Seismic Analysis of a Multi-storeyed Building with Floating Columns

Floating columns have become very common in modern multi-storeyed buildings. The buildings constructed nowadays generally have an open ground storey to serve as a parking area or a hall, etc. These types of structures have a discontinuity in the transfer of loads as the columns are not complete. Thus, these structures possess a great risk of damage by earthquakes and are thus undesirable in the seismically active regions.  

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1. GIS

2. Structural & Foundation Analysis

3. CPM & BIM

4. Tall Building Design

5. Construction Technology (Career Building Course)

6. Foundation Design

7. Construction Project Management

8. Building Information Modelling

9. Seismic Design

10. Quantity Surveying

11. ETABS Software

12. Project Management with Primavera

In this project, you have to study the effect of the seismic forces on the floating columns in various soil conditions and also obtain a safety factor that should be used while designing such structures so that the structures can fulfil their purpose throughout their lifetime. For this, you will have to record the effects of various types of loads on different structures with and without floating columns and then compare the results to reach the result.

The analysis is done using the ETABS software through the Linear Dynamic Analysis methods which are the Response Spectrum Method and the Equivalent Static Method.

Floating Columns: Floating columns are vertical members which, instead of resting on the foundation, rest on a beam which are horizontal members. Thus, they act as a point load on the beam. They are generally used in open ground storey structures where transfer girders are employed. They are capable of bearing the gravity loads if the transfer girder is appropriate.

The design of the transfer girders becomes prime importance in such structures especially when they are in a place which is prone to seismic activities.

Project Implementation:

1. The model o the building is made using the ETABS software. For this, you need to specify certain parameters like the type of the building, number of storeys, height of the building, material used, dimensions of the columns and beams, type of soil presence or absence of floating columns, etc.

You can vary these parameters to observe different cases and get a more elaborate analysis.

2. Once your model is ready, you need to look after the loads acting on the structure. The major loads are the dead loads, live loads, seismic loads, earthquake loads, etc.
3. After this, you need to study the response of the structures in different cases. The result is studied in terms of maximum horizontal storey drift, maximum bending moment, base shear, time period, etc. The results of various cases should preferable be recorded in a tabular form so that it is easy for you to compare the results.

Conclusion:

After this analysis, you will have a detailed view of the effect of various forces on a type of structure. You will know whether structures with floating columns are suitable for a particular seismic zone or not. Also, if there is any pre-existing structure which cannot be demolished, you can suggest the type of improvement that can be applied to that structure like if the columns of the structure need to be thickened, or if that structure needs retrofitting in the columns or beams, or if they need metal bracings to decrease deformations, etc.

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• Civil Engineering
• ETABS

Seismic Analysis of a Multi-storeyed Building with Floating Columns