Lateral Load Response of Reinforced Concrete Buildings Constructed on Clay Soil with Weak Zones

Abdel-Nasser, Aya Gamal; Abdel-Galil, Emad; Sallam, Ezzaat A.

doi:10.21608/pserj.2024.273104.1324

Lateral Load Response of Reinforced Concrete Buildings Constructed on Clay Soil with Weak Zones

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.

² Professor of concrete structures, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University, Egypt,

³ Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University

10.21608/pserj.2024.273104.1324

Abstract

Buildings in some conditions suffer from structural issues caused by foundation soil

inhomogeneity. The main cause of an inhomogeneity in soil profile is the presence of voids

or very weak large pockets. The present paper deals with the structural behavior of concrete

buildings, exposed to transverse loading such as seismic loads, when constructed on clay

soil with predefined weak zones (voids). The finite element program ANSYS was used to

study the effect of an underground void of different sizes and locations. A comprehensive

study of various parameters was conducted on six structures of different widths and heights,

considering the underground void diameter and void location. The effects of underground

voids on building natural periods and structural response to static lateral loads were

investigated. According to the studied cases, it was found that the void effect in increasing

the differential settlement almost fades at void eccentricity equals 1 to 3 times the structure

width from the foundation center. Although the void effect in increasing lateral

displacements at structure floor levels fades at void eccentricity equals 1 to 1.75 times

structure width. The void effect approximately vanishes at void depth equals 1 to 3.5 times

the structure width from the foundation level.

Keywords