Electronic Journal of Structural Engineering, 6 (2006)

Seismic Pounding between Adjacent Building Structures

Shehata E. Abdel Raheem
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut University, Egypt
E-mail: shehataraheem@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: Investigations of past and recent earthquake damage have illustrated that the building
structures are vulnerable to severe damage and/or collapse during moderate to strong ground motion. Among
the possible structural damages, seismic induced pounding has been commonly observed in several
earthquakes. A parametric study on buildings pounding response as well as proper seismic hazard mitigation
practice for adjacent buildings is carried out. Three categories of recorded earthquake excitation are used for
input. The effect of impact is studied using linear and nonlinear contact force model for different separation
distances and compared with nominal model without pounding consideration. Pounding produces acceleration
and shear at various story levels that are greater than those obtained from the no pounding case, while the
peak drift depends on the input excitation characteristics. Also, increasing gap width is likely to be effective
when the separation is sufficiently wide practically to eliminate contact.

KEYWORDS: Seismic pounding; Adjacent building; Energy dissipation; Seismic design

1 INTRODUCTION which vibrate out of phase and there is insufficient

separation distance or energy dissipation system to
A quake with a magnitude of six is capable of accommodate the relative motions of adjacent
causing severe damage. Several destructive buildings.
earthquakes have hit Egypt in both historical and Past seismic codes did not give definite
recent times from distant and near earthquakes. The guidelines to preclude pounding, because of this and
annual energy release in Egypt and its vicinity is due to economic considerations including maximum
equivalent to an earthquake with magnitude varying land usage requirements, especially in the high-
from 5.5 to 7.3. Pounding between closely spaced density populated areas of cities, there are many
building structures can be a serious hazard in buildings worldwide which are already built in
seismically active areas. Investigations of past and contact or extremely close to another that could
recent earthquakes damage have illustrated several suffer pounding damage in future earthquakes. A
instances of pounding damage (Astaneh-Asl et al. large separation is controversial from both technical
1994, Northridge Reconnaissance Team 1996, Kasai (difficulty in using expansion joint) and economical
& Maison 1991) in both building and bridge (loss of land usage) views. The highly congested
structures. Pounding damage was observed during building system in many metropolitan cities
the 1985 Mexico earthquake, the 1988 Sequenay constitutes a major concern for seismic pounding
earthquake in Canada, the 1992 Cairo earthquake, damage. For these reasons, it has been widely
the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1995 Kobe accepted that pounding is an undesirable
earthquake and 1999 Kocaeli earthquake. Significant phenomenon that should be prevented or mitigated
pounding was observed at sites over 90 km from the (Abdel Raheem 2004, Hayashikawa et al. 2002, Hao
epicenter thus indicating the possible catastrophic & Zhang 1999, Pantelides & Ma 1998, Kasai et al.
damage that may occur during future earthquakes 1991). Moreover, a new generation of structural
having closer epicenters. Pounding of adjacent design codes defines requirements for the design of
buildings could have worse damage as adjacent buildings against earthquake action, new seismic
buildings with different dynamic characteristics, zonations have been defined, the new earthquake

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zones in connection with the corresponding design satisfies compatibility and boundary conditions. By
ground acceleration values will lead in many cases assembling the element dynamic equilibrium
to earthquake actions which are remarkably higher equation for the time t+Δt over all the elements, the
than defined by the design codes used up to now. incremental FEM dynamic equilibrium equation can
The most simplest and effective way for be obtained as:
pounding mitigation and reducing damage due to [M]{ u }t+Δt+[C]{ u }t+Δt+[K] t+Δt{Δu }t+Δt={F}t+Δt -
pounding is to provide enough separation but it is (1)
{F}
sometimes difficult to be implemented due to
detailing problem and high cost of land. An where [M], [C] and [K]t+Δt = system mass, damping
alternative to the seismic separation gap provision in and tangent stiffness matrices at time t+Δt. The
the structure design is to minimize the effect of tangent stiffness considers the material nonlinearity
pounding through decreasing lateral motion (Kasai through bilinear elastic-plastic constitutive model, u ,
et al. 1996, Abdullah et al. 2001, Jankowski et al u and Δu = accelerations, velocities, and
2000, Ruangrassamee & Kawashima 2003, incremental displacements at time t+Δt, respectively;
Kawashima & Shoji 2000), which can be achieved and {F}t+Δt-{F}t = unbalanced force vector. The
by joining adjacent structures at critical locations so Newmark’s step-by-step integration method is used
that their motion could be in-phase with one another for the integration of the equation of motion. These
or by increasing the pounding buildings damping equations for the building structure system subjected
capacity by means of passive structural control of to earthquake ground motion input are assembled
energy dissipation system. and numerically solved for the incremental
The focus of this study is the development of an displacement using the Newton-Raphson iteration
analytical model and methodology for the method. In this study, an equivalent viscous
formulation of the adjacent building-pounding damping is explicitly introduced in the system in the
problem based on the classical impact theory, an form of damping matrix [C]. A spectral damping
investigation through parametric study to identify scheme of Rayleigh’s damping is used to form
the most important parameters is carried out. The damping matrix as a combination of mass and
main objective and scope are to evaluate the effects stiffness matrices, which effectively captures the
of structural pounding on the global response of building damping and is also computationally
building structures; to determine proper seismic efficient.
hazard mitigation practice for already existing
buildings as well as new buildings and to develop 2.2 Input ground motion
and provide engineers with practical analytical tools
for predicting pounding response and damage. A A suite of nine-ground motion records from seven
realistic pounding model is used for studying the different earthquakes [Muthukmar & DesRochs
response of structural system under the condition of 2004] is selected for the purpose of understanding
structural pounding during moderate to strong the input ground motion effect, as listed in Table 1.
earthquakes. An analytical technique based on the The ground motion records are grouped into three
contact force-based approach is developed, where levels depending on the peak ground acceleration as,
the contact element is activated when the structures low (0.1g up to 0.3g), moderate (0.4g up to 0.6g)
come into contact. A spring with high stiffness is and high (0.7g up to 0.9g). The records are chosen
used to avoid overlapping between adjacent such that the period ratio (T1 /Tg and T2 /Tg; adjacent
structures. Two adjacent multi-story buildings are buildings period over the ground motion
considered as a representative structure for potential characteristic period) has a wide range.
pounding problem. A simplified nonlinear analytical
model is developed to study the response of multi-
story building subject to earthquake excitation. 3 FINITE ELEMENT MODELLING
3.1 Building model
2 NONLINEAR DYNAMIC ANALYSIS This study investigates pounding of adjacent
PROCEDURES building structures from an analytical perspective. A
simplified nonlinear model of a multi-story building
2.1 Equilibrium equation solution technique is developed incorporating the effects of geometric
The governing nonlinear dynamic equation of and material nonlinearities. A three-dimensional
motion for the structure response can be derived by (3D) finite element model has been defined and 3D
the principle of energy that the external work is non-linear time-history analyses have been
absorbed by the work of internal, inertial and performed. A new formulation is proposed to model
damping forces for any small admissible motion that pounding between two adjacent building structures,
with natural periods TA and TB and damping ratios ζA

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Table 1. Suite of earthquake ground motion records

PGA PGA Earthquake Mw Station Φ° EPD PGV PGD Tg
Level (g) (km) (cm/s) (cm) (s)
0.21 N. Palm Springs, 1986 6.0 Morongo Valley (1MVH) 135 10.1 40.9 15.0 1.90
Low

0.30 Whittier narrows, 1987 6.0 E-Grand Ave (2A-GRN) 180 9.0 23.0 3.3 0.70
0.29 Morgan Hill, 1994 6.2 Gilroy Array #6 (3G06) 090 11.8 36.7 6.1 1.20
0.48 Loma Prieta, 1989 6.9 Coyote Lake Dam (4CYC) 285 21.8 39.7 15.2 0.65
Moderate

0.51 Loma Prieta, 1989 6.9 Saratoga-Aloha Ave (5STG) 000 11.7 41.2 16.2 1.80
0.59 N. Palm Springs, 1986 6.0 5070 N-Palm Spring (6NPS) 210 8.2 73.3 11.5 1.10
0.60 Coalinga, 1983 5.8 Pleasant Valley P.P. (7D-PVY) 045 17.4 34.8 8.1 0.65
High

0.84 Northridge, 1994 6.7 Rinaldi (8RRS) 228 7.1 166.1 28.8 1.05
1.04 Cape Mendocino, 1992 7.1 Cape Mendocino (9CPM) 090 8.5 42.0 12.4 2.00

uB
Building B
Impact spring Sepation S
element
uA
Building A

Potential pounding HB
location HB
HA HA

(a) Finite element mathematical model (b) Elevation view

Impact force
Fm Impact force
K2
Keff
K1
K1
CR CM CR CM
δy δm
S uA - uB S uA - uB
(c) Truss contact element for pounding simulation (d) Plan view

Figure 1. Pounding potential problem modeling

and ζB under earthquake excitation, as linear and center of rigidity, and the model has the same
nonlinear contact force based impact between two stiffness and mass distribution.
multi-degree-of-freedom oscillators. Steel moment
resistant frame building of 8-story (building A,
3.2 Impact model
period = 0.72) is assumed to collide with and
adjacent 13-story (building B, Period = 1.22), as Pounding is simulated using contact force-based
shown in Figure 1. In this model, the building floor model such as linear and nonlinear springs. In
is assumed to be infinitely rigid in its own plane. addition, a nonlinear contact model accounting for
The entire mass of the structure is uniformly impact energy dissipation is also introduced to
distributed at the floor level. The model has model impact. A bilinear truss contact model with a
coincident CR (Rigidity/stiffness Center) and CM gap is considered for representing impact between
(Mass Center) that is located at the geometric center closely spaced adjacent structures, as shown in
of the floor. For the purpose of evaluating the effect Figure 1. The model parameters such as the stiffness
of torsion, a torsional unbalanced model is defined properties and the yield deformation of the truss
where the mass center lies at a distance e from the element are determined using the Hertz contact law

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Table 2. Non-pounding and relative pounding displacements for different input earthquakes

Input Earthquake uA (m) uB (m) uRel (m) uRel / max. (uA & uB) uRel /(uA + uB)
1MVH 0.06 0.10 0.13 1.30 0.81
2A-GRN 0.24 0.45 0.65 1.45 0.94
3G06 0.09 0.04 0.11 1.22 0.85
4CYC 0.11 0.19 0.27 1.42 0.90
5STG 0.09 0.17 0.19 1.18 0.73
6NPS 0.15 0.14 0.24 1.71 0.83
7D-PVY 0.08 0.13 0.21 1.62 1.0
8RRS 0.13 0.06 0.14 1.08 0.74
9CPM 0.09 0.16 0.19 1.19 0.76

for the effective stiffness and by equating the relative displacement response (Lopez Garcia 2004,
element hysteresis area to the energy dissipated Penzien 1997), is given by:
during impact (Muthukmar & DesRochs 2004,
Muthukmar 2003). S = u Re l (t ) = u A2 + u B2 − ρ AB u A u B (4)
where uA, uB and uRel = mean peak values of uA(t),
4 REQUIRED SEISMIC SEPARATION uB(t) and uRel(t), respectively. The correlation
DISTANCE TO AVOID POUNDING coefficient, ρAB depends on the period on the period
ratio r = TB /TA, as well as ζA and ζB, (Lopez Garcia
Seismic pounding occurs when the separation 2004, Penzien 1997) and is given by
distance between adjacent buildings is not large 8 ζ A ζ B (ζ A + r ζ B ) r 1.5
ρ AB = (5)
enough to accommodate the relative motion during
earthquake events. Seismic codes and regulations
(1 − r )
2 2
+ 4r ζ A ζ B (1 + r 2 ) + 4(ζ 2A + ζ 2B ) r 2
worldwide specify minimum separation distances to where TA, ζA and TB, ζB are natural periods and
be provided between adjacent buildings, to preclude damping ratios of systems A and B, respectively.
pounding, which is obviously equal to the relative The DDC rule is much more accurate than the ABS
displacement demand of the two potentially and SRSS rules, although it gives somewhat un-
colliding structural systems. For instance, according conservative results when TA and TB are well
to the 2000 edition of the International building code separated (Lopez Garcia 2004, Penzien 1997).
and in many seismic design codes and regulations
worldwide, minimum separation distances (Lopez
5 NUMERICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Garcia 2004) are given by ABSolute sum (ABS) or
Square Root of Sum of Squares (SRSS) as follow: 5.1 Pounding and spacing size effects

(2) In order to achieve an acceptably safe structural

S = uA + uB ABS performance during seismic events, a correct seismic
design should take into account the relative
S= u 2A + u 2B SRSS (3) displacements calculated by means of a nonlinear
time history analysis. The maximum displacement
where S = separation distance and uA, uB = peak for the non-pounding case for stiff and flexible
displacement response of adjacent structures A and buildings uA, uB and the relative pounding
B, respectively. Previous studies have shown that displacement uRel for different input excitation are
they give poor estimates of S, especially when the listed in Table 2. Since the absolute sum (ABS)
natural periods of the adjacent structures are close to approach assumes complete out-of-phase motion of
each other. In these cases, the ABS and SRSS rules the adjacent buildings, so the ratio of uRel to the sum
give excessively conservative separation distances, of uA and uB could be taken as a measure of out-of-
which are very difficult to effectively implement phase of adjacent buildings, which range from 0.73
because of maximization of land usage. to 1.0 depending on the input earthquakes
A more rational approach that is usually referred characteristic. The out of phase movement between
to as the Double Difference Combination (DDC) building A and B is clearly observed due to different
rule, for estimation of the critical required separation periods of the building. The positive and negative
distance, which is obviously equal to the peak peak displacements are essential to determine the

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degree of biased response of the pounding system. stiff building is reduced. Conversely, the stiff 8-
Therefore, seismic poundings between adjacent story building demand increases and the flexible
buildings may induce unwanted damages even building demand decreases due to pounding for the
though each individual structure might have been 2A-GRN input earthquake that has dominant period
designed properly to withstand the strike of credible near the fundamental period of stiff building.
earthquake events. Pounding slightly decreases both building responses
The acceleration variation at the top level of for 8RRS input earthquake. The amplification in
shorter building during impact between adjacent building response is a function of each of adjacent
structures under different earthquakes is computed buildings vibration period and their ratio as well as
to study the behavior of the building during impact. the dominant frequency of input excitation.
Pounding is a severe load condition that could result
Furthermore, pounding can amplify the global
in high magnitude and short duration floor
response of participating structural systems. The
acceleration pulses in the form of short duration
effects of impact are found to be severe for both of
spikes, which in turn cause greater damage to
adjacent buildings. Pounding produces acceleration
building contents. A sudden stopping of
response and shear force at various story levels that
displacement at the pounding level results in large
are greater than those from the no pounding case, as
and quick acceleration pulses in the opposite
shown in Figure 4, while the peak drift depends on
direction. The acceleration increases due to impact
the input excitation characteristics. Flexible 13-story
with adjacent structure and can be more than 10
building pounding increases shear above impact
times those from no-pounding case, as illustrated in
level and below the third floor slab as well as
Figure 2. The time history of inward displacements
acceleration at the vicinity of impact, while stiff 8-
and their extreme values for the pounding and no
story building pounding almost increases the peak
pounding cases shows that pounding reduces the
shear over the entire height. The increase of spacing
building response when vibrating near the
from 0.12 to 0.25m has the capability for reducing
characteristic period of the ground motion and
impact effects and could reduce the number of
increases the adjacent building response, as shown
pounding's occasion. Also, increasing gap width is
in Figure 3. The flexible 13-story building vibrates
likely to be effective when the separation is
near the dominant frequency of the 3G06 input
sufficiently wide practically to eliminate contact.
earthquake; pounding response is increased in the
flexible building while pounding response of the

10 No-pounding 10 No-pounding
Acceleration (g)

8RRS
0 0

-10 -10

-20 -20

10 Pounding 10 Pounding
Acceleration (g)

0 0

-10 -10

-20 -20
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15
Time (sec) Time (sec)
(a) 8-story building (8th level) (b) 13-story building (8th level)
Figure 2. Acceleration time histories at pounding level (Pounding problem versus no-pounding case)

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No pounding Pounding No pounding Pounding

Displacement (m)
0.5 max. (2.7, 0.24) 0.5
max. (2.8, 0.19) 8RRS

0 0

-0.5 -0.5 max. (7.9, 0.45)

max. (6.3, 0.37)
Displacement (m)

0.2 max. (6.5, 0.08) 0.2

max. (7.5, 0.09) 3G06

0 0

max. (6.6, 0.14)

-0.2 -0.2 max. (6.5, 0.12)
Displacement (m)

0.2 max. (4.1, 0.13) 0.2

max. (4.0, 0.10)
2A-GRN
0 0

max. (5.1, 0.06)

-0.2 -0.2 max. (5.1, 0.08)
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15
Time (sec) Time (sec)

(a) 8-story building (8th level) (b) 13-story building (8th level)
Figure 3. Displacement time histories at pounding level (Pounding problem versus no-pounding case)

40 40

No-pounding No-pounding
Pounding ( spacing S = 0.12 m) Pounding ( spacing S = 0.12 m)
Pounding (spacing S = 0.25 m) Pounding (spacing S = 0.25 m) 30
30

20 20 20 20

10 10 10 10

4CYC 8RRS
0 0 0 0
-10 -5 0 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 -20 -10 0 -5 0 5
Acceleration (g) Acceleration (g) Acceleration (g) Acceleration (g)

40 40
No-pounding No-pounding
Pounding ( spacing S = 0.12 m) Pounding ( spacing S = 0.12 m)
Pounding (spacing S = 0.25 m) 30
Pounding (spacing S = 0.25 m) 30

20 20 20 20

8RRS
10 10 10 10

8RRS
0 0 0 0
-0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2 -0.5 0 0.5 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 -2 0 2 4
Displacement (m) Displacement (m) Force (KN) Force (KN)
Figure 4. Response envelops for different spacing size between adjacent buildings

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5.2 Impact energy dissipation effect 40

The nonlinearity and dissipated energy associated No-pounding
Pounding ( linear impact model)
with impact are illustrated by the shear response Pounding (nonlinear impact model)
envelop and acceleration time history response at 30

short building top level for linear and nonlinear

impact modeling, Figures 5 & 6. An increase in the 20 20
damping energy absorption capacity of the pounding
element results in reduction of the acceleration 4CYC
amplification, impact force and building global 10 10

responses. The pounding element can be activated

every time for energy absorption whenever the 0 0
buildings vibrate. Consequently, impact force can be -3 -2 -1 0 1 -1 0 1
Force (KN) Force (KN)
significantly reduced. The failure of buildings 40
occurs not only from the increase of lateral loading, No-pounding
but also from vertical failure. Building upholds their Pounding ( linear impact model)
Pounding (nonlinear impact model)
structural integrity by providing a continuous load 30

path to their foundation. As the building displaces

laterally the columns are caused to deflect from the
p-δ effect, causing them to inadequately transfer the
20 20

loads of the floors. These deformed members then 8RRS

buckle from the floors weight. 10 10
The response discloses the significance of the use
of the energy dissipation system. Hence, it is clear
that an energy dissipation system installed at -6 -4 -2
0
0 2 4 -2
0
0 2 4
potential pounding level could be an effective tool to Force (KN) Force (KN)

reduce the effect of impact upon adjacent buildings.

Consideration of impact energy dissipation through
Figure 5. Shear response envelops for linear and nonlinear
nonlinear impact model amplifies pounding impact modeling
displacement reduces the impact forces and
promotes the impact eccentricity due one direction
yielding that could lead to localized damage at
corners of building.

20 Linear impact model 20 Linear impact model

Acceleration (g)

2a-grn
0 0

-20 -20

-40 -40

20 Nonlinear impact model 20 Nonlinear impact model

Acceleration (g)

0 0

-20 -20

-40 -40

0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15
Time (sec) Time (sec)

(a) 8-story building (8th level) (b) 13-story building (8th level)
Figure 6. Acceleration time history response for linear and nonlinear impact modeling

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6 CONCLUSIONS 7 REFERENCES

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