Comparison of Performance of RCC Buildings with Varying Number of Columns and Shear Walls

As the frequency and intensity of natural hazards like earthquakes and cyclones increase, the demand for resilient and efficient high-rise buildings continues to grow. In these tall structures, seismic forces scale with the mass of the building, necessitating stronger and often heavier structural components. This presents a fundamental challenge for structural engineers: to strike a balance between strength and flexibility—ensuring safety without compromising cost-effectiveness. To manage seismic energy, the concept of ductility becomes vital. While reinforcement can enhance the ductility of framed structures, this solution becomes less practical with increasing building height. On the other hand, shear walls offer significant lateral stiffness, enhancing stability but often resulting in an overly rigid structural system. This rigidity, if not managed properly, can negatively affect the dynamic performance of the building under lateral loads.This study explores the seismic performance of various reinforced concrete structures across different heights, focusing on configurations with and without shear walls, as well as those featuring coupled shear walls. By analyzing and comparing these systems, we aim to understand their relative advantages and limitations. Numerical results are systematically plotted and tabulated to illustrate their behavioral trends under seismic loading. Additionally, a real-world case study of a modern high-rise residential building is conducted to validate the findings and provide practical insights. The results highlight how the performance of tall buildings is significantly influenced by lateral forces such as wind and earthquakes.