An alternative approach for computing seismic response with accidental eccentricity

Accidental eccentricity is a non-standard assumption for seismic design of tall buildings. Taking it into consideration requires reanalysis of seismic resistance, which requires either time consuming computation of natural vibration of eccentric structures or finding a static displacement solution by applying an approximated equivalent torsional moment for each eccentric case. This study proposes an alternative modal response spectrum analysis （MRSA） approach to calculate seismic responses with accidental eccentricity. The proposed approach, called the Rayleigh Ritz Projection-MRSA （RRP-MRSA）, is developed based on MRSA and two strategies： （a） a RRf＂ method to obtain a fast calculation of approximate modes of eccentric structures; and （b） an approach to assemble mass matrices of eccentric structures. The efficiency of RRP-MRSA is tested via engineering examples and compared with the standard MRSA （ST-MRSA） and one approximate method, i.e., the equivalent torsional moment hybrid MRSA （ETM-MRSA）. Numerical results show that RRP-MRSA not only achieves almost the same precision as ST-MRSA, and is much better than ETM-MRSA, but is also more economical. Thus, RRP-MRSA can be in place of current accidental eccentricity computations in seismic design.

Torsionally coupled dynamic performance analysis of asymmetric offshore platforms subjected to wave and earthquake loadings

The dynamic equations of motion of asymmetric offshore platforms under three different environmental conditions:seismic action,wave action and their combination are established in this paper. In establishing these motion equations,three typical eccentricity types including mass eccentricity,rigidity eccentricity and their combination were considered,as are eccentricities that occur un-idirectionally and bi-directionally. The effects of the eccentricity type,the dynamic characteristics and the environmental conditions on the torsional coupling response of platforms are investigated and compared. An effort has also been made to analyze the inffluence of accidental eccentricity on asymmetric platforms with different eccentricity in two horizontally orthogonal directions. The results are given in terms of non-dimensional parameters,accounting for the uncoupled torsional to lateral frequency ratio. Numerical results reveal that the eccentricity type has a great inffluence on the torsionally coupled response under different environmental conditions. Therefore,it is necessary to consider the combination of earthquake and wave action in the seismic response analysis of some offshore platforms.