Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CEILING STRUCTURE
DCTS
july 2014
Earthquake Damage
A survey of 25 damaged commercial buildings following the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake
revealed the following breakdown of property losses:
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structural damage
electrical and
mechanical
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exterior finishes
interior finishes
A similar survey of 50 damaged high-rise buildings, which were far enough away from the
earthquake fault rupture to experience only mild shaking, showed that none had major structural
damage but major nonstructural damages:
8
drywall or plaster
partitions
elevators
15
43
18
broken windows
air-conditioning
systems
Distribution of Costs
Within the nonstructural components
category, the interior construction,
to witch the suspended ceilings belong,
represents the largest source
of costs 30%.
100%
90%
18
17
80%
44
70%
60%
50%
62
Structural
70
Non Structural
40%
48
30%
Contents
20%
10%
20
0%
Office
13
Hotel
Hospital
Impact
-
CODE COMPLIANCE
P100-1/2013 ROMANIAN SEISMIC DESIGN CODE
CODE PRESCRIPTIONS:
The suspended ceilings of IIII importance class buildings situated on ag>0.25g sites need to
respect the following additional rules:
- the panel support grid is to be made of laminated T-shaped steel profiles;
- the closing marginal L-shapes flange is to be of at least 50 mm;
- on each of the 2 orthogonal horizontal directions, one end of the support grid of
the ceiling is to be fastened to the end L-shape and the other end will have at least a 20 mm
free displacement;
- ceilings with the surface >100sqm will have lateral connections to the main
structure;
- ceilings with the surface >250sqm will be divided into surface areas <250sqm by
means of separating joints or by walls on the entire height of the storey; one can discard this
measure if it can by proven by calculation that the fixing system can fully bear the lateral
displacements of the ceiling;
- measures will be taken to allow the free displacement of the ceiling in the
vicinity of sprinklers and/or other pieces that run through the ceiling;
- in case the ceiling has different height levels, the lateral stability of each area is
to be assured by means of a self-locking system of the lateral displacements (bracing);
- pipes, ventilation ducts, electrical wiring and other installation elements will not
be fixed to the suspended ceiling.
CODE COMPLIANCE
P100-1/2013 ROMANIAN SEISMIC DESIGN CODE
CODE PRESCRIPTIONS:
The partition walls fixed at the suspended ceiling level, as well as any other partition walls taller
than 2.00 m, regardless of the material they are made of, are to be laterally fastened to the main structure,
independently of the suspended ceiling fixing system. In case of framed structure buildings, the connections
will not favor the creation of short-wall situations.
The plan layout of lateral fixing elements and their dimensioning is to be done so that the lateral
displacements of the top ends of walls are compatible with the lateral displacements of the suspended ceiling
in that room.
CODE COMPLIANCE
P100-1/2013 ROMANIAN SEISMIC DESIGN CODE
CODE PRESCRIPTIONS:
The equipments connected directly to the ducting system (such as fans, dust blowers,
heat changers, humidifiers) that have an exploitation weight greater than 0.35kN/35kg must be
propped and connected laterally, independently from the pipeline system.
For pipes/ducts connected directly to the equipment, the lateral fixing is not
mandatory if they have the necessary flexibility to undergo relative displacements with respect to
the attachment points.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
The research was carried out by building an indoor model with the in plane dimensions of 8.2x4.95 m
(approx. 40 sq.m) and the height of 3.40 m, in which ceilings were fitted having 60cm suspension wires.
Four types of ceilings were tested using combinations of the 3 ordinary means of suspension
recommended by the US regulations:
1 fastening the beams to the edge elements;
2 suspension wires at the end of the beams;
3 inclined wires and rigid columns.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
CEILING ON SITE
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EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
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RESEARCH RESULTS
Ceiling type
Failure
acceleration
Fasteners
1
Yes
Yes
Yes
Failure mode
>1.5g
Virtually no failure.
Yes
Yes
No
1.5g
Yes
No
No
0.8g
No
No
No
0.25g
The A-type composition corresponds to the ASTM E580-96 US regulations and the D-type to
the common practice in non seismic areas.
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LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE
P100-1/2013 ROMANIAN SEISMIC DESIGN CODE
CODE PRESCRIPTIONS:
The general behavior description of the CNS subassembly, for each of the four levels of seismic performance (NPS) of
the building, was made as following:
I.Completely functional/operational: Only minor damage is produced to CNS, that keeps on functioning and the
building is available for normal use. (Refitting, locally and isolated, if necessary, can be done at the beneficiarys will.
Meeting this level depends also on the equipment characteristics seismic qualification and on the execution
quality. Sometimes the existence of backup electrical supply is necessary.)
II.Functional: CNS is safe and, if the power supplies are available, most of them can function. Vital systems (Life
Safety Systems) are operational. (Minor damage to some CNS is produced, some windows are smashed and some
equipment may fail. Access paths and life safety equipment are generally available and functional if the power
supply exists. Refitting, at times more numerous, can be done at the beneficiarys will. The risk of injuring/life loss
due to CNS damage is very low. If the structure does not present major damage, the occupants can remain safely in
the building but, sometimes, under reduced comfort conditions.
III.Life protection: Significant damage to the CNS is produced. These are safe from the stability and strength point of
view but there is a possibility, in most cases, for the installation and equipment to stop working. (Extended and costly
damage to the CNS are produced, that require a long period of time to repair, but no dislocation or systematic
failures are produced. Access paths can be partially blocked by rubble or by fallen construction elements. Significant
degradation of the building. People can be wounded by falling of CNS but the risk of life loss is, generally, very low,
both inside and outside of the building.
IV.Pre collapse: It is possible that several CNS to be displaced or to present damaged/ruptured connections and for
this reason to represent a major risk of collapse and, hence, danger for life safety. (In the correctly designed
buildings, the heavy/massive elements that represent major danger in case of collapse are assured and do not fall in
areas of possible people congestions. For this damage level one cannot assure the protection of access routes,
neither the equipment that to assure life safety ( fire extinguish installation, for example.)
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PROPER EXECUTION
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PROPER EXECUTION
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PROPER EXECUTION
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PROPER EXECUTION
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PROPER EXECUTION
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IMPROPER EXECUTION
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IMPROPER EXECUTION
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IMPROPER EXECUTION
SEISMIC JOINTS IN EXISTING STRUCTURE SEISMIC JOINT IN CEILING STRUCTURE
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IMPROPER EXECUTION
CEILING BRACEINGS
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SEISMIC KNAUF
RIGID SUSPENSION
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anamaria.popa@dcts.ro
www.dcts.ro
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