricity between the center of lateral resistance (CR) and the center of mass (CM). The position of the bracing bents in the buildings was varied to obtain three different levels of torsional sensitivity: low, intermediate and high. The structures were designed in accordance with the seismic design provisions of the 2010 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC). Three different analysis methods were used to account for accidental eccentricity in design: (1) Equivalent Static Procedure with static in-plane torsional moments assuming a mass eccentricity of 10% of the building dimension (ESP); (2) Response Spectrum Analysis with static torsional moments based on 10% of the building dimension (RSA-10); and (3) Response Spectrum Analysis with the CM being displaced by 5% of the building dimension (RSA-5). Time history analyses were performed under a set of eleven two-component historical records. The analyses showed that the ESP and RSA-10 methods can give appropriate results for all three levels of torsional sensitivity. When using the RSA-5 method, adequate performance was also achieved for the low and intermediate torsional sensitivity cases, but the method led to excessive displacements (5-10% storey drifts), near collapse state, for the highly torsionally sensitive structures. These results support the current provisions of NBCC 2010.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.615-636
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• 2000

Some elevated water tanks have failed due to torsional vibrations in past earthquakes. The overall axisymmetric structural geometry and mass distribution of such structures may leave only a small accidental eccentricity between centre of stiffness and centre of mass. Such a small accidental eccentricity is not expected to cause a torsional failure. This paper studies the possibility of amplified torsional behaviour of elevated water tanks due to such small accidental eccentricity in the elastic as well as inelastic range; using two simple idealized systems with two coupled lateral-torsional degrees of freedom. The systems are capable of retaining the characteristics of two extreme categories of water tanks namely, a) tanks on staging with less number of columns and panels and b) tanks on staging with large number of columns and panels. The study shows that the presence of a small eccentricity may lead to large displacement of the staging edge in the elastic range, if the torsional-to-lateral time period ratio $({\tau})$ of the elevated tanks lies within a critical range of 0.7< ${\tau}$ <1.25. Inelastic behaviour study reveals that such excessive displacement in some of the reinforced concrete staging elements may cause unsymmetric yielding. This may lead to progressive strength deterioration through successive yielding in same elements under cyclic loading during earthquakes. Such localized strength drop progressively develop large strength eccentricity resulting in large localized inelastic displacement and ductility demand, leading to failure. So, elevated water tanks should have ${\tau}$ outside the said critical range to avoid amplified torsional response. The tanks supported on staging with less number of columns and panels are found to have greater torsional vulnerability. Tanks located near faults seem to have torsional vulnerability for large ${\tau}$.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.75 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2020

This paper investigates the influence of spatial varations of accidental mass eccentricities on the torsional response of inelastic multistorey reinforced concrete buildings. It complements recent studies on the elastic response of structural buildings and extends the investigation into the inelastic range, with the aim of providing guidelines for minimising the torsional response of structural buildings. Four spatial mass eccentricity configurations of common nine story buildings, along with their reversed mass eccentricities subjected to the Erzincan-1992 and Kobe-1995 ground motions were investigated, and the results are discussed in the context of the structural response of the no eccentricity models. It is demonstrated that when the initial linear response is practically translational, it is maintained into the inelastic phase of deformation as long as the strength assignment of the lateral resisting bents is based on a planar static analysis where the applied lateral loads simulate the first mode of vibration of the uncoupled structure.