Drifts and Torsional

Irregularities in Seismic
Analysis Using
Response Spectrum
Analysis (RSA)

Khaled M. Alaa
Introduction:

In seismic analysis, the SRSS (Square Root of the Sum of the Squares) method is commonly used to calculate total displacements in
buildings subjected to dynamic forces. This method combines the displacements from various vibration modes, assuming that the
modes are independent. However, when evaluating story drifts—especially in the context of torsional irregularities—a more refined
approach is necessary. This section will explain the definitions of modal analysis, how its results are integrated with the response
spectrum, and how to handle the response spectrum analysis while checking drifts and torsional irregularities. Many engineers directly
use the results from the response spectrum analysis, which may not be entirely accurate. Additional precautions and considerations,
which will be discussed here, must be taken into account to ensure proper evaluation.

Definition of Modal Analysis:

Modal analysis is a technique used in structural and mechanical engineering to determine the vibration characteristics of a structure or
a mechanical component. These characteristics are typically described in terms of natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping
ratios. Essentially, modal analysis helps in understanding how a structure or component will respond to dynamic loads, such as seismic
activity, wind loads, or operational vibrations.

Undamped Free Vibration in Modal Analysis:

In modal analysis, the primary objective is to identify the natural vibration characteristics of the structure, which include:

 Natural Frequencies: The frequencies at which the structure tends to vibrate when disturbed.

 Mode Shapes: The deformation patterns of the structure at each natural frequency.

To determine these characteristics, the structure is considered to be in a state of undamped free vibration. This simplifies the analysis
by ignoring the e ects of damping (which are typically small for initial mode determination) and external forces. The equation of motion
for an undamped system can be expressed as:
By solving this equation, the natural frequencies (ωn ) and mode shapes (ϕn) of the structure are obtained.

How Modes are Combined:

In modal analysis, a structure's response to dynamic loads is decomposed into a set of individual vibration modes. Each mode is
characterized by a natural frequency, a mode shape, and a damping ratio.

The combination of modes is necessary because the actual response of a structure under dynamic loading is a superposition of its
individual modes. This combination is typically done using methods such as:

1. Mode Superposition Method: Solving the dynamic equilibrium equations by expressing the total response as a linear
combination of the individual mode shapes. Each mode contributes to the overall response depending on its frequency and the
characteristics of the applied load.

2. Square Root of the Sum of the Squares (SRSS): A statistical method used to combine modal responses, particularly useful
when modes are closely spaced. The combined response is obtained by taking the square root of the sum of the squares of the
individual modal responses.
 3. Complete Quadratic Combination (CQC): This method is more accurate for systems with closely spaced modes and considers
the correlation between modes by using a correlation coe icient.

Purpose of Modal Analysis:

The primary purpose of modal analysis is to predict the dynamic behavior of structures under various loading conditions. By identifying
the natural frequencies and mode shapes, engineers can:

 Identify Resonance: Determine frequencies at which resonance might occur, which could lead to excessive vibrations and
potential failure.

 Improve Design: Optimize the design to avoid resonance frequencies or alter the mode shapes to reduce the impact of dynamic
loads.

 Enhance Safety: Ensure that structures can withstand dynamic loads such as earthquakes and wind forces without catastrophic
failure.

 Diagnose Issues: Detect and diagnose existing issues in structures by comparing the expected modal properties with measured
data.

Integration with Response Spectrum Analysis:

Response spectrum analysis is a method used to estimate the peak response of a structure during seismic events. It involves the
following steps:

1. Generate the Response Spectrum: A response spectrum is created based on the seismic input, showing the maximum
response (such as displacement, velocity, or acceleration) of a single-degree-of-freedom system as a function of its natural
frequency.
 2. Perform Modal Analysis: Conduct a modal analysis to determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the structure.

3. Calculate Modal Responses: For each mode, determine the response using the response spectrum. This involves multiplying
the mode shape by the spectral acceleration corresponding to the mode's natural frequency.

4. Combine Modal Responses: The individual modal responses are then combined using appropriate methods (e.g., SRSS or CQC)
to estimate the overall response of the structure.

Adding Amplitudes at the Response Spectrum Stage

At the response spectrum stage, the peak responses obtained from each mode (which are amplitudes) are combined to estimate the
total structural response. This combination accounts for the fact that di erent modes can contribute to the total response at di erent
frequencies and phase angles. The result is an overall estimate of the maximum expected response of the structure under the given
dynamic loading.

Why Modal Analysis is Conducted First

Modal analysis is conducted first because it provides the fundamental dynamic properties of the structure, which are essential for
accurate dynamic analysis. By understanding the natural frequencies and mode shapes, engineers can:

 Identify Critical Modes: Determine which modes are most significant for the structure's response.

 Simplify Calculations: Reduce the complexity of the dynamic analysis by focusing on a limited number of significant modes.

 Enhance Accuracy: Improve the accuracy of subsequent analyses, such as response spectrum analysis, by providing a detailed
understanding of the structure's dynamic behavior.
Application of SRSS in Seismic Analysis: Total Displacements vs. Story Drifts:
While SRSS is powerful for determining total displacements, its application to story drifts must be handled di erently. However, the
SRSS is suitable for total displacement, and should not be used directly for story drifts.

In structural engineering, particularly when dealing with dynamic analysis and response spectrum, it is essential to accurately assess
the displacements and drifts within a building structure. One common method used to combine displacements is the Square Root of
the Sum of the Squares (SRSS). However, while SRSS is a powerful tool for determining total displacements, its application to story
drifts must be handled di erently.

Accruing to (Guide to the Seismic Load Provisions of ASCE 7-10 ) :” The displacements are then combined using the square root
of the sum of the squares (SRSS) to determine the total displacements at each story. However, story drifts should not be
determined from the SRSS of the story displacements. Instead, the drifts should be determined for each mode, and then these
story drifts are combined using SRSS.”

Why SRSS is Suitable for Total Displacement:

The SRSS method is particularly suitable for calculating total displacements in structures due to the following reasons:

1. Orthogonality of Mode Shapes: In modal analysis, mode shapes are orthogonal to each other, meaning that the contributions of
each mode to the overall displacement can be considered independently. SRSS leverages this orthogonality to combine the
e ects of di erent modes e iciently.

2. Statistical Nature of Modal Responses: The responses of di erent modes to seismic loads are statistically independent.
Therefore, SRSS, being a statistical method, provides a realistic estimate of the combined modal responses.

3. Simplicity and E iciency: SRSS simplifies the complex process of combining modal responses, making it a practical and
e icient tool for engineers to estimate the total displacement of structures under dynamic loads.
The formula for SRSS is:

Why SRSS Should Not Be Used Directly for Story Drifts:

Using SRSS directly for story drifts can lead to inaccurate results due to the following reasons:

1. Non-orthogonality of Relative Displacements: Unlike absolute displacements, the relative displacements between floors
(story drifts) are not orthogonal. Direct application of SRSS does not account for the phase di erences and interactions between
modes, leading to potential overestimation or underestimation of drifts.

2. Complex Interaction E ects: Story drifts are influenced by complex interaction e ects between floors, which are not captured
by a simple SRSS combination. These e ects include varying sti ness and damping properties across di erent stories, which
can significantly a ect the drift response.

3. Overestimation of Drift: Directly applying SRSS to story drifts can result in an overestimation of the drift values, leading to
conservative designs that may not be economically feasible.
The Approach for Story Drifts:

Story drift, defined as the relative displacement between two consecutive floors of a building, is a critical parameter in assessing
the structural performance and safety during an earthquake. The calculation of story drifts requires a di erent approach than
total displacements because of the following reasons:

1. Relative Motion: Story drift measures the relative motion between floors, which is not directly obtained by SRSS. Instead,
it requires a consideration of the relative displacements of each floor.

2. Inter-floor Interaction: The interaction between floors, including the sti ness and damping characteristics of the
structural components, must be considered. This interaction is not adequately captured by simply applying SRSS to the
total displacements.

To accurately determine story drifts, the following approach is recommended:

1. Compute Absolute Floor Displacements: Perform a modal analysis to compute the absolute displacements of each floor
due to each mode of vibration.

2. Determine Relative Displacements: Calculate the relative displacement (story drift) between consecutive floors for each
mode.

3. Combine Modal Contributions: Use an appropriate combination method, such as SRSS or Complete Quadratic
Combination (CQC), to combine the relative displacements from di erent modes.
The following excerpt is derived from Example 20 in the Guide to the Seismic Load Provisions of ASCE 7-10. It illustrates the method for
determining drifts from the modes.
Torsional Irregularity:
Torsional irregularity occurs when there are significant discrepancies in the distribution of sti ness or mass within a building, leading to
uneven torsional responses during seismic events. Accurate assessment of story drifts is crucial for identifying and addressing these
irregularities, as they can significantly influence a building's seismic behavior.

The SRSS (Square Root of the Sum of the Squares) method for combining displacements may obscure torsional irregularities, as it does
not account for the directional or modal-specific impacts on relative displacements. Each mode can a ect di erent parts of the
structure in distinct ways, and directly combining displacements without considering their individual contributions can mask critical
information about the building’s behavior during an earthquake. To properly identify and mitigate torsional irregularities, engineers
should calculate the story drifts for each mode separately and then combine them. This approach enables the identification of specific
modes that disproportionately contribute to torsional irregularities, allowing for targeted design modifications such as sti ening certain
areas or redistributing mass to improve seismic performance and safety.

When conducting a modal response spectrum (MRS) analysis, applying accidental torsion dynamically by adjusting the center of mass
presents challenges, as each adjustment changes modal properties (frequencies and mode shapes). As a result, it is recommended to
address accidental torsion through a separate static analysis, then combine the static results with the MRS analysis. ((Guide to the
Seismic Load Provisions of ASCE 7-10 )

There are two approaches for incorporating accidental torsion in a response spectrum analysis (RSA):

1. First Approach (Amplification of Torsion Required): In this case, static torsion is assigned by setting it equal to a 0.05
eccentricity in the response spectrum load case. If torsional irregularity exists, amplification of accidental torsion is required. To
compute torsional irregularities and extreme torsional irregularities, as specified in ASCE 7-05 Table 12.3-1, items 1a and 1b, the
analysis must be conducted according to modes, not just the response-spectrum case. These irregularities may trigger the need
for amplification of seismic loads due to torsional e ects.

2. Second Approach (Amplification of Accidental Torsion Not Required): As per ASCE 7-10 Section 12.9.5, the distribution of
horizontal shear must follow the guidelines of Section 12.8.4, except that amplification of torsion according to Section 12.8.4.3 is
 not necessary if accidental torsion e ects are included in the dynamic analysis model. In this case, tools like ETABS can be used
to include moved floor masses in the analysis model to account for these e ects.

In this section, we will focus on the Torsional Irregularities check for Response Spectrum Analysis (RSA), specifically explaining how to apply
the torsion irregularity check using response spectrum analysis. For a detailed example, please refer to the CSI documentation on this topic:
Torsional Irregularities Check for Response Spectrum Analysis (RSA).

1. Obtain Modal Scaling: Access the response-spectrum modal amplitude for each mode by navigating to Display > Show Tables
> Analysis > Results > Modal Results > Response Spectrum Modal Information.
2. Define Load Combinations: Go to Define > Load Combinations > Add New Combo. In the dropdown menu for Load Name,
select Modal, and input the mode number and corresponding scale factor for that mode from the Response Spectrum Modal
Information table obtained in Step 1. Create a separate load combination for each mode, as shown in the example.

3. Obtain Joint Displacements: For each mode, retrieve the joint displacements by selecting Display > Show Tables > Tables >
Analysis > Results > Displacements > Joint Displacements.
 4. Calculate Story Drift: Compute the average story drift at the two ends of the building for each mode. Compare this with the
maximum story drift to check if it satisfies the condition Dmax/Dav<1.2D < 1.2 or 1.4 for each mode.

5. Combine Modal Results: Use the SRSS (Square Root of the Sum of the Squares) or ABS method to combine the results from all
modes. This helps determine if torsional irregularity or extreme torsional irregularity applies to the model. The formula for this
calculation is:

This process helps in determining whether the building exhibits torsional irregularities and if further modifications are needed to
improve its seismic performance.
Conclusion:
In seismic analysis, the SRSS (Square Root of the Sum of the Squares) method is typically used for determining total displacements
in buildings subjected to dynamic forces. It e ectively combines the displacements from various modes of vibration, assuming the
modes are independent. However, when assessing story drifts, particularly in the context of torsional irregularities, a more nuanced
approach is needed.

Torsional irregularities arise when a building experiences uneven rotational movements due to asymmetries in mass or sti ness
distribution. These irregularities can significantly impact the seismic response, particularly when modes contribute to torsional e ects
that induce large relative displacements between floors, leading to excessive drifts. As ASCE 7-10 and other seismic design codes
indicate, story drifts should not be directly combined using SRSS, as this could mask important contributions from individual modes.
Each mode's drift should be calculated separately, and only then should the results be combined using SRSS.

For accurate seismic performance assessment, particularly in the case of torsional irregularities, it’s essential to account for how
each mode influences both the total displacements and the story drifts. Directly applying SRSS to story drifts could obscure critical
details, especially those associated with torsional e ects, where the relative movement between floors may di er significantly across
modes. Therefore, combining modal story drifts using SRSS allows engineers to properly capture the seismic response, leading to
better-informed design decisions.