Seismic Performance of R.C. Mid-Rise Building Resting on Soft Strata

This abstract provides a concise overview of the seismic performance considerations for reinforced concrete (RC) mid-rise buildings situated on soft soil. This study highlights the key factors and strategies essential for ensuring the safety and resilience of these buildings in earthquake-prone regions. During severe seismic events, the dynamic response of the structure is affected not only by the behaviour of the superstructure but also by the nature and behaviour of the soil present in and around the substructure. The conventional structural design process usually assumes the base of the foundation to be completely restrained, i.e., in a fixed condition. However, this assumption is inaccurate as it neglects the effect of flexibility offered by the interaction of the soil with the structure. There is no clear consensus on either the beneficial or detrimental effects of soil-structure interaction (SSI) on the seismic response of structures. A case study is done to understand the non-linear dynamic response of building with different soil conditions (hard and soft). The results are represented in terms of fundamental period, base shear, and story drift.