| Abstract: | The effectiveness of the design recommendations made by various major building codes to account for torsional coupling effects is evaluated with respect to the parametric responses to earthquake ground motion of a simple single-storey asymmetric building model supported on an elastic foundation. The objectives are to determine the extent to which the response trends observed in previous studies of asymmetric rigidly based buildings are affected by changes in the flexibility of the foundation medium and to comment on and suggest necessary amendments to the design recommendations in order that suitable allowance be made for the resultant changes in the magnitude of torsional coupling effects. It is concluded that whilst the qualitative effects of torsional coupling are not affected by soil–structure interaction, their magnitude depends significantly on the frequency content of the free-field motion. The response to the El Centro earthquake record is conservatively accounted for by assuming the structure to be supported on a rigid foundation. An allowance for increased response effects due to soil–structure interaction is suggested for incorporation in the torsional design recommendations when European earthquake records are employed. |
