Alternative load paths for floor diaphragm forces following severe seismic damage to the supporting beams

Abstract

A study on a portion of a typical precast concrete building is tested to investigate the buildings performance under severe seismic attack. This investigation looks at the global view of how the inertia forces within the diaphragm are transferred to the lateral load resisting perimeter frame. This project looks to confirm the current assumption that forces are transferred by tension ties within the reinforcement. Also, the study looks at how inertia forces are transferred out of the diaphragm once the corner nodes have been severely damaged due to the plastic hinges forming at the column faces. Are there any other suitable regions able to be detailed to allow the compression strut to be transferred to the perimeter frame? The effect beam elongation has on the whole system is also studied as most of the issues to be considered eventuate from this elongation occurring.