IJIRST –International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 2 | Issue 11 | April 2016

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with

Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
Joshi Shridhar D Tande Shrirang N
P G Student Professor
Department of Applied Mechanics Engineering Department of Applied Mechanics Engineering
Walchand College of Engineering Sangli Walchand College of Engineering Sangli
Maharashtra, India 416416 Maharashtra, India 416416

Abstract
In present scenario buildings with floating column is a typical and unavoidable evil in the modern multistory construction in urban
India. Such features are highly undesirable in building built in seismically active areas. This study highlights the importance of
explicitly recognizing the presence of the floating column in the analysis of building. For the present study response spectrum and
time history analysis are carried out to know the various structural parameters like base shear, storey shear, storey displacement.
The scaled earthquake excitation data is applied for computation of results for both the frames with and without floating column.
This paper deals with G+4 storey normal building and G+4 floating column building in which floating column located at each
floor. For a present study building with regular plan and situated in zone III is considered and analyzed in FEM software ETABS
2015.
Keywords: Seismic Response, Floating column, ETABS 2015, Base shear
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays multi-storey buildings constructed for the purpose of residential, commercial, industrial etc., with an open ground storey
is becoming a common feature. Many urban multi-storey buildings in India today have an open storey as an unavoidable feature.
This is being adapted to accommodate parking or reception lobbies in the first storey. For the purpose of parking all, usually the
ground storey is kept free without any constructions, except the columns which transfer the building weight to the ground.
For a hotel or commercial building, where the lower floors contain banquet halls, conference rooms, lobbies, show rooms or
parking areas, large interrupted space required for the movement of people or vehicles. Closely spaced columns based on the layout
of upper floors are not desirable in the lower floors. So to avoid that problem floating column concept has come into existence.
Thus, buildings with columns that hang or float on beams, at an intermediate storey and, do not go all the way to the foundation,
have discontinuities in the load transfer path. The behaviour of a building during earthquakes depends critically on its overall
shape, size and geometry, in addition to how the earthquake forces are carried to the ground. The earthquake forces developed at
different floor levels in a building need to be brought down along the height to the ground by the shortest path; any deviation or
discontinuity in this load transfer path results in poor performance of the building. Buildings with vertical setbacks cause a sudden
jump in earthquake forces at the level of discontinuity. Buildings that have fewer columns or walls in a particular storey or with
unusually tall storey tend to damage or collapse which is initiated in that storey.

Fig. 1: Schematic representation of typical Floating column building

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Floating columns in a building may result in a concentration of forces or deflection or in an undesirable load path in the vertical
lateral-force-resisting system. In extreme cases, this can result in serious damage or collapse of the building, since the lateral load
resisting system is often integral with the gravity load resisting system. Vertical irregularities typically occur in a storey that is
significantly more flexible or weaker than adjacent stories. Many buildings with vertical discontinuities collapsed or were severely
damaged during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat.
II. PROBLEM FORMULATION
In order to evaluate the seismic response of buildings with rigid floor diaphragms using dynamic (Response spectra) & time history
analysis procedures five sample buildings were adopted the details of these buildings are produced.
The finite element analysis software ETAB 2015 is utilized to create model and run all analyses. The software is able to predict
the geometric nonlinear behavior of space frames under static or dynamic loadings, taking into account both geometric nonlinearity
and material inelasticity. The software accepts static loads (either forces or displacements) as well as dynamic (accelerations)
actions and has the ability to perform eigenvalues, and linear dynamic analyses.

Details of Models
Model 1
For this study, a G+4 story building with 3 meters height for each story, regular in plan is considered. This building is considered
to be situated in seismic zone III and designed in compliance to the Indian Code of Practice for Earthquake Resistant Design of
Structures .The building is considered to be fixed at the base. The building is modeled using software ETABS 2015. Model is
studied for comparing base shear, storey shear and max. Storey displacement, shear in column.

Fig. 2: Schematic Diagram of 5 story normal building

Table - 1
Problem Data
Type of structure Multi-storey rigid jointed frame (SMRF)
Seismic zone III
Number of stories 5 (G+4)
Floor height 3m
Type of soil Medium
Size of beam 230 * 450 mm
Size of column 230 *450 mm
Depth of slab 150 mm
On roof – 1.5 kN/m2
Live load
On floor – 2.0 kN/m2
Total height of building 15 m
Material M30 concrete & FE 415 reinforcement
Unit weight Concrete - 25 kN/m3 Masonry – 20 kN/m3
Clear cover of beam 30 mm
Clear cover of column 40 mm
Damping in structure 5%
Importance factor 1

Model 2
A 5 story building with 3 meters height for each story, regular in plan is considered. This building is considered to be situated in
seismic zone III. The structure incorporates floating column at the first floor, initially model has analyzed for gravity loading and

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 Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
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necessary modification has done. After gravity analysis the beam on which floating column rests need to be increased for sufficient
gravity loads. The building is modeled using software ETABS 2015. Model is studied for comparing base shear.

Fig. 3: Schematic Diagram of 5 story building with floating column @ first floor

Model 3

Fig. 4: Schematic Diagram of 5 story building with floating column @ second floor

Model 4

Fig. 5: Schematic Diagram of 5 story building with floating column @ third floor

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Model 5

Fig. 6: Schematic Diagram of 5 story building with floating column @ fourth floor

All models are initially designed for gravity loading and necessary increased dimensions are provided for buildings having floating
column at various floors. Analysis is carried out using FEM software ETABS 2015. A real scale earthquake data of El centro has
been considered and excitations has been scaled to initial 6 sec. with time interval of 0.1 sec.

Fig. 7: Time history plot of El Centro Earthquake

III. RESULTS

Response Spectrum Method

Fig. 8: Storey shear of storey 5

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 Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
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Fig. 9: Storey shear of storey 4

Fig. 10: Storey shear of storey 3

Fig. 11: Storey shear of storey 2

Fig. 12: Storey shear of storey 1

Time History Method

Fig. 13: Base Shear (kN) Normal Building

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 Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
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Fig. 14: Base Shear (kN) for building with floating column @ first floor

Fig. 15: Base Shear (kN) for building with floating column @ second floor

Fig. 16: Base Shear (kN) for building with floating column @ third floor

Fig. 17: Base Shear (kN) for building with floating column @ fourth floor

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 Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
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Fundamental Time Period

Fig. 18: Time period for mode 1,2,3

Storey Displacement (Time history method)

Fig. 19: Storey displacement

IV. CONCLUSION
1) Fundamental time period and base shear of normal building is maximum compared with all other floating column buildings.
2) Increase in size of beams and columns improve the performance of building with floating column by reducing the values of
storey displacement.
3) Storey 5,4,3,2 experiences maximum storey shear when floating column is located at second floor.

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 Seismic Response of Multi-Storey Building with Vermicular Irregularity as Floating Columns
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4) Time history analysis is advantageous method over response spectrum method for analysis of floating column buildings.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writers are thankful to Dr. A. B. Kulkarni for his guidance and support till end.
REFERENCES
[1] T. Raja sekhar & P.V. Prasad (Jan 2014) “Study of behavior of seismic analysis of multi storied building with and without floating column’’ Caribbean
journal of science and technology ISSN 0799- 3757 vol.2
[2] Saleem Akhtar et.al ( Feb 2014) “Seismic evaluation of RC frame building with floating column considering different soil conditions’’ International journal
of civil and structural engineering research ISSN 2277-4106 vol.4
[3] Isha Rohilla & S. M. Gupta ( March 2014) “Seismic response of multi-storey irregular building with floating column’’ International journal of civil and
structural engineering research ISSN 2319-1163
[4] 4) Pradeep Ramancharla (September 2014) “Seismic analysis of a normal building and floating column building” International journal of engg. Research
and technology ISSN 2278-0181 vol. 3
[5] Sabri s & Praveen J .V. (March 2015) “Seismic analysis of multistory building with floating column’’ International journal of civil and structural engineering
research ISSN 2348-7607 vol 2
[6] Sarita Singh & Ashfi rahman (June- 2015) “Effect of floating columns on seismic response of multi-storeyed RC framed buildings’’ International journal of
engg. Research and technology ISSN: 2278-0181 vol. 4

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