Prediction of the Nonlinear Capacities of RC Buildings Including the Effect of Interactions Between Structural Elements

The seismic design of structures requires the use of efficient computational methods to accurately predict the structures’ true nonlinear capacity to resist the effect of seismic excitations. While determining the capacities (force and displacement capacities) of RC buildings, most of the existing procedures superimpose the capacity of individual columns and shear walls, neglecting the contribution coming from the interaction between slabs and walls or columns, and frames and walls. Depending on the structural configuration and sizing of these elements, the interaction effect can be significant to the building’s total force and displacement capacities, and therefore, cannot be neglected from the analysis model. This paper investigates the interaction effect between the walls of different lengths and columns combined with rigid slabs at different storey levels. The nonlinear time history analysis using site-specific accelerograms and the finite element model is utilized for conducting a parametric study of 6 structural models. Mainly two engineering demand parameters: strain and curvature of the walls and columns when alone and combined with rigid slabs are investigated. It is found that when walls of different lengths or walls and columns are combined, the strain and curvature in the smaller walls or columns increase significantly because of the interaction effect, while no changes were observed in walls of larger lengths.