DETERMINATION OF DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS BY SHAKE TABLE TESTS

Horizontal components of earthquake loads are taken into account in the seismic design of constructions. One of the main structural members resisting horizontal components of earthquake load are shear walls placed in their stiffer direction on a structural system. Because of the fact that direction of the earthquake loads cannot be foreseen, shear walls should be located in both main horizontal directions. In the study, a symmetric 28-story high rise building model consisting of similar shear wall ratio in both horizontal direction is produced by using balsa wood laths and sheets. The model is tested under 3 different earthquake records on a shake table test setup. Moreover it is numerically modeled and analyzed by using SAP2000 finite element (FE) program considering same earthquake records. The damping ratio of the FE model is determined by a free vibration test and modulus of elasticity and unit weight of members are obtained by the tests conducted on the members and structural system. The results of numerical and experimental studies are compared in terms of top acceleration, velocity and displacements. It is deduced from the results that FE model is highly successful to simulate dynamic behavior of the experimental model.