Shaking table test and seismic behavior of Ningbo Hengda Tower

A super tall building named Ningbo Hengda Tower is located in Ningbo City, China. It has 91 stories with a total height of 450 m. The structure system of the building consists of three parts, that is, the reinforced concrete core, the outer frame system, and the outrigger trusses connecting the core wall and outer frame. The unique outer frame system is spindle shaped with oblique columns. The outrigger trusses are located at three different levels above the ground, thus strengthening the building and creating irregularities in the stiffness of the structure along the building height. Great challenges are existed in seismic design and analysis of the building. Shaking table test was carried out for a 1/40 scaled model of the building under a series of different base excitations with increasing amplitudes. The dynamic properties, seismic responses, and failure mechanism of the structure are investigated. Test results show that the structure behaved well under designed level earthquakes. The weak points of the structure are identified based on visible damage of the tested model, and some suggestions are made for the improvement of the seismic behavior of the building. It is suggested that measures be taken to improve the ductility of the building from floor 71 to floor 79 and the adjacent floors.