Current Concepts in Engineering Research and Technology Vol. 1

An effective design of a high-rise structure requires safeguarding both structural and non-structural components against wind-induced forces, which represent one of the primary lateral dynamic loads affecting the structural behaviour of tall buildings. The framed building superstructure consists of reinforced concrete beams, slabs, columns, and walls; it transfers gravity loads (including self-weight and occupancy/live loads) as well as wind forces to the foundation. In conventional structural analysis, the contributions of slab and masonry wall stiffness are frequently overlooked.  The foundation transmits these accumulated loads to the underlying soil, where vertical settlement occurs based on geotechnical characteristics of underlying founding strata, thereby inducing additional stresses within the structure. The foundation supports are typically modelled as either fixed or pinned; however, due to the complexity of full structural analysis, the influence of soil deformability is commonly disregarded.

This present research study incorporates a spring-based representation to assess the performance of G+13 RCC building while accounting for soil-foundation interaction, specifically considering a clayey soil layer overlying a soft rock-like medium. The research investigates the coupled effects of soil-structure interaction (SSI) and wind loading on the overall structural behaviour. The results indicate that SSI leads to greater overall resilience of the building against wind forces in comparison to the conventional analysis with the assumption of a fixed base. The increased flexibility introduced by the soft clay and soft rock-like soil at the base significantly amplifies the structural response parameters.