Model updating and seismic response of a super tall building in Shanghai

• Published in: Computers & structures 2020-10, Vol.239, p.106285, Article 106285
• Main Authors: Pan, Yuxin, Ventura, Carlos E., Xiong, Haibei, Zhang, Feng-Liang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambient vibration test; Beam theory (structures); Field tests; Finite element method; Finite element model updating; Mathematical models; Modal assurance criterion; Model updating; Retrofitting; Seismic activity; Seismic engineering; Seismic response; Sensitivity analysis; Super tall building; Tall buildings
• ISSN: 0045-7949; 1879-2243
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruc.2020.106285

•Modal properties of the Shanghai Tower are identified by performing vibration test.•A simplified FE model for quick assessment of super tall buildings is developed.•Model updating is successfully conducted on the developed FE model for the tower.•Seismic response of the tower is evaluated by dynamic analysis of the updated model. The Shanghai Tower is presently the tallest structure in China and one of the super tall buildings in the world. To get a quick and direct insight into the overall dynamic behavior of this complex structure, a lumped-mass finite element model based on macro beam theory was developed. Next, an in-depth sensitivity analysis was performed on this baseline model and model updating was conducted by using modal properties obtained from a full-scale field test of this building in its final stage of construction. The difference of the first nine frequencies was reduced from 27% to 4% after updating, and modal assurance criterion value was improved from 73% to 87%. Time history analyses under two severe seismic events were conducted on both the baseline and updated models. The maximum story drift from the updated model were 40% higher than that from the baseline model, demonstrating the significant influence of model updating on its seismic performance. The framework of model updating by simplified updated model for super tall buildings described in this study provides an efficient way to predict their seismic responses, and the outputs are reliable for wide range of applications in the area of long-term heath monitoring and seismic retrofit.