TORSIONAL COUPLING EFFECTS FOR STRUCTURES EXPOSED

TO VRANCEA EARTHQUAKES

Ruxandra Enache
1*
, Sorin Demetriu
1
and Emil Albot
1
1
Department of Theoretical Mechanics, Statics
and Dynamics of Structures
Technical University of Civil Engineering
Bd. Lacul Tei 124, sector 2, 38RO-020396 Bucharest, Romania
E-mail: enacheruxandra@msn.com
demetriu@utcb.ro
e_albota@yahoo.com

Keywords: torsion, coupling, eigenmodes

ABSTRACT
The dynamic response of a system with coincidence between mass and stiffness center is a
translational one. Natural torsion appears in systems where these two centers dont lie in the
same point. The dynamic response couples torsion and translation on one or two orthogonal
directions, depending on the existence of a symmetry axis.
The natural modes of vibration for single level dynamic systems with eccentricities on two
orthogonal directions in plan are studied in this paper. There are outlined some parameters
which have influence upon the modal coupling. The normalized eccentricities and the natural
frequencies of the uncoupled system decide if the fundamental mode of vibration is in
translation, in torsion or a coupled one. The nature of the fundamental mode of vibration
influences the dynamic response of the system. The considered systems are acted by
accelerograms recorded during 1977 Vrancea earthquake.

1. INTRODUCTION
Torsion usually refers to non-symmetrical structural systems (the mass center and the stiffness
center lie in different points). The phenomenon is named natural torsion and the systems are
torsional coupled systems. It is possible to appear torsion even in symmetrical buildings,
known as accidental torsion, which may be induced by the rotational component of the ground
motion during an earthquake or uncertainties in mass or stiffnesses distribution.
In this paper it is studied the response of torsional coupled systems in free vibrations (the
natural modes of vibration). The character of the fundamental eigenmode has a great influence
on the behaviour of the dynamic system. A simple method for identifying this character is
developed.
2. THE DYNAMIC SYSTEM
The linear considered system is a single story structure as it is presented in Figure 1. It is made
the assumption that the mass is distributed to the rigid floor supported by massless columns or
shear walls. The coordinate axes have the origin in the mass center (CM). The translational
stiffness of the vertical elements is non-symmetrical distributed on the two axis X and Y. The
stiffness center CR is that point of the floor where, if applied, a horizontal force produces only
translation. The distance between the stiffness and the mass center is defined by the static
eccentricities e
x
and e
y
:

i
i y i
y
x
R x
R
e
,
1
and

i
i x i
x
y
R y
R
e
,
1
(1)

where R
x,i
and R
y,i
are the translational stiffnesses of the i
th
element and x
i
and y
i
define the
position of this element about the mass center and R
x
and R
y
are the translation stiffnesses on x
and y:

i
i x x
R R
,
and

i
i y y
R R
,
(2)

The dynamic coordinates associated to the three degrees of freedom are two horizontal
translations and a rotation about a vertical axis.

3. NATURAL MODES OF VIBRATION
For the analysed system, the characteristic equation is:

0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0
0
0
2

1
1
1
]
1

1
1
1
]
1

m
J
m
R R e
R e R R e
R e R
y y x
y x x y
x y x

(3)


e
y
e
x
i
CM CR
y
Element i
X
i
x
Y
Y
CR
CM
X
Z
x
y
z
x
e
e
y
A
B
C
D
Figure 1. The analyzed system
where J
0
= mr
2
is the polar inertia moment, r is the giration radius about a vertical axis passing
through CM and R

is the torsional stiffness of the structure about CM:

+
i
i i y
i
i i x
x R y R R
2
,
2
,

(4)

Considering:

x
x
R
m
;
y
y
R
m
and

R
mr
2
(5)

which may be regarded as the circular frequencies of the reference uncoupled system (a system
with coincidence between the mass and the stiffness center ), characteristic equation becomes:

0
0
0 1
2 2 2
2 2 2
2

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

x x
y
x
y
x
x
y
x
x x
y
y
x
r
e
r
e
r
e
r
e

(6)

Solving the equation it results the circular frequencies normalized to
x
:
x x x

3 2 1
,
depending on the parameters:

/
x
,
y x
/ , e
x
/r and e
y
/r. These parameters are not
completely independent ; they generate a subspace for real eigenvalues.
The dynamic behaviour of torsional coupled systems is influenced by the ratio between

Figure 2. Ratios between the natural periods of vibration
e
x
/r =0.3
e
y
/r =0.1

/x

e
x
/r =0.5
e
y
/r =0.1

/x

e
x
/r =0.3
e
y
/r =0.3

/x

e
x
/r =0.5
e
y
/r =0.5

/x

e
x
/r =0.1
e
y
/r =0.1

/x

e
x
/r =0.3
e
y
/r =0.1

/x

e
x
/r =0.3
e
y
/r =0.3

/x

e
x
/r =0.5
e
y
/r =0.5

/x

e
x
/r =0.5
e
y
/r =0.1

/x

e
x
/r =0.1
e
y
/r =0.1
T1/ T2
T2/ T3

/x

eigenvalues. In Figure 2 are presented the variations of the natural periods ratios (T
1
/T
2
and
T
2
/T
3
) for normalized eccentricities e
x
/r and e
y
/r of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 and ratios of the
uncoupled frequencies

/
x
and
y x
/ from 0.5 to 3.
If there are considered the normalized eigenvectors and there is analized the ratio between

x /
= 0.5
1
0.6
0.8
0.4
0.2
0
= 1
y x /
= 1.5
y x /
= 0.5
1
0
1

/ y x
= 2
0.2 0.6 0.4 0.8
1
x
e
/
r1
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.8
0.6
0.8
0.6
x

y/
0.2
0.4
0.8
0.6
/r e y
0.2
0.4
0
x /
= 1
= 1
y x /
= 1.5
y x /
= 0.5

/ y x
= 2
x

y/
/
r
e
x
/
r
e
x
/
r
e
x
y e /r
y e /r
y e /r
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
/
r
e
x
/r ey
/r ey
/r e y
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
x
e
/
r
x
e
/
r1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
e
/
r
x
1
torsion and translation on x
translation on x and y
torsion and translations
no real values
torsion and translation on y
torsion
translation on x
translation on y
modal coupling
e /r y
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
e
/
r
x
0
/r e
/r ey
x
e
/
r1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
x
e
/
r1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
/r e y
/
r
e
x
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
e /r
/ y

x
= 2
x y/

= 0.5
/ x y
= 1.5
/ x y
= 1
= 1.5
/ x
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
e
/
r
x
0
/r ey
/r ey
x
e
/
r1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
x
e
/
r1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
/r ey
/
r
e
x
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
y e /r
/ y

x
= 2
x y/

= 0.5
/ x y
= 1.5
/ x y
= 1

/
= 2
x
Figure 3. The character of the fundamental eigenmode
the components of the fundamental one (the eigenvector corresponding to the shortest
eigenperiod), it may be considered that the fundamental natural mode of vibration is
predominantly translational, torsional or a combination of these.
In Figure 3 are represented the domains (defined by eccentricities, for a certain ratio
between the uncoupled circular frequencies) where the fundamental eigenmode belongs to the
above mentioned category.
It may be noticed that there are areas of modal coupling ( when the difference between two
eigenvalues is small), where it is not possible to define a fundamental eigenmode.

4. RESPONSE SPECTRUM ANALYSIS
Seismic response is determined for two idealized spectra of the absolute acceleration : the
constant spectrum and the hiperbolic spectrum. The response is expressed in shear force on
each direction S
x
and S
y
and torsional moment about mass center, M
t
, or stiffness center, M
tR
,
normalized as it follows:

S
S
S
x
x
xo
; S
S
S
y
y
xo
; M
M
S r
t
t
xo
si M
M
S r
tR
tR
xo
(7)

where S
xo
is the shear force for the refference uncoupled system.
The maximum value of the response is determined using a rule for combining the peak
responses in any mode of vibration. Kan and Chopra [5] proposed the following rule for
torsional coupled systems:

m n
3
1 n
3
1 m
2
nm
m n
3
1 n
2
n
2
1
R R
R R

+
+

(8)
where:

nm
n m
n m

+
1
2
(9)

and is the damping ratio (it was considered = 0.05 in any mode of vibration).
In Figure 4 are represented the normalized shear forces and torsional moment as functions
of the eccentricities, for systems with same frequencies in translations and in torsion (
x
=
y
=

Figure 4. Dynamic response for systems with
x
=
y
=


Sy Mt

Sx
e
y
/r
e
x
/r

x
S
y
S

tR
M

e
y
/r
e
y
/r
e
x
/r
e
x
/r

), with damping ratio of 5 % and acted by a ground motion with constant response
spectrum.
In Figure 5 are presented surfaces representing the normalized shear forces and torsional
moments for systems with normalized eccentricities of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 (Figure 5a, b and c) ,
frequencies ratios (

/
x
and
y x
/ ) between 0.1 and 3. damping ratio of 5 % and constant
shape for the response spectrum.
Comparing the results induced by the constant spectrum to those corresponding to the
hiperbolic spectrum, there is practically no difference in the response for systems with
eccentricities less than 0.5 r.

5. RESPONSE HISTORY ANALYSIS
The system is acted simultaneously by the ground acceleration on two orthogonal directions,
recorded in Bucharest (Incerc station) during 1977 Vrancea earthquake, represented in Figure
6.
In Figure 7 are represented maximum responses (expressed in shear forces on x and y and
torsional moment) for systems with eccentricities of 0.3r on both directions normalized to the
corresponding response of perfect symmetrical systems, in order to see the effect of the
eccentricities.

Figure 5. Dynamic response for systems with different eccentricities
e
x
/r=0.1
e
y
/r=0.1

Sx
x
S

/
x

y
/
x
Sy
y
S

/
x

y
/
x
MtR
tR
M

/
x

y
/
x
e
x
/r=0.2
e
y
/r=0.2

Sx
x
S

/
x
y
/
x
Sy
y
S

/
x
y
/
x
MtR
tR
M

/
x
y
/
x
e
x
/r=0.5
e
y
/r=0.5

MtR


tR
M

y
/
x

/
x
Sx
x
S

/
x
y
/
x
Sy
y
S

/
x
y
/
x

6. CONCLUSIONS
The dynamic response of torsional coupled systems depends on four parameters: the
translational frequencies ratio
y x
, the ratio between the torsional and translational
frequencies
x

and the normalized eccentricities e

x
/r and e
y
/r.
The first two natural periods of vibration are equal for systems with small eccentricities on x
and y, if the translation frequencies on the two directions are equal (
x y
) and less than the
torsional frequency(
x

). For bigger eccentricities, the coincidence between the first

natural values occurs in systems stiffer in torsion than in translation.
The first eigenmode is predominantly torsional for systems stiffer in translation than in
torsion and with small eccentricities. If the system is torsional flexible, the translational
stiffnesses are not equal and eccentricity is big on the stiffer direction, then the first eigenmode
is coupled. Systems stiffer in torsion than in translation ( 5 . 1 >
x

) have the fundamental

eigenmode predominantly translational.
If the uncoupled frequencies are equal (


y x
), the fundamental eigenmode couples
torsion with translation on x or y, depending on the bigger eccentricity.

Figure 6. Ground acceleration recorded during 1977 Vrancea earthquake in
Bucharest, Incerc
E-W ACCELERATION
-200
-150
-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time (sec)
c
m
/
s
2
N-S ACCELERATION
-200
-150
-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time(sec)
c
m
/
s
2

Normalized shear force
on x
0,4
0,6
0,8
1
1,2
1,4
1,6
0,2 0,6 1 1,4 1,8 2,2
T
x
Normalized torsional
moment
0
10
20
30
0,2 0,6 1 1,4 1,8 2,2
Tx
Normalized shear force
on y
0,4
0,6
0,8
1
1,2
1,4
1,6
0,2 0,6 1 1,4 1,8 2,2
Tx
Figure 7. Spectral normalized response for system with e
x
/r=e
y
/r=0.3

Modal coupling areas generally appear for systems with the same stiffness on the two
directions and small eccentricities. If the system is torsionally stiff, coupling exists between two
translational modes.
There are many combinations between eccentricities and frequencies ratios which cannot
define a real system. For example, it doesnt exist a system with small torsional stiffness
(
x

=0.5) and big eccentricities.

Eccentricities may increase or decrease the shear forces on both directions, depending on
the value of the translational periods of the uncoupled system. A significant increase is
produced to the torsional moment, especially for torsional flexible systems(
x

=0.5) or with
coincidence between the translational and the torsional periods (
x

=1).

REFERENCES
[1] Enache, R, General torsion influence on the seismic response of frame structures, Ph.D.
Thesis, Bucharest, UTCB, 2003
[2] Enache, R., Demetriu, S. Torsional response spectra of Vrancea earthquake ground
motions, Performance based Engineering for 21
st
Century, Iasi, 353-359, 2004
[3] Hejal, R., Chopra, A.K. Earthquake response of torsionally - coupled buildings, Report
no. UCB / EERC- 87/20, December 1987
[4] Hejal, R., Chopra, A.K. Earthquake Analysis of a Class of Torsional-Coupled Buildings,
Revue of Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Vol.18 ,Issue 3, April 1989
[5] Kan, C.and A.K. Chopra Effects of torsional coupling on earthquake forces in buildings,
Journal of Structural Division ASCE, 103, 805-820, 1977
[6] Kan, C.and. Chopra ,A.K Torsional coupling and earthquake response of simple elastic
and inelastic systems, Journal of Structural Division ASCE, 107, 1569-1588, 1981
[7] De la Llera, J.C. and Chopra,.K. -- Accidental And Natural Torsion In Earthquake
Response And Design Of Buildings, Report no. UCB / EERC - 94/07, June 1994
[8] Maheri, M.R., Chandler, AM. and Basset, R.H. --Coupled Lateral-Torsional Behaviour of
Frame Structures under Earthquake Loading, Revue of Earthquake Engineering and
Structural Dynamics, Vol. 20, Issue 1, Jan. 1991