Seismic Demand of Low-Rise Multistory Systems with General Asymmetry

Abstract

This study examined the inelastic seismic behavior of low-rise systems with varying story eccentricities (i.e., general class of eccentric systems). Seismic demands of such systems were found to be potentially high relative to those obtained from single-story or regularly asymmetric models, particularly for flexible-side elements of torsionally stiff systems and stiff-side elements of torsionally flexible systems. This appears to be a consequence of the complex participation of higher torsion–dominated modes in multistory systems with general class of asymmetry, unlike the predominant participation of single torsional mode in its regularly asymmetric counterpart. The study also indicates that the degrading features of RC structural elements may cause a significant increase in inelastic demands. Summarizing elastic range response, coefficients