UNDERSTANDING STRUCTUR
TYPES AND CLASSIFICATION
VALENTIN, JASMINE E.
BSCE 3A
Introduction
The failure of numerous buildings during earthquakes has been attributed to irregularity of the
structure. A building failure can be colossal to the region in terms of its impact to human lives
and property. Many structures have undergone catastrophic failures as a result of earthquake
excitation. If a structure can sustain large deformations, damage accumulation can be minimized.
To withstand large deformations, a structure must have enough strength, stiffness and ductility,
as in a building with regular configuration.
What is Structural Irregularity?
Structural irregularity is a feature of a building's structural arrangement, such as one storey
significantly higher than other storey, an irregular building shape or a change of structural
system or material, that produces a known vulnerability during an earthquake. Structures are
classified as having horizontal and vertical structural irregularity by ASCE Section 12.3.2.
Vertical Irregularities
A vertical irregularity refers to a significant physical or structural discrepancy between the
different floor levels (stories) of a building. These refer to irregularities in the elevation of the
building, affecting its height-wise stability.
According to the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) 2015, these irregularities
occur when there is a sudden change in mass, stiffness, geometry, or strength as you move from
one floor to the next. Ideally, a building should be uniform from bottom to top; when it isn't, the
building becomes "top-heavy," "flexible at the base," or "unbalanced," making it more
vulnerable to collapse during an earthquake.
In accordance to Section [Link] (Table 208-9) of the NSCP 2015, there are five types of
vertical structural irregularities:
1. Stiffness Irregularity (Soft Story) - A story where the lateral stiffness is less
than 70% of the story above or less than 80% of the average stiffness of the
three stories above.
2. Weight (Mass) Irregularity - Occurs when the effective mass of any story is
more than 150% of the effective mass of an adjacent story.
3. Vertical Geometric Irregularity - When the horizontal dimension of the lateral
force-resisting system in any story is more than 130% of that in an adjacent
story.
4. In-Plane Discontinuity - An in-plane offset of the lateral load-resisting
elements greater than the length of those elements.
5. Discontinuity in Capacity (Weak Story) - A story where the story strength
(shear capacity) is less than 80% of that in the story above.
Horizontal Irregularities
Horizontal Irregularity refers to an asymmetric or unbalanced distribution of mass, stiffness, or
strength within a building's floor plan (the horizontal plane). In a regular building, the center of
mass (where the earthquake force hits) aligns with the center of rigidity (where the building
resists). When these do not align, or when the floor shape is complex, the building does not just
sway back and forth during an earthquake—it twists. This twisting (torsion) generates
unpredictable and dangerous stress concentrations.
In accordance to Section [Link] (Table 208-10) of the NSCP 2015, there are five types of
horizontal structural irregularities.
1. Torsional Irregularity - Occurs when the maximum story drift at one end is more than
1.2 times the average story drift of the two ends.
2. Re-entrant Corners - Plan configurations where the "projections" or "notches" extend
more than 15% of the total plan dimension in that direction.
3. Diaphragm Discontinuity - Large cutouts or open areas in the floor exceeding 50% of
the gross enclosed area, or sudden changes in diaphragm stiffness.
4. Out-of-Plane Offsets - Discontinuities in the lateral force-resisting path, such as
offsets of the vertical elements (walls or columns).
5. Non-Parallel Systems - Lateral load-resisting elements that are not parallel to or
symmetric about the major orthogonal axes of the building.
What are the Primary Effects of these Irregularities?
In Vertical Irregularities, it create "weak links" along the building's height. The primary effect is
a Soft Story or Weak Story failure, where the earthquake energy is trapped at a single level
(usually the ground floor). Because this level lacks the stiffness or strength of the ones above it,
it undergoes extreme displacement, often leading to a pancake collapse where the upper floors
crush the lower ones.
On the other hand, Horizontal Irregularities is when the center of mass doesn't
align with the center of rigidity, the building rotates violently just like what’s
happening in Torsional Irregularity. This places massive shear stress on corner
columns and causes stress concentrations at re-entrant corners (L or T shapes),
which can tear the floor diaphragms or snap the connecting joints.
Conclusion
The Structural irregularities whether vertical, or plan, it could turn building into hazard,
especially during earthquakes. When our ground shakes, irregular structures will face uneven
stresses and concentrated forces that will exploit their weak points. It will significantly increase a
building’s vulnerability that may lead to catastrophic failures. These irregularities also
emphasizes the critical need for rigorous analysis and assessment in seismic design.