Improved analytic method for outrigger structures considering floor stiffness

Current analytical models for outrigger structures in super high-rise buildings tend to oversimplify by not considering the stiffness of individual floors. This paper introduces a more refined calculation model, based on the substructure method, which takes floor stiffness into account. To verify our proposed approach, we derived a mathematical algorithm and developed a finite element model using ANSYS. When compared to traditional methods that only account for outrigger stiffness, our model, which incorporates both outrigger and floor stiffness, provides improved accuracy in calculating vertex displacement. It also suggests an upward shift in the optimal position for the outrigger and bolsters the overall building's lateral stiffness. To further our analysis, we introduced an equivalent stiffness calculation formula, using the Bayesian parameter estimation method. When applied to dynamic analysis, this formula aligns closely with the results from the finite element simulations. Furthermore, the suggested algorithm for determining the best position for the outrigger is consistent with theoretical calculations. By considering the contribution of regular floors to the overall structure, we found that the fitted equivalent core tube stiffness offers a reliable reflection of structural stiffness. Lastly, when this equivalent stiffness was applied to a dynamic analysis based on Rayleigh's energy method, there was a noticeable reduction in computational effort. This yields not only more efficient calculations but also precise results, rendering it particularly valuable during the initial design phases of high-rise buildings.     

Fragility assessment of an outrigger structure system based on energy method

Fragility curves development in structures has always been a focus of research interest among structural and earthquake engineers for which the maximum story drift is usually considered as the engineering demand parameter (EDP) known as the conventional approach. This paper aims at calculating the fragility curves of a tall building with outrigger braced system by considering the plastic strain energy as the EDP and compare it with the conventional approach. In addition, the effect of optimizing the position of outriggers on the exceedance probability of the structure under near- and far-fault seismic loadings is investigated in this paper. Fragility curves of this structure in four performance levels including immediate occupancy (IO), life safety (LS), collapse prevention (CP), and instability is extracted based on the conventional method. The fragility curves for the aforementioned performance levels are also extracted based on the plastic strain energy and compared with the conventional approach. The results have demonstrated that optimizing the location of the bracing system would lower the exceedance probability of the structure. Moreover, the exceedance probability of the investigated building with outrigger braced system under far-fault records in various levels is more than that of near-fault records. It is also concluded that the conventional approach would lead to more conservative results compared with the energy approach.