Seismic resistance of reinforced

concrete structures -Tutorial

Go through an example of seismic design of
reinforced concrete frame structure for
1. Understand and use related clauses for
concrete design in Eurocode 8 through an
example
2. Be prepared to conduct the second piece of
coursework
Design Example

The 10-storey plane frame is to

be designed according to EC8
for DC ‘H’.

The frame shown is supposed to

be the central one in a series of
frames, equally spaced, at a
distance of 3.0 m.
• Beam and column: [EC8-1: 5.1.2, P78)
• Wall systems: resist over 65% shear forces
by walls (P79)
• Frame system: resist over 65% shear forces
by frames (beams and columns) (P79)
• Importance factor: Category II, γ1 = 1.0
[EC8-1: 4.2.5, P53]
• Subsoil class: A [EC8-1: 3.1.2, P34]
• Design peak ground acceleration: α = 0.2g
 Dimensions
• Beams:
• Levels 1-6 250 mm x 850 mm
• Levels 7-10 200 mm x 700 mm
• Columns:
– A&D
• Levels 0-6 400 mm x 400 mm
• Levels 6-8 350 mm x 350 mm
• Levels 8-10 300 mm x 300 mm
– B&C
• Levels 0-6 500 mm x 500 mm
• Levels 6-8 450 mm x 450 mm
• Levels 8-10 400 mm x 400 mm
 Material Characteristics
• Concrete
– Concrete class: C35/45 (fck = 35 MPa)
– Specific weight: 25 kN/m3
– Young’s modulus: Ecm = 34.0 GPa
– Poisson’s ratio: ν = 0.2
– Design compressive strength: fck/γc = 35/1.5 = 23.3 MPa
• Steel
– Steel class: Class C, fyk = 500 MPa
– Design tensile strength: fyd = fyk/γs = 500/1.15 = 435 MPa
 Design Vertical Load
• Dead load
– Unit weight of the floor, comprehensive of structural
slab, beams and finishes. In general, it varies from the
first floor to the top floor. Assume it to be constant at
8.0 kN/m2. This includes the weight of the columns.

• Live load
– Assumed as uniformly distributed and equally present
at all floors, 2.0 kN/m2.
P57 – eq. 4.6
 Design Seismic Action
Fundamental period T = 0.075 H¾ = 0.96 s [EC8-1:4.3.3.2.2, P57]

For subsoil class A, the parameters in the design spectrum [EC8-1:

Table 3.2, P38],
S = 1.0, TB = 0.15 s, TC = 0.4 s, and TD = 2.0 s,

The design spectrum [EC8-1: 3.2.2.5, P41-42]

= ag S (2.5 / q) (Tc / T )
Sd (T ) 
   ag
The behaviour factor, q = q0 kw = 4.5 x 1.3 x 1.00 = 5.85

[EN 1998-1:2004, Cl. 5.2.2.2, P82-83]

2.5  TC  0.2  9.81 2.5  0.4

S d = ag  S    = = 0.349m / s 2
q T  5.85  0.96

Sd = ag = 0.2  0.2  9.81 = 0.392m / s 2

Therefore
S d = 0.392m / s 2
= ag S (2.5 / q) (Tc / T )
Sd (T ) 
   a g
Combinations of seismic action with
other actions

Ei

• EC8-1:3.2.4, P44
 Loads contributing to Inertial Effects

G +  
kj Ei  Qki EC8-1:3.2.4, P44

where Gkj is the characteristic value of permanent action j,

ψEi (= φ ψ2i) is the combination coefficient for quasi permanent
value of variable action i, and
Qki is the characteristic value of variable action i. [EC8-1:4.2.4, P52]
From [EC8-1, Table 4.2], we get φ =1.0 for the roof and φ =0.5
for every other floor. ψ2i = 0.30. (ψ in the range 0.0 to 0.8)
2i

For example on the first floor, the load is (8.0 + 0.5 x 0.3 x 2.0),
i.e., 8.3 kN/m2 .
The total load on any floor is (8.3x3.0x16), or approximately, 400 kN.

Load on the roof is (8.0 + 1.0x0.3x2.0), i.e., 8.6 kN/m2 , with a

total of 413 kN.

Fb= Sd(T) m λ= 0.392 x (9x400+413)/9.8 x 1.0 = 160.4 kN.

[4.3.3.2.2, P57]

The horizontal seismic force are distributed along the height as per
the following formula [4.3.3.2.3, P58]
zi Wi
Fi = Fb
 z j Wj
where zi, zj are the heights of storey masses mi, mj from the
foundation level.
 Design Load Combinations

Two basic load combinations have to be considered.

1. One with the live load as the main variable

(1.35 G + 1.50 Q)

2. One with the seismic action as the main action

(G + ∑ ψEi Qk + AEd )
Load Combination 1
Load Combination 2
 Design of Beams
Bending External Internal
Moment support Support Midspan
(kN m) Left Right Left Right
Positive 113 113 203 203 120
Negative 210 210 275 275
Sign convention: positive when bottom fibres are tensioned.

244 275
210

113
97
203
 External Span
250 mm 40 mm
−
M sd = 210 kNm
As1

(Negative bending moment means 810 mm

bottom fibres are in compression.

Therefore, the compressive zone of
the cracked section of the beam is
rectangular.)

As1 = 628 mm2 As1: Provide 4 T16 = 804 mm2.

 External Span
M s+2 = 113 kNm

(Positive bending moment means 250 mm 40 mm

bottom fibres are in tension.
As1
Therefore, the beam needs to be
designed as T-beam.) 810 mm

As2 40 mm

Effective width beff = bc+4 hf =

1000 mm [EN 1998-1:2004, Cl.
5.4.3.1.1, P95]

As2 =359 mm2 As2: Provide 2 T16 = 402 mm2.

 Internal Span
+
M sd = 203 kNm

As1 = 607 mm2 As1D: Provide 2T16 and 2T14= 710 mm2.

M sd− = 275 kNm

As2 = 822 mm2 As2D: Provide 2T16 and 3T14= 864 mm2.
 Internal Span
Use capacity design rule [EN 1998-1:2004:5.5.2.1 P90,108]

MB 24.9 kN/m MC
MB = 203 kNm,
B C
MC = 275 kNM.
4m

MRb,1 = MB * As1D/ As1 =203*710/607 kNm = 237 kNm,

MRb,2 = MC * As2D/ As2 =275*864/822 kNm = 289 kNm
24.9  4 237 + 289
VEd,max = + 1.2  kN = 208 kN
2 4
24.9  4 237 + 289
VEd,min = − 1.2  kN = -108 kN
2 4
 Coursework
• To know the use of MIDAS
• To assess the differences between the lateral
force method and the modal response
spectral method (P59, P58)
• To assess the effect of adding bracing
members in the middle bay of the frame
 Acting as both

A graduate engineer A senior engineer

 Output: Compare two methods
• To analyse the coursework example based on the lateral
force method (Eurocode 8-1: 4.3.3.2) and modal response
spectral method (Eurocode 8-1: 4.3.3.3).
• i) the bending moment diagrams for the design static
vertical loads, the lateral earthquake load and the
combination of the static load and earthquake loads for the
lateral forced methods (Lateral Force method COMB2:
1.0DL + 0.3(0.5)LLfloors + 0.3LLroof + 1.0Alateral);
• ii) the shape of the first three vibration modes;
• iii) the maximum bending moments and shear forces for the
columns and for the beams in storey 1 and storey 10.
Output: Compare two designs
Improving the structure through providing a mild
steel bracing member in each storey in the middle
bay.
All bracing members have the same cross-section
area of 20 cm^2.
Use the modal response spectral method only to
analyse the improved frame structure.
 Attention
To compare and comment on the key results from
the two methods and from the two frame
structures.

Demonstrate that your FE results are correct, not

necessarily accurate.
 Marking Scheme
• Analysis 40%
• Input 10%
• Correct answers 20%
• Discussion, comparison and conclusion:
20%
• Presentation 10%
• Bonus marks

Submission: 23:00 Wednesday 26 April