OPTIMIZED LOCATION OF ENERGY-DISSIPATION BRACES IN TALL BUILDINGS WITH IRREGULAR FLOORS

It is a common problem in earthquake resistant design that lateral-torsion vibration is coupled in tall buildings. Especially, when the building appears obviously irregular, the seismic response would be magnified because of its highly coupled. It is an advanced study in seismic design that irregular tall buildings worked with energy-dissipation devices. This paper discusses the steel frame-brace system with energy-dissipation braces (velocity-depended viscoelastic dampers), and analyze its non-scaled structure damper ratio and the seismic response. Based on the optimal energy-dissipation principle and a recently finished shaking table test of a 21-story steel frame-brace structure, it discusses the optimized location of braces with added viscoelastic dampers. It finds that the structure with the optimized location of energy-dissipation braces changes the distributing of structure damping factor, gains higher damping level, and has acceptable seismic performances, while improves its economy. This paper may provide reference for the application and development of this technology.