FLOOR DIAPHRAGMS.

Definition and function:

A horizontal system (roof, floor or other membrane or horizontal bracing) acting to

transmit lateral forces to vertical-resisting elements.

The floors and roof of a building, in addition to resisting gravity loads, are also generally
designed to act as diaphragms. In this respect, they are required both to distribute
seismic forces to the main elements of horizontal resistance, such as frames and shear
walls, and also to tie the structure together so that it acts as a single entity during an
earthquake. The robustness and redundancy of a structure is highly dependent on the
performance of the diaphragms.

Precast floors without an in-situ topping are not generally recommended in seismic
areas.

In a ductile structure, diaphragms will almost always be required to remain elastic, so

that they can sustain their function of transferring forces to the main lateral-resisting
structure, and tying the building together. Diaphragms should in principle therefore have
the strength to sustain the maximum forces that may be induced in them by the chosen
yielding mechanism within the rest of the structure.
Eurocode 8 deals with this rather simply by specifying that diaphragms should be
designed for 1.3 times the shear forces obtained directly from the analysis.

Usually, the seismic analysis of buildings is carried out on the assumption that
deflections in the diaphragms are so small compared with those in the main lateral load-
resisting structure that the diaphragms can be treated as rigid. In most cases, this is
quite satisfactory, because usually diaphragm flexibility affects neither overall structural
stiffness (and hence natural period) nor the distribution of
forces within a structure. Moreover, during a major earthquake, in ductile structures
where the diaphragms are designed to remain essentially elastic, the superstructure
deflections are likely to include large plastic deformations, increasing the disparity still
further.

TYPES OF DIAPHRAGM:

a. Rigid Diaphragms
A diaphragm may be considered rigid when its midpoint displacement, under lateral
load, is less than twice the average displacements at its ends. Rigid diaphragm
distributes the horizontal forces to the vertical resisting elements in direct proportion to
the relative rigidities. It is based on the assumption that the diaphragm does not deform
itself and will cause each vertical element to deflect the same amount. Rigid
diaphragms capable of transferring torsional and shear deflections and forces are also
based on the assumption that the diaphragm and shear walls undergo rigid body
rotation and this produces additional shear forces in the shear wall. Rigid diaphragms
consist of reinforced concrete diaphragms, precast concrete diaphragms, and
composite steel deck.

b. FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAM.
Flexible diaphragms — Roofs or floors including, but not necessarily limited to, those
sheathed with plywood, wood decking, or metal decks without structural concrete
topping slabs. Metal decks with lightweight fill may or may not be flexible. Diaphragms
are considered flexible when the maximum lateral deformation of the diaphragm is more
than two times the average story drift of the associated story. This may be determined
by comparing the computed midpoint in-plane deflection of the diaphragm itself under
lateral load with the drift to adjoining vertical elements under tributary lateral load.

A diaphragm is considered flexible, when the midpoint displacement, under lateral load,
exceeds twice the average displacement of the end supports. It is assumed here that
the relative stiffness of these non-yielding end supports is very great compared to that
of the diaphragm. Therefore, diaphragms are often designed as simple beams between
end supports, and distribution of the lateral forces to the vertical resisting elements on a
tributary width, rather than relative stiffness.

Flexible diaphragm is not considered to be capable of distributing torsional and

rotational forces. Flexible diaphragms consist of diagonally sheated wood diaphragms,
sheathed diaphragms etc.

The rigidity of the diaphragms is classified into two groups on relative flexibility: rigid and
flexible diaphragm.

Flexible vs. Rigid Diaphragms(another definition)

The purpose of determining whether a diaphragm is flexible or rigid is to determine

whether a diaphragm should have the loads proportioned according to the tributary area
or the relative stiffness of the supports. For flexible diaphragms, the loads should be
distributed according to the tributary area, whereas for rigid diaphragms, the load should
be distributed according to the stiffness. The distribution of seismic forces to the vertical
elements of the lateral force resistance system is dependent first on the relative
stiffness of the vertical elements vs. the horizontal elements, and second on the relative
stiffness of the vertical elements when they have varying deflection characteristics. The
first issue defines when a diaphragm can be considered flexible or rigid. In other words,
it sets limits on whether the diaphragms can act to transmit torsional resistance or
cantilever. When the relative deflections of the diaphragm and shear walls are
determined at the factored load resistance level, and the mid-span deflection of the
diaphragm is determined to be more than two times the average deflection of the
vertical resistant elements, the diaphragms may be considered as being flexible.
Conversely, a diaphragm should be considered rigid when the diaphragm deflection is
equal to or less than two times the shear wall drift. Obviously, the performance of most
diaphragms falls in a broad spectrum between perfectly rigid and flexible. However, at
the current time, there are no design tools available to provide for analyzing diaphragms
in the intermediate realm.
Therefore, model building codes simply differentiate between the two extreme
conditions.

The flexible diaphragm seismic forces should be distributed to the vertical resisting
elements according to the tributary area and simple beam analysis. Although rotation of
the diaphragm may occur because lines of vertical elements have different stiffness, the
diaphragm is not considered sufficiently stiff to redistribute the seismic forces through
rotation. The diaphragm may be visualized as a single-span beam supported on rigid
supports in this instance.

For diaphragms defined as rigid, rotational or torsional behavior is expected and the
action results in a redistribution of shear to the vertical force-resisting elements.
Requirements for horizontal shear distribution involve a significantly more detailed
analysis of the system than the assumption of flexibility.

Torsional response of a structure due to an irregular stiffness at any level within the
structure can be the potential cause of failure in the building. As a result, dimensional
and diaphragm aspect ratio limitations are imposed for different categories of
construction. Also, additional requirements are imposed on the diaphragm when the
structure is deemed to have a general torsional irregularity such as when reentering
corners or diaphragm discontinuities are present.
Diaphragm Discontinuity
Diaphragms with abrupt discontinuities or variationsin stiffness, including those having
cut-out or open areas greater than 50 percent of the gross enclosed diaphragm area, or
changes in effective diaphragm stiffness of more than 50 percent from one storey to the
next.

Comparison between flexible and rigid diaphragm

T.RangaRajan.