Displacement-Based Lateral Stiffness Design for Asymmetric-Plan Buildings Subjected to Earthquake Motions

Presently, the researches of displacement-based seismic design almost belong to two dimensions analysis. Both theoretical researches and seismic disasters indicate that the torsion responses can aggravate destroying of the asymmetry-plan buildings. Furthermore, the determinations of structural stiffness in the current procedure are almost dependent on subjective experience of designers which is not rational and economical. So, a method that uses displacement as the basis for the stiffness design of asymmetric-plan buildings is then presented: (1)By means of conceptual design, the initial structure are designed, the mode shapes and periods are then calculated by modal analysis and the weak members of the building are found out by dynamic analysis; (2) The target period and lateral equivalent stiffness are determined according to target displacement; (3) The lateral stiffness of initial designed structure is adjusted to make the displacement responses of the weakness members meet the limited displacements by the parameter of stiffness adjustment. Finally, an example is implemented in the paper for demonstrating the process and verifying the accuracy of the procedure.