INTERNACIONALNI NAUČNO-STRUČNI SKUP

GRAĐEVINARSTVO - NAUKA I PRAKSA

ŽABLJAK, 03-07. MARTA 2008.

Roberta Petrusevska-Apostolska1, Golubka Necevska-Cvetanovska2

DESIGN CRITERIA FOR DIFFERENT DUCTILITY CLASSES

FOR RC BUILDINGS ACCORDING TO EUROCODE 8

Summary
Eurocode 8's general design philosophy is based on design of structural systems with
adequate capacity for dissipation of input earthquake energy and providing of required
ductility, at (local and global level) through design and detailing of plastic hinges in
accordance with the specific rules set in the code. Special provisions for design and
detailing of primary RC members for different ductility classes will be presented in the
paper. Some issues considering verification for ultimate limit state for different ductility
classes will be also address in the paper.
Keywords
Eurocode 8, capacity design, energy dissipation, ductility classes, behaviour factor

PROEKTNI KRITERIUMI ZA RAZLIČNI KLASI

NA DUKTILNOST NA AB ZGRADI VO SOGLASNOST
SO EVROKOD 8

Rezime
Proektnata filozofija na Evrokod 8 se bazira na proektiranje na konstruktivni sistemi so
soodveten kapacitet za disipacija na vleznata seizmička energija i obezbeduvanje na
baran duktilitet, (na lokalno i globalno nivo) preku proektiranje i armiranje na t.n.
plastični zglobovi vo soglasnost so specifičnite pravila dadeni vo kodot. Vo trudot će
bidat prezentirani pravilata za armiranje na primarnite AB elementi za različni klasi na
duktilnost. Isto taka će bidat prezentirani i nekoi aspekti od verifikacijata na sigurnosta
za ultimativna granična sostojba za različnite klasi na duktilnost.
Klučni zborovi
Evrokod 8, proektiranje na kapacitet, disipacija na energija, klasi na duktilnost, faktor
na odnesuvanje

1
Assist. Prof. d-r, IZIIS, Salvador Aljende, 73, 1000, Skopje, email: beti@pluto.iziis.ukim.edu.mk
2
Prof. d-r, IZIIS, Salvador Aljende, 73, 1000, Skopje, email: golubka@pluto.iziis.ukim.edu.mk

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1. INTRODUCTION

EN 1998 Eurocode 8 which belongs to the new generation of modern seismic codes,
[1] applies to the design and construction of buildings and other civil engineering works in
seismic regions. EC8 provides two-level seismic design with the following explicit
performance objective [2]:
ƒ protect life under a rare seismic action, by preventing collapse of the structure
or parts there of and maintaining structural integrity and residual load capacity,
(no-collapse requirement),
ƒ to reduce property loss due to the frequent event, by limiting structural and non-
structural damage, (damage limitation requirement).

2. DESIGN CONCEPTS AND CRITERIA FOR DIFFERENT

DUCTILITY CLASSES

The design of earthquake resistant concrete buildings shall provide the structure
with an adequate capacity to dissipate energy without substantial reduction of its overall
resistance against horizontal and vertical loading.
Concrete buildings may alternatively be designed for low dissipation capacity and
low ductility, by applying only the rules of EN 1992-1-1:2004 for the seismic design
situation, and neglecting the specific provisions given in EC8. In this case behavior factor q
up to 1.5 should be use. For non-base isolated structures this simplification in design is
recommended only for low seismicity regions1. Building structures designed in such a way
are termed "low dissipative" or Ductility Class Low, (DCL).
Concrete buildings designed to provide energy dissipation capacity and overall
ductile behaviour are classified in two ductility classes DCM (medium ductility) and DCH
(high ductility), depending on their hysteretic dissipation capacity. Both classes correspond
to buildings designed, dimensioned and detailed in accordance with specific earthquake
resistant provisions, enabling the structure to develop stable mechanisms associated with
large dissipation of hysteretic energy under repeated reversed loading, without suffering
brittle failures. DCM is slightly easier to design for and achieved at the construction site
and may provide better performance in moderate earthquakes. DCH may lead to better
performance under motions stronger then the design seismic action. Geographical
limitations on the use of ductility classes M and H may be found in the relevant National
Annex.
Implementation of EC8 seismic design philosophy on RC building structures is
ensured through, [2, 3]:
ƒ Damage limitation (storey drift ratio < 0.5-1%) under the damage limitation
earthquake (~50% of “design seismic action”), using 50% of uncracked gross
section stiffness,
ƒ Member verification for the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) in bending under the
“design seismic action”, with elastic spectrum reduced by the behaviour factor q,

1
EC8 allows neglecting the seismic action in design and recommended threshold is a value of γI*agR=0.05g

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ƒ In frames or frame-equivalent dual systems: Fulfilment of strong column/weak

beam capacity design rule, with overstrength factor of 1.3 on beam strengths.
ƒ Capacity design of members and joints in shear.
ƒ Detailing of plastic hinge regions, on the basis of the value of the curvature
ductility factor that corresponds to the q-factor value.

2.1. DESIGN AND DETAILING OF MEMBERS FOR DCM AND DCH

2.1.1. Material requirements

Material limitations for "primary seismic elements" are presented in table 1.
Table 1. Material limitations for primary seismic elements, [4]
Ductility Class DCL DCM DCH
Concrete grade No limit ≥ C16/20 ≥ C20/25
Steel class per EN 1992-1-1, Table C1 B or C B or C Only C
Longitudinal bars Only ribbed Only ribbed
Steel over strength No limit No limit fyk,0.95≤1.25fyk

2.1.2. Design action effects

The design values of bending moments and axial forces shall be obtained from the
analysis of the structure for the seismic design situation in accordance with EN 1990:2001,
taking into account second order effects and the capacity design requirements.
Redistribution of bending moments in accordance with EN 1992-1-1 is permitted. The
design values of shear forces of primary seismic beams and columns are presented further.
I. Beams
In primary seismic beams the design shear forces shall be determined in accordance
with the capacity design rule, on the basis of the equilibrium of the beam under: a) the
transverse load acting on it in the seismic design situation and b) end moments Mi,d (with
i=1,2 denoting the end sections of the beam), corresponding to plastic hinge formation for
positive and negative directions of seismic loading. The plastic hinges should be taken to
form at the ends of the beams or (if they form there first) in the vertical elements connected
to the joints into which the beam ends frame (Fig. 1).
End moments Mi,d may be determined as follows:

(1)
γRd factor accounting for possible over strength due to steel strain hardening,
which in the case of DCM beams may be taken as being equal to 1,0
MRb,i design value of the beam moment of resistance at end i in the sense of the
seismic bending moment under the considered sense of the seismic action
ΣMRc, ΣMRb sum of the design values of the moments of resistance of the columns and the
sum of the design values of the moments of resistance of the beams framing
into the joint. The value of ΣMRc should correspond to the column axial

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force(s) in the seismic design situation for the considered sense of the seismic
action.

Figure 1. Capacity design values of shear forces on beams, [4]

II. Columns
In order to avoid formation of soft storey plastic mechanism the following condition
should be satisfied at all joints of primary or secondary seismic beams with primary seismic
columns, (fig.2)

Figure 2. Beam & column flexural capacities at a joint in Capacity Design rule, [4]

(2)

ΣMRc sum of the design values of the moments of resistance of the columns framing the
joint. The minimum value of column moments of resistance within the range of
column axial forces produced by the seismic design situation should be used,
ΣMRb sum of the design values of the moments of resistance of the beams framing the
joint. When partial strength connections are used, the moments of resistance of these
connections are taken into account in the calculation of ΣMRb.

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In seismic columns the design values of shear forces shall be determined in accor-
dance with the capacity design rule, on the basis of the equilibrium of the column under
end moments Mi,d (with i=1,2 denoting the end sections of the column), corresponding to
plastic hinge formation for positive and negative directions of seismic loading. The plastic
hinges should be taken to form at the ends of the beams connected to the joints into which
the column end frames, or (if they form there first) at the ends of the columns (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Capacity design values of shear forces in columns, [4]

2.1.3. ULS verification and detailing

In the following brief review of the bending and shear resistance and detailing for
local ductility for beams, (table 2), and columns, (table 3) are presented.
The bending and shear resistances should be computed in accordance with EN
1992-1-1:2004. For columns and walls the value of the axial force resulting from the
analysis in the seismic design situation is use.
Table 2. Detailing for bending resistance and local ductility for beams
DCH DCM
“critical region” length 1.5hw hw
Longitudinal bars(L)
ρmin, tension side 0.5fctm/fyk
ρmax, critical regions ρ’+0.0018fcd/(μφεsy,dfyd)
Transverse bars(w)
In critical regions:
dbw≥ 6mm
spacing sw≤ 6dbL, hw/4 , 24dbw, 175mm 8dbL, hw/4 , 24dbw, 225mm

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Table 3. Detailing for bending resistance and local ductility for columns
DCH DCM
“critical region” length ≥ max (1.5hc, 0.6m, lcl) max (hc, 0.45m, lcl/6)
Longitudinal bars(L)
ρmin 1%
ρmax 4%
Transverse bars(w)
In critical regions:
dbw≥ 6mm, 0.4(fyd/fywd)1/2dbL 6mm, dbL/4
spacing sw≤ 6dbL,bo/3 , 125mm 8dbL, bo/2 , 175mm
αωwd≥ 30μφ*νdεsy,dbc/bo-0.035
In critical regions at column base:
ωwd≥ 0.12 0.08
αωwd≥ 30μφ*νdεsy,dbc/bo-0.035
Axial load ratio ≤ 0.55 ≤ 0.65
Verification for Mx-My-N Truly biaxial, or uniaxial with
(Mz/0.7N),(My/0.7N)
Capacity design check at joints 1.3ΣMRb≤ΣMRc

4. CONCLUSIONS

Eurocode 8 belongs to a new generation of seismic codes and its general philosophy
is based on design of structural systems with adequate capacity for input earthquake energy
dissipation and provide of required ductility, at (local and global level) through design and
detailing of plastic hinges in accordance with the specific rules set in the code
It should be pointed out the Eurocodes structure is such that they fulfill each other
and their parts should be used complementary. Design of RC structures according only to
EN 1992 Eurocode2 is possible only in strictly defined so called "low" seismicity regions.
In all other cases design of RC structures should be perform to accomplish not only
Eurocode 2 rules but also to accomplish specific rules set in EN 1998 Eurocode8. Only
structures design in such a way will posses adequate seismic resistance and will satisfied
performance requirements define in modern "performance-based" methodologies.

REFERENCES

[1] http://eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
[2] EUROCODE 8: Design of structures for earthquake resistance, pr EN 1998-1, December
2003.
[3] Necevska-Cvetanovska G., R. Apostolska, (2007). "Design of Earthquake Resistant Building
Structures Accoding to Eurocode 8", Invited paper, 12 MASE Symposium September 2007,
Struga, Republic of Macedonia.
[4] Fardis M.,(2006). "Design of buildings for earthquake resistance, according to Eurocode 8-
Part1, (concrete &masonry buildings), Presentation on the Workshop Building the future in
trhe Euro-Mediteranean Area, November 2006, Varese, Italy.

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