This paper presents a research of the critical, ie the more unfavorable, seismic responses of structural systems when actions leading to accidental torsion are included: rotational seismic component and variation of the eccentricities between the stiffness and mass centers, considering several structural system properties Elastic one-story systems are studied, subjected to rotational spectrum and principal translational spectra along two horizontal directions, considering the maximum responses due to the variation of the incident angle Nominal and accidental eccentricities along the two plan directions are included This work looks at the peak displacements at plan edges, which withstand the larger seismic forces, identifying the critical cases The studied accidental effects cover the response to moderate seismic motions, and are a reference of the possible response to severe seismic motions and of the response of multi-storey buildings, pointing out possible hazardous situations The obtained results allow an evaluation of the relative accuracy of several torsional specifications incorporated in the seismic codes of Venezuela, Mexico and USA, as well as that of De La Llera and Chopra procedure

Wai K. Tso

Papers

Twisting Failure of the New Society Hotel