doi:10.3850/978-981-08-7920-4_S2-S59-cd

ABSTRACT

Building plan geometry is one of the most significant parameters affecting the wind response especially in the case of tall buildings where wind loads represents the critical lateral load in low seismic categories regions. The question is “which is the most effective building plan geometry in reducing the wind response of concrete tall buildings?” The study is emphasized on Kuwait city design conditions and on concrete since it is the most common construction material used in the Middle East. An office building of 50 typical floors and one intermediate mechanical floor is selected for this study. Different regular plan geometries such as rectangle, square, circle, pentagon, hexagon and octagon shapes are selected to be used for the same building. In addition, a group of irregular plan geometries such as (U, plus, T, L, Z and H) shapes are investigated. Same typical floor area, inside core area, core wall thicknesses, concrete strengths for different elements and floor structural system are the similarities between all geometries used. While core location and columns layout are the difference between them. The plans are arranged to match with the common engineering practice and allow for architects to properly furnish all the office buildings facilities. Three dimensional finite element techniques are used in conducting the structural analysis using ETABS software. Analysis results are presented along with conclusions as guidelines for designers of such type of buildings.

Keywords: Concrete, Finite element, Office, Plan geometry, Tall buildings, Wind response.

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