Influence of ground type on the seismic response of non-structural components integrated on asymmetrical reinforced concrete buildings

This paper studies the effect of ground type (namely ground types A, B, C, D and E as defined in Eurocode 8 (EC8)) on the seismic response of lightweight acceleration-sensitive nonstructural components (NSCs) integrated on irregular multi-storey reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Dynamic nonlinear finite element (FE) analyses of the primary-secondary (P-S) systems were conducted to provide insight into the seismic response of the NSCs and to evaluate the accuracy of EC8 predictions when the NSCs are attached to the flexible sides of the primary structures (P-structures). Representative constitutive models were adopted to represent the behaviour of the RC P-structures. The NSCs were modelled as vertical cantilevers fixed at their bases with masses on the free ends and varying lengths so as to match the frequencies of the P-structures. Full dynamic interaction is considered between the NSCs and P-structures. Different sets of natural and artificial earthquake records consisting of 63 accelerograms were utilised. The results of this paper confirm the outcome of previous studies suggesting that the current EC8 provisions underestimate the dynamic response of NSCs influenced by the torsional modes of RC P-structures designed on different ground types.