Influence of the location of resistant cores on the seismic response of a reinforced concrete three-dimensional frame equipped with HDRB base isolation devices

The present work addresses the structural behaviour of three-dimensional reinforced concrete buildings with concrete cores of resistant walls and seismic isolation. In this study a single asymmetric concrete core was placed in a 10 floor 3D building and then a set of numerical analyses were made for several geometric arrangements without and with High-Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRB). This base isolation system is used in order to reduce the structural seismic response and its associated damage. In order to evaluate the importance of the basic location of these structural elements, a parametric study was carried out changing the in-plan core location associated with symmetrical and asymmetrical structural distribution of the in-plan stiff core. The buildings were modelled using the commercial package SAP-2000 and the seismic analyses were carried out in accordance with the new European Code for seismic analysis and design: Eurocode 8 (EC8); the national annex was used to define the Portuguese elastic spectra