Torsional response induced by lateral displacement and inertial force

Abstract

Eccentric distribution of stiffness, damping, and mass of a structure, and spatially non-uniform ground motion input to a long or large base mat of a structure are well-known causes of torsional response. We have discovered that the torque generated by horizontal displacement and perpendicular inertial force, which we call the Q-Δ effect, can be a cause of torsional response. We formulated the equation of motion of a single finite-size mass-linear elastic shear and torsion spring model and clarified the resonance condition of the torsional response to sinusoidal ground acceleration. Time-history response analysis verified that the torsional response forms beat and the maximum torsional response of the simulation result agrees with that theoretically predicted. Further time-history response analysis conducted of white noise ground acceleration showed that even one-directional white noise ground acceleration can induce torsional response in a linear elastic system without any structural eccentricity.