International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 07 Issue: 07 | July 2020 [Link] p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Study of Optimistic Location of Soft Story in High Rise RC Building

Anuj Bhikanrao Ingle1, Dr. S. S. Angalekar2
1P.G.
Student, Sinhgad College of Engineering Pune, Maharashtra State, India
2Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Sinhgad College of Engineering Pune, Maharashtra State, India

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Abstract - Now a day’s growth of Multi-story building is scale. In its most general sense, the word earthquake is
very high because of rapid urbanization all over the world. used to describe any seismic event, whether natural or
Availability of land is minimum due to population, so caused by humans that generate seismic waves.
people end to construct the multi-story building in Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological
earthquake prone area also. In soft-story buildings the faults, but also by other events such as volcanic activities,
relative stiffness of the soft-story, typically the bottom landslides, blasts and nuclear tests. An earthquake’s pint of
story, is significantly less than upper stories due to the initial rupture is called its focus or hypocenter. The
presence of large openings which reduce the available epicenter is the point at ground level directly above the
space for lateral force resisting system components such as hypocenter.
shear walls. Soft story is generally provided for parking, Benavent-Climent and S. Mota-Páez (2017) investigated
concert hall, Cinema Theater, barn or any purpose in multi- a solution for the seismic upgrade of existing reinforced
story building, though multistoried buildings with soft concrete frames with open first story and masonry infills at
storey floor are inherently vulnerable to collapse due to the upper stories. It combines the addition of hysteretic
earthquake. This depends on various factors effects on the dampers with the strengthening (if necessary) of the
behavior of multi-story building i.e. irregularity in plan and columns of the first story. The energy-based design
elevations, uneven distribution of mass etc. To study of procedure put forth provides the strength, stiffness and
different location on the seismic behavior of multi-story energy dissipation capacity required for the dampers so
building, linear dynamic analysis (Response spectrum that the overall structure can endure the design earthquake
analysis) in ETABS software is carried out for Zone IV. In without exceeding a prescribed maximum drift at the first
this project an investigation has been made to study the story. Non-linear time history analyses conducted on two
seismic behavior of soft storey building with different prototype structures subjected to thirty ground motions
arrangement in soft storey building with shear wall and showed that the performance of the retrofitted structures
bracings. This analysis is with consideration of strength and is satisfactory, and the proposed procedure provides for a
stiffness in the upper storey and with and without safe-side and not excessively conservative dimensioning of
consideration of braces in the ground storey. Different the dampers. The mean-plus standard deviation of the first
seismic parameters like time period, story shear, story story drift obtained from the analyses roughly coincides
displacement and story drift are checked out. (about 8% lower) with the target drift used for designing
the dampers. The probability of having first story drifts
Key Words: Earthquake, Response Spectrum analysis, larger that the target drift is very low (13%), and in no case
soft story, shear wall, bracing. the target drift was exceeded by more than 20%. The
maximum shear forces in the upper stories predicted with
1. INTRODUCTION the proposed formulae coincides approximately with the
upper bound of the responses obtained from the time
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in history analyses. The residual drift at the first story is less
the earth’s crust that creates seismic waves. The seismic than 0.05% for 83% of the ground motions.
activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of
earthquake experienced over a period of time. At the Adrian Fredrick C. Dyaa and Andres Winston C. Oretaaa
earth’s surface, earthquake occurs itself by shaking and (2015) have studied the Seismic vulnerability assessment
sometimes displacement of the ground. When the epicentre of soft story irregular buildings using pushover analysis
of a large earthquake is located offshore, the sea bed may .Preliminary seismic risk assessment tools were used to
be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes screen existing buildings against potential seismic hazards.
can also trigger landslides and occasionally volcanic Buildings that perform poorly were prioritized for detailed
activities. evaluations to determine its condition. The risk of a
building can be defined as the product of Hazard,
An earthquake is measured by seismometers. An Vulnerability, and Assets. Hazard is the earthquake itself.
earthquake having magnitude of less than 5 are generally Vulnerability are building characteristics that make it more
measured by Richter magnitude scale & that of magnitude susceptible to the hazard. Upon analysis of the modelling
up to 9 or more then 9 is measured by modified Mercalli results for the soft story building, they have concluded that

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 07 Issue: 07 | July 2020 [Link] p-ISSN: 2395-0072

the main cause for soft story buildings to be more movement of either sides of the structure, as the taller side
susceptible to earthquakes is the localization of seismic moves more than the shorter side along the direction of
forces. Though the total demand on the building is smaller force. Due to the variation of mass, stiffness and geometry
due to the increased height, uneven demands on the areas of the setback building, the twisting of the structure also
of the building results to a local hazard. The forces are takes place. The columns of the setback buildings at the
concentrated on the segment of the building where there is higher level of the slopes are subjected to higher bending
a reduction in stiffness which is at the location of the soft moments; so, special measures should be taken during their
story. This can be observed through the development of the design and construction.
plastic hinges, the story drift of the buildings, as well as the
design. These seismic parameters show a localization of
seismic demand. 1.1 Lateral load resisting systems

Varaha Venkata Satya et. al. (2015) purpose of their Though gravity loads are the primary loading on a building,
study is to update the non-linear modeling of soft storey RC as a building becomes taller, it must have adequate strength
frame building for performance based design. The and stiffness to resist lateral loads imposed by wind and
qualitative and quantitative assessment of different earthquake. As the height of building increases, the
strength and ductility parameters of tested building additional stiffness required to control the deflection,
components including the different types of reinforcing rather than the strength of the members dictates the
steel have been presented. The cyclic performance of tested design. A tall building essentially comprises several vertical
G+2 soft storey RC frame building of ¼ scale is evaluated cantilevers tied together by the floor slabs. Under
and the components test results are applied successfully for horizontal loading, each cantilever bends about its own
performance evaluation of prototype soft storey RC frame axis, but deforms in unison with other cantilevers owing to
buildings under different modes of failure. It indicates that the in-plane rigidity of the floor slabs. The various types of
the non-linear characteristics of reinforcement used in vertical cantilevers used in building are rigid frame, braced
different components of building frame have significant frame, wall and tube. They individually or in combination
influence on the global failure pattern particularly assuring form the structural system which resists the lateral loads in
a flexure mode of failure. They concluded that the nonlinear a building. The structural systems used in tall buildings are:
characteristics of reinforcement used in beam components
of building frame significantly influence the global failure 1. Rigid frame
pattern particularly assuring a flexure mode of failure 2. Braced frame
which is responsible for the ductile response of the
structure. It is more pronouncing in case of evaluating the 3. Shear wall
nonlinear performance of bare frames. There is an 4. Framed tube
approximate increase of 50% to 80% ductility as compared
to non-specific type of reinforcement by using the high 5. Bundled tube
strength and high ductile reinforcement in components of Soft Story Failure: Multi-story buildings in metropolitan
frame buildings. cities require open taller first story for parking of vehicle
Rahul Ghosh and Rama Debbarma (2017) attempted to and/or for retail shopping, large space for meeting room or
evaluate the seismic performance of setback structures a banking hall owing to lack of horizontal space and high
resting on plain ground as well as in the slope of a hill, with cost. Due to this functional requirement, the first story has
soft storey configuration. The analysis has been performed lesser strength and stiffness as compared to upper stories,
in three individual methods, equivalent static force method, which are stiffened by masonry infill walls. This
response spectrum method and time history method and characteristic of building construction creates weak or soft
extreme responses have been recorded for open ground story problems in multi-story buildings. Increased
storeyed setback building. To mitigate this soft storey effect flexibility of first story results in extreme deflections, which
and the extreme responses, three individual mitigation in turn, leads to concentration of forces at the second story
techniques have been adopted and the best solution among connections accompanied by large plastic deformation. In
these three techniques is presented. They studied the addition, most of the energy developed during the
seismic response of setback buildings resting on plain and earthquake is dissipated by the column of the soft stories.
sloping ground along with soft storey at ground level under In this process the plastic hinges are formed at the ends of
earthquake force has been analysed in two different column, which transform the soft stories into a mechanism.
methods, linear static method (ESFM) and linear dynamic In such cases the collapse is unavoidable. Therefore, the
method (RSM and THM). Moreover, the extreme soft stories deserve a special consideration in analysis and
vulnerability has been assessed when OGS is considered in design. It has been observed from the survey that the
these structures. Orthogonal movement under damages are due to collapse and buckling of columns
unidirectional force has been recorded for the setback especially where parking places are not covered
buildings. These structures also reflect differential appropriately. On the contrary, the damage is reduced

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 07 Issue: 07 | July 2020 [Link] p-ISSN: 2395-0072

considerably where the parking places are covered 5. To compare maximum displacement results for
adequately. It is recognized that this type of failure results soft story at different elevations with shear walls and
from the combination of several other unfavorable reasons, bracing.
such as torsion, excessive mass on upper floors, P-Δ effects
and lack of ductility in the bottom story. Figure shows some 2. METHODOLOGY
of the examples of soft story. The soft story concept has
technical and functional advantages over the conventional
construction. First, is the reduction in spectral acceleration Defining building dimenstions and
and base shear due to increase of natural period of configurations to be studied
vibration of structure as in a base isolated structure.
However, the price of this force reduction is paid in the
form of an increase in structural displacement and inter
story drift, thus entailing a significant P-Δ effect, which is
threat to the stability of the structure. Secondly taller first Defining various section properties of
story is sometimes necessitated for parking of vehicles and building and modelling
/or retail shopping, large space for meeting room or
banking hall. Due to this, functional requirement, the first
story has lesser stiffness of columns as compared to stiff
upper floor rooms, which are generally constructed with
Load calculations and load application
masonry infill walls.

Analayis of all buildings using ETABS

Software

Compare results of building with

different configuration

According to objectives defined analysis of RCC building

with soft story is carried out using. ETABS software with
soft story. Various configuration has been considered as
explained. Earlier by using shear walls and bracing systems.
Least possible impact of presence of soft story has been
evaluated with analysis on the basis of parameters like base
shear, time period.
In a present study there are 4 group of building (i.e.
configurations) are considered, out of which 1stis without
soft story buildings in various zones, 2nd soft story at
bottom floor, 3rd soft story at middle floor and 4th soft
story at top floor in various zones with shear wall and
bracings. The modeling and the analysis of building frames
carried out using ETABS software using response spectrum
Fig -1: Soft story failure
analysis.
In this present study 20 models are studied as described
1.2 Objectives of investigation below: -
1. 2 models without soft story in zone IV
1. To analyze a multistoried RC framed building with 2. 6 models with soft story at bottom floor in zone IV
soft story at different level. 3. 6 models with soft story at middle floor in zone
2. To compare base shear results for soft story at 4. 6 models with soft story at top floor in zone
different elevations with shear walls and bracing.
3. To compare time period results for soft story at
different elevations with shear walls and bracing.
4. To compare maximum story drift results for soft
story at different elevations with shear walls and bracing.
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Table -1: Description of models

Number of story G+15

Floor Height 4.57m
Slab Thickness 0.125 m
Live load 2 kN/m² at each floor
Floor finish Load 1.53 kN/m²
Concrete grade M25
Steel grade Fe500

Table -2: Earthquake parameters

Type of frame SMRF

Seismic zone (Z) IV
Fig -3: Elevation view of building with soft story at bottom
Response reduction 5
in ETABS
factor (R)
Importance Factor (I) 1

Fig -4: Elevation view of building with soft story at bottom

with shear wall in ETABS

Fig -2: Plan of the building in AutoCAD and ETABS

(Version 9.6)
Fig -5: Elevation view of building with soft story at bottom
with Bracing in ETABS

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3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Various parameters are considered for comparisons of

different configurations of structure. These parameters
serves the basis for evaluating the effect of storey on RCC Without soft story With soft story
building and measure to avoid failure by using shear wall
and bracing systems.
With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall
The base shear for all cases is almost similar due to same
4500
seismic weight. Maximum base shear is of 8078 kN with soft
storey at bottom case. The time period for soft storey at
bottom case is maximum as compared to other 4000
configurations. Time period for soft storey with bracing and
shear wall is considerably reduced with minimum for soft
storey at top with shear wall case. The storey drift for soft 3500
storey at middle case is maximum as compared to other
configurations. Also storey drift is considerably reduced bY
using bracing and shear wall i.e. 50-60 % and 70-80 % 3000
respectively for all cases. Maximum storey displacement is
highest for soft storey at bottom case. By using bracing 2500
displacement is reduced by 45-50 % and by using shear
wall it is reduced by 75-80 %. Overturning moment in
building is maximum for soft storey at bottom case and is 2000
reduced by 5-10 % by using bracing and shear wall in the Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top
structure.
Chart-2: Maximum values of Story Shear in Y direction

Without soft story With soft story

Without soft story With soft story

With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall
5800 With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall

5600 4
5400
3.5
5200
3
5000
2.5
4800
4600 2

4400 1.5
4200 1
4000
Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top 0.5

0
Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top
Chart-1: Maximum values of Story Shear in X direction

Chart-3: Maximum values of time period

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Without soft story With soft story Without soft story With soft story

With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall

0.0045 160
0.004 140
0.0035
120
0.003
100
0.0025
80
0.002
60
0.0015
0.001 40

0.0005 20
0 0
Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top

Chart-4: Maximum values of Story Drift in X direction Chart -6: Maximum values of Story displacement in X direction

Without soft story With soft story Without soft story With soft story

With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall With soft story with bracing With soft story with shear wall

0.005 200
0.0045 180
0.004 160
0.0035 140
0.003 120
0.0025 100
0.002 80
0.0015 60
0.001 40
0.0005 20
0 0
Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top Soft story at bottom Soft story at middle Soft story at top

Chart -5: Maximum values of Story Drift in Y direction Chart -7: Maximum values of Story displacement in Y direction

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
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4. CONCLUSIONS Different Levels. International Journal of Science and

Research. 5:7, 2319-7064.
From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the time 9) Gaurav Joshi, K.K. Pathak and Saleem Akhtar,
period for soft storey with bracing and soft storey with “Seismic Analysis Of Soft Storey Buildings Considering
shear wall is considerably reduced by 15.54 % and 21.9 % Structural And Geometrical Parameters” Journal on Today’s
respectively with minimum for soft storey at top with shear Ideas –Tomorrow’s Technologies, Vol. 1, No. 2,December
wall case i.e. 2.593 sec. Storey displacement is maximum for 2013 pp. 73–84.
building with soft storey at ground floor case i.e. 265 mm. 10) Prakash T M, Naresh kumar B G, Karisiddappa
By using bracing, displacement is reduced by 53.58 % and ,Raghunath S “Properties of Aerated (Foamed) Concrete
by using shear walls displacement is reduced by 79.42 %. Blocks” International Journal of Scientific & Engineering
The storey drift for building with soft storey at 7th floor Research Volume 4, Issue 1, January-2013 1 ISSN 2229-
case is maximum i.e. 0.00453 as compared to other 5518
configurations. Also storey drift is considerably reduced by 11) Dr. Saraswati Setia and Vineet Sharma, Seismic
using bracing and shear walls i.e. 56.65 % and 86.2 % Response of R.C.C Building with Soft Storey International
respectively for all cases. The base shear for all cases is Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562
almost similar due to same seismic weight. There is 1.45 % Vol.7 No.11 (2012) © Research India Publications.
increment in base shear for soft storey with bracing and
3.17 % increment in base shear with shear wall cases due
to increase in seismic weight.

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