An Analytical Investigation of a Building Having Soft Storey Irregularity Strengthened With Concentrically Steel Braces

Abstract

When buildings that were damaged and destroyed in major earthquakes in previous years are examined, it is seen that these buildings have several structural defects. One of these defects is that soft storey irregularity is not predicted in reinforced concrete buildings. For this reason, many buildings collapsed because of the major earthquakes, resulting in loss of life and property. Buildings stocks in earthquake zones must be inspected and buildings with the soft storey irregularity must be strengthened immediately. Also, strengthening methods are required to be quick and effective, and aesthetics of structures should not be disturbed. In this study, a 10-storey building with the soft storey irregularity is discussed. The building is strengthened with five different types of Steel Braces in various earthquake regulations in the world. The strengthening was conducted with a nonlinear analysis program and results were evaluated. According to the results, it was found that the Concentrically Steel Braces significantly increased the stiffness of the reinforced concrete building and eliminated the soft storey irregularity.