Critical issues in nonlinear modeling of reinforced concrete buildings: code-compliant modeling approaches and the 2015 E-defense shake table tests on a full-scale 10-story building

This paper aims to summarize the findings of a comprehensive study on the correlation of displacement and deformation demands estimated using various code-compliant nonlinear modeling approaches commonly used in real-life performance-based seismic design and assessment applications, with experimental results obtained from the full-scale shake table tests on the 10-story reinforced concrete building performed at the E-defense testing facility in 2015. Nonlinear response history analysis results obtained using ASCE-41 and Turkish Building Earthquake Code model configurations with the lumped plasticity modeling approach adopted for beams and columns, as well as an additional configuration adopting the distributed plasticity approach, were compared with test measurements. Analysis sets were also conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the analytical predictions to specific modeling assumptions that incorporate varying degrees of uncertainty, including consideration of beam effective flange widths, modeling of the floor slabs, adopting a tensile strength for concrete, selecting alternative effective shear moduli for structural walls, consideration of the vertical component of the ground motion, and selection of the damping ratio. Analysis results were compared with experimental measurements in terms of various global displacement and local deformation demands on the structure, including story displacement time-histories, peak interstory drift ratios, flexural and shear deformations on structural walls, and flexural deformations on beams and columns. The relative effectiveness of different methodologies and assumptions in replicating the experimentally-measured deformation demands on the test building are discussed in detail. Limitations of the adopted modeling approaches in simulating salient experimentally-observed response characteristics of the building are also identified.