Full-Scale Dynamic Response of High-Rise Building to Lateral Loading

Abstract

Vibration measurements were made on a high-rise condominium structure in Singapore to obtain its dynamic characteristics. Subsequently the response and wind characteristics were measured over a 15-month period. Based on combination of the measurements it is possible to show how the structure responds to wind and other lateral loading. The main conclusions are that the dynamic component of response to wind is low, mainly due to the low wind speeds encountered in Singapore. Even so, although the mean wind speeds are low, the wind has high gust factors. The measured response of the building to a tremor arising from an earthquake in nearby Sumatra was an order of magnitude larger than the maximum measured dynamic response due to wind. It appears that the code provisions for lateral load would be adequate for this building even in strongest (design) winds, but the validity of code provisions for large far-field tremors is not proven.