Effects of soil amplification factors on the seismic performance potential and cost of reinforced concrete structural systems

Abstract

In this study, the effect of using different design acceleration spectra of different seismic codes, which are constructed using soil amplification factors which vary depending on the soil conditions, on the cost and seismic performance potential of reinforced concrete structural systems of buildings is investigated comparatively. Accordingly, prototype reinforced concrete buildings of different number of stories are designed using design acceleration spectra defined in the Turkish Earthquake Code (DBYBHY2007), Uniform Building Code (UBC97) and Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE/SEI 7-10) that are generated for different soil types and cost comparisons of the reinforced concrete structural systems are carried out. In addition, time history analyses of these structural systems are carried out for representative historical earthquake records and their seismic performances are compared.