SUSTAINABILTY CONCEPTS IN THE DESIGN OF TALL STRUCTURES

Mr. Neel B R1, Mr. Prashant Sunagar2

1

M.Tech Student, Department of Civil Engineering, M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology

Bangalore, Karnataka, India,
Addresses - #137/B, Neralu, 7th Cross, Tejaswi Nagar Dharwad-560002,
Telephone-9480504812, Email: neel2191br@gmail.com

Assistant Professor (Corresponding author), Department of Civil Engineering, M S Ramaiah

Institute of Technology Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Addresses MSR Nagar, Matthikere, Bangalore- 560 054.
Telephone-9900048290, Email: prashant.csunagar@msrit.edu

Abstract
Construction industry is a rapid growing industry with various new technologies coming
into practice. Sustainability concept is also a call for the present generation as many natural
resources are getting exhausted. Thus the new era of development of Tall Structures with respect
to Sustainability concept is being studied by concentrating on the Structural systems that can be
adopted for construction of the same.In the present study we have considered two different 3D
RC frame structural systems i.e, normal Beam-Column structural system and Outrigger structural
system. The following two systems were modelled in ETABS 15.2 software in seismic zone V
with three different heights that is 150 meters (50 storeys), 240 meters (80 storeys) and 300
meters (100 storeys). Response spectrum analysis is carried out considering Earthquake forces
and the results are tabulated for maximum storey displacement and maximum storey drift. Then
finally the structural system which is sustainable in construction of Tall structures is identified.

Key words: Sustainability, Structural systems, Outrigger, Storey Displacement, Storey Drift
INTRODUCTION
Sustainable development means the development that can meet the needs of today
without compromising the requirements of future generations to meet their own needs. One of
the important aspects is to see that all the resources available are efficiently utilized taking into
account other Social, Environmental and Economic factors. Best way to achieve Sustainability in
construction field with this rapid growth of population is only through effective usage of all
available resources. The Structural system adopted for construction also has a major impact on
the Sustainability aspect which is identified and discussed in this work.
Outrigger Structural system:
This system is a very effective lateral load resisting system where in external columns are
connected with central core wall with highly stiff outriggers at one or multi levels. The stiffness
invoked in outer columns uplifts the resistance against overturning moments.
This structural form comprises a central core with braced frame/shear wall with cantilever
truss/girder known as Outrigger truss. With core centrally located outrigger extends on both sides
or it may be on one side of the building.
MODELING AND INPUTS
In the present work 3D models of two different structural systems with 50, 80 and 100 storeys
are being modelled in seismic zone V to study and compare the performance of the structures
subjected to Earthquake forces with respect to Sustainability of structures. The two different 3D
RC frame models considered are Column-Beam structure and Outrigger structure. Outrigger

element is modelled at three fourth height of the building as it is found to be the optimum
location from previous literature study.All the models have same structural plan dimensions with
six bays in both X and Y direction. Column to column spacing in each bay is 5 meter. All the
columns are considered as Fixed. The Response Spectrum analysis is performed for all the
structures usingETABS version 15.2.0.
Table 1 Section properties
Number of floors

50/80/100

Height of each floor

3m

Size of the column

(800 X 800) mm/(1000 X 1000) mm/(1200 X 1200) mm

Size of the beam

300 mm X 450 mm

Thickness of the slab

175 mm

Thickness of Shear Wall

300 mm

Size of Outrigger Element

300 mm X 600 mm

Fig 1: Plan and elevation of Beam-Column Structure

Fig 2: Plan and elevation of Outrigger Structure

Loading
Dead loads
Floor Finish
Live loads

1 kN/m2

Load on the Slab

Seismic Loads

2 kN/m2

Seismic Zone
Soil Type
Importance Factor
Response Reduction Factor

RESULTS
Maximum Storey Displacement:

Zone V
Medium Soil (Type II)
1
5

The following plots were obtained from Etabs for Maximum Storey Displacement for 50 storey
Beam-Column structural model and Outrigger structural model in both X and Y Directions:

Fig 3: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50 storey Beam-Column model in X-Direction

Fig 4: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50 storey Beam-Column model in Y-Direction

Fig 5: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50 storey Outrigger model in X-Direction

Fig 6: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50 storey Outrigger model in Y-Direction

Similarly the Plots are obtained for 80 and 100 storeys in both X and Y Directions and are
compared, because of the symmetry of the plan of the structure the displacement and drift values
in both X and Y direction are almost identical, the values obtained in X direction are tabulated.
Table 2: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50/80/100 storey models in X-Direction
Maximum Storey Displacement for 50/80/100 storey models in X-Direction
Type of system

50 Storey

80 Storey

100 Storey

Beam-column

387

1181

2118

Outrigger

135

568

1139

% Reduction

65.116

51.905

46.223

Maximum Storey Drift:

The following plots are obtained from Etabs for Maximum Storey Drift for 50 storey BeamColumn model and Outrigger model in both X and Y Directions:

Fig 7: Maximum Storey Drift for 50 storey Beam-Column model in X-Direction

Fig 8: Maximum Storey Drift for 50 storey Beam-Column model in Y-Direction

Fig 9: Maximum Storey Drift for 50 storey Outrigger model in X-Direction

Fig 10: Maximum Storey Drift for 50 storey Outrigger model in Y-Direction
Similarly the plots are obtained for 80 and 100 storey Beam-Column and Outrigger models in
both X and Y Directions and the values are compared and tabulated below:
Table 2: Maximum Storey Displacement for 50/80/100 storey models in X-Direction
Maximum Storey Drift for 50/80/100 storey models in X-Direction
Type of system

50 Storey

80 Storey

100 Storey

Beam-column

0.0036

0.0067

0.009

Outrigger

0.0011

0.0032

0.0053

% Reduction

69.444

52.239

41.111

CONCLUSIONS
From the study it can be observed that Sustainability in Tall structures has various aspects
to be considered out of which Structural form adopted in construction plays a vital role.
It is observed that the maximum storey displacement for a 50 storey 3D RC frame
structure varies in accordance with the structural form adopted. For a normal BeamColumn structure the displacement is found to be 387mm in X-direction.
The maximum storey displacement reduces by 65.16% for an Outrigger system in
comparison with normal Beam-Column system. Thus it can be concluded that the
Outrigger structural form is more Sustainable against Displacement due to seismic forces.
The maximum storey drift for a 50 storey Beam-Column structure is found to be 0.0036
and as per IS 1893 the maximum storey drift shall not exceed 0.004 times the storey
height which turns out to be 0.012 for all the models considered in this study.
The maximum storey drift reduces by 69.44% for an Outrigger system in comparison
with normal Beam-Column system. As in case of displacements even when storey drift is
considered the Outrigger structural form proves to be more Sustainable against
Earthquake forces.
Similarly for 80 storey structural models the maximum storey displacement is reduced by
51.90% for an Outrigger system in comparison with normal Beam-Column system and
for 100 storey structural models the reduction is 46.22% for an Outrigger system on
comparison with normal Beam-Column structural system.
For 80 storey structural models the maximum storey drift is reduced by 52.23% for an
Outrigger system on comparing with Beam-Column structural system and similarly for
100 storey models the reduction in maximum storey drift is 41.11% for Outrigger system
when compared with normal Beam-Column system.
Even when the height of the building is increased with increase in number of stories the
two main parameters maximum storey displacement and maximum storey drift is found
to be majorly reduced at least by 40-50% for an Outrigger structural system in

comparison with normal Beam-Column system which proves that the Outrigger structural
system to be the sustainable system against seismic forces in Tall structures.
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April 2015
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Response of Structure, IJERA ISSN: 2248-9622, July 2015

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Engineering Journal, 1998
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