It is well recognized that structures designed by current codes undergo large inelastic deformations during major earthquakes. However, lateral force distributions given in the seismic design codes are typically based on results of elastic-response studies. In this paper, lateral force distributions used in the current seismic codes are reviewed and the results obtained from nonlinear dynamic analyses of a number of example structures are presented and discussed. It is concluded that code lateral force distributions do not represent the maximum force distributions that may be induced during nonlinear response, which may lead to inaccurate predictions of deformation and force demands, causing structures to behave in a rather unpredictable and undesirable manner.A new lateral force distribution based on study of inelastic behavior is developed by using relative distribution of maximum story shears of the example structures subjected to a wide variety of earthquake ground motions. The results show that the suggested lateral force distribution, especially for the types of framed structures investigated in this study, is more rational and gives a much better prediction of inelastic seismic demands at global as well as at element levels. DOI: 10.1193/1.2753549

A Seismic Design Lateral Force Distribution Based on Inelastic State of Structures

A parametric study of regular ductile reinforced concrete (RC) cantilever walls designed with the 2010 National building code of Canada and the 2004 Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard A23.3 for Vancouver is performed to investigate the influence of the following parameters on the higher mode amplification effects, and hence on the seismic force demand: number of storeys, fundamental lateral period (T), site class, wall aspect ratio, wall cross-section, and wall base flexural overstrength (γw). The study is based on inelastic time-history analyses performed with a multilayer beam model and a smeared membrane model accounting for inelastic shear–flexure–axial interaction. The main conclusions are that (i) T and γw are the studied parameters affecting the most dynamic shear amplification and seismic force demand, (ii) the 2004 CSA standard A23.3 capacity design methods are inadequate, and (iii) a single plastic hinge design may be inadequate and unsafe for regular ductile RC walls with γw < 2.0.

Seismic force demand on ductile reinforced concrete shear walls subjected to western North American ground motions: Part 1 — parametric study

In order to produce economical seismic designs, the modern building codes allow reducing seismic design forces if the seismic force resisting system (SFRS) of a building is designed to develop an identified mechanism of inelastic lateral response. The capacity design aims to ensure that the inelastic mechanism develops as intended and no undesirable failure modes occur. Since the 1984 edition, this design approach is implemented in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard A23.3 for seismic design of ductile reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls with the objectives of providing sufficient flexural and shear strength to confine the mechanism to the identified plastic hinges and ensure a flexure-governed inelastic lateral response of the walls. For a single regular wall, the implemented capacity design requirements assume a lateral deformation of the wall in its fundamental lateral mode of vibration, and hence aim to constrain the inelastic mechanism at the expected base plastic hinge. This design is referred to as single plastic-hinge (SPH) design. Despite these requirements, CSA standard A23.3 did not prescribe, prior to the 2004 edition, any methods for determining capacity design envelopes for flexural and shear strength design of ductile RC shear walls over their height. Only its Commentary recommended such methods. However, various studies suggested, mainly for cantilever walls, that the application of these methods could result in multistorey wall designs experiencing the formation of unintended plastic hinges at the upper storeys and a high potential of undesirable shear failure, principally at the wall base, jeopardizing the intended ductile flexural response of the wall. These design issues result from an underestimation of dynamic amplification due to lateral modes of vibration higher than the fundamental lateral mode. The 2004 CSA standard A23.3 now prescribes capacity design methods intending in part to address these design issues. Although these methods have not been assessed yet, their formulation appears deficient in accounting for the higher mode amplification effects. In this regard, this research project proposes for CSA standard A23.3 new capacity design methods, considering these effects, for a SPH design of regular ductile RC cantilever walls used as SFRS for multistorey buildings. In order to achieve this objective, first a seismic performance assessment of a realistic ductile shear wall system designed according to the 2004 CSA standard A23.3 is carried out to assess the prescribed capacity design methods. Secondly, an extensive parametric study based on sophisticated inelastic dynamic simulations is conducted to investigate the influence of various parameters on the higher mode amplification effects, and hence on the seismic force demand, in regular ductile RC cantilever walls designed with the 2004 CSA standard A23.3. Thirdly, a review of various capacity design methods proposed in the current literature and recommended by design codes for a SPH design is performed. From the outcomes of this review and the parametric study, new capacity design methods are proposed and a discussion on the limitations of these methods and on their applicability to various wall systems is presented.

A. T. Derecho

Papers

Inertial Forces over Height of Reinforced Concrete Structural Walls During Earthquakes