Work

Seismic Performance of an Innovative Rocking Frame Structure With Spring Support Connections

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT In order to minimize the deformation and damage of conventional frame structures, particularly those with large height‐to‐width ratios, under strong earthquakes, and to prevent the development of weak stories, an innovative rocking frame structural system is proposed. The structural system is made up of a rocking frame and its spring supports. During an earthquake, the vertical deformation in the spring supports causes the structure to pivot and rock around the hinged base of the frame, reducing the seismic response. This study takes a nine‐story rocking steel frame structure as a case, establishes a finite element model using SAP2000 software, and performs dynamic time history and pushover analysis to investigate its seismic performance, considering parameter changes such as earthquake intensity, the aspect ratio of the structure, and design changes of the rocking component. The results indicate that the reasonably designed rocking structure can significantly reduce interstory drifts and residual interstory drifts, achieve more uniform interstory deformation, and exhibit satisfactory self‐centering and low‐damage characteristics. Properly reducing the elastic stiffness of the spring supports can further improve its seismic performance.

Source: The Structural Design of Tall and Special Buildings

DOI: 10.1002/tal.70081

Authors: Yun Chen, Wei Zhao

Institution: Hainan University

Language: English

Topic: Seismic Performance and Analysis

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China