Pounding interaction among adjacent MRF multi-storey buildings and associated performance levels under strong ground motion

The main objective of this paper is to assess the performance of neighboring colliding buildings in series with insufficient separation distances. A numerical simulation of three adjacent buildings of 3-story, 6-story, and 12-story MRF buildings are combined to produce an alignment configuration. This configuration is subjected to strong ground motion of El Centro (1940) and Kobe (19). The nonlinear direct integration time-history analysis is performed for the evaluation of the response demands of the alignment configuration of the adjacent buildings using structural analysis ETABS software. The structural response parameters are relative displacement, induced pounding force, story drift, story shear, story acceleration, input/dissipated energy, hysteretic behavior, and tracing the changing of plastic hinges’ status. The response parameters under the pounding effect are compared to the corresponding response parameters of the no-pounding case from one side and the different gap distances case from the other side. Based on the results obtained, it has been concluded that the severity of the seismic pounding effects depends on the dynamic properties of each building, the dynamic characteristics of input excitation, separation gap sizes, building height ratio, and the alignment position of the building in series. The taller building induces greater shear force and acceleration response demand at the contact case along the story level compared to the no-pounding case, while the response demands could be reduced in the shorter buildings. Finally, it has been concluded that the performance level of taller building is significantly magnified, while the performance level of shorter buildings is reduced