Comparative Study of Frame Tube System Configurations on Drift Control and Modal Response Including P–Δ Effects

AbstractThis paper presents a comparative investigation of different frame tube system configurations in tall buildings, focusing on inter-story drift control and modal response characteristics when P–Δ (secondary) effects are included in the structural analysis. Three configurations framed tube, trussed tube, and bundled tube are evaluated through nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. Results demonstrate that system configuration significantly influences lateral stiffness, modal frequencies, and drift demands when geometric nonlinearities are considered. The bundled tube exhibits superior drift control and higher modal frequencies under P–Δ effects relative to other systems. Practical implications for tall building design and modelling are discussed.