Nonlinear dynamic response of tall buildings considering structure–soil–structure effects

SUMMARY Numerous studies have shown that the interaction between adjacent buildings can result in changes in nonlinear dynamic response of structures, damage, and performance level, depending on the dynamic specifications of structures involved and the frequency content of the input motion. To study these effects, finite element method is used for the analytical investigations, and total soil–foundation–structure system is modeled all together. For modeling purposes and in order to realize the effects of the adjacent buildings on the dynamic response, two buildings, namely, 15-story and 30-story tall buildings, which were separated by distances of 1/4 and 1/8 of the width of the foundation and were located on hard and soft soil profiles, were considered. It was concluded that in the case where the soil and structure's periods were near to each other, the interaction of adjacent structures on increasing nonlinear responses (displacement and interstory drift) and structural damage indexes was noticeable and therefore was not negligible. Whereas in the case where periods are distant from each other, the interaction of adjacent buildings has a decreasing effect on damage indexes and nonlinear responses and therefore was negligible. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.