Finite Element Modeling of Discontinuous Suspended Ceiling System with Boundary Constraints

The discontinuous suspended ceiling (SC) system was reported to be easily damaged under moderate or strong earthquakes. To provide a convenient tool for studying the seismic performance of ceilings, a three-dimensional finite element model for the SC with boundary constraints is established with the aid of OpenSees software. The SC in this study has two combined boundary conditions, namely fixed boundary condition and semi-free boundary condition. The nonlinear behavior of two types of peripheral connections is considered. The hysteretic behavior of grid connections is simulated by the Pinching4 material. Nonlinear time history analysis for the SC system under the earthquake is conducted. The earthquake responses of acceleration and displacement, and damage status are evaluated. The analysis results show that the responses at the middle span of the SC are greater than those of other locations. Besides, the main-cross tee connections close to the ceiling perimeter are found to be most vulnerable to earthquakes. The numerical simulation results are compared with the corresponding shaking table test results. The two kinds of results are in good agreement, indicating that the proposed model is capable of predicting the earthquake responses of the SC.