Mass eccentricity effects on the torsional response of inelastic buildings

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of accidental mass eccentricities on the inelastic torsional behaviour of multi-storey asymmetric buildings with a mixed type lateral load resisting system subjected to the Erzincan-1992 and Kobe-1995 ground motions. The numerical modelling results show that the effects of spatial variations of mass eccentricities are lower and smoother in the inelastic rather than the elastic state of deformation, but both the elastic and inelastic torsional response is pointing to the same optimum location of the key element for which the torsional response of the structure is minimized.