Correlating the seismic acceleration of reinforced concrete moment-resisting-frames with structural and earthquake characteristics

Nonstructural components (NSCs) are elements within the building unrelated to the lateral load-carrying system. Failure of NSCs during earthquakes can result in casualties, significant economic losses, disabled critical infrastructures, and loss of building functionality. The NSCs can be categorized into two primary groups: deformation-sensitive and acceleration-sensitive. Thanks to well-established seismic design guidelines and standards, buildings may suffer minor seismic deformations – resulting in lesser damage to deformation-sensitive components. However, planning under the peak floor response or peak floor acceleration (PFA) is getting much less attention – exposing the acceleration-sensitive components to greater risk. This manuscript develops equations for moment-resisting reinforced concrete frames (MRRCFs) that estimate the total floor acceleration. The data is gathered based on 984 inelastic response simulations, elaborated to create an idealized equation based on the earthquake characteristics. The developed equation offers engineers a quantitative approach to understanding the inertial forces applied to the NSCs within the building during earthquakes, allowing them to plan for potential risks due to earthquakes.