“If we have a poor configuration to start with, all the engineer can do is to provide a band-aid – improve a basically poor solution as best as he can. Conversely, if we start-off with a good configuration and reasonable framing system, even a poor engineer cannot harm its ultimate performance too much”.

Size of Buildings

Size of Buildings

In tall buildings with large weight-to-base size ratio the horizontal movement of the floors during ground shaking is large. In short but very long buildings, the damaging effects during earthquake shaking are many. And, in buildings with large plan area, the horizontal seismic forces can be excessive to be carried by columns and walls.

Horizontal Layout of Buildings

Buildings with simple geometry in plan perform well during strong earthquakes. Buildings with re-entrant corners, like U, V, H and + shaped in plan sustain significant damage. The bad effects of these interior corners in the plan of buildings are avoided by making the buildings in two parts by using a separation joint at the junction.

Vertical Layout of Buildings

Vertical Layout of Buildings

Earthquake forces developed at different floor levels in a building need to be brought down along the height to the ground by the shortest path, any deviation or discontinuity in this load transfer path results in poor performance of building. Buildings with vertical setbacks cause a sudden jump in earthquake forces at the level of discontinuity. Buildings that have fewer columns or walls in a particular storey or with unusually tall storey tend to damage or collapse which is initiated in that storey. Buildings on sloppy ground have unequal height columns along the slope, which causes twisting and damage in shorter columns that hang or float on beams have discontinuity in load transfer. Buildings in which RC walls do not go all the way to the ground but stop at upper levels get severely damaged

Adjacency of Buildings

Adjacency of Buildings

When two buildings are close to each other, they may pound on each other during strong shaking. When building heights do not match the roof of the shorter building may pound at the mid- height of the column of the taller one; this can be very dangerous.