Inelastic dynamic soil–structure interaction effects on moment-resisting frame buildings

This paper investigates the influence of the inelastic dynamic soil–structure interaction (DSSI) on the response of moment-resisting frame buildings. A modeling strategy related to a modified 2D in-plane approach allowing faster finite element analyses is introduced. Two regular buildings founded on sandy soil in dry and fully saturated conditions are analyzed for a suite of motions in order to assess the influence of the inelastic DSSI on the structural response.Examination of results reveals that influence of DSSI on dry soil case is highly erratic, however tends to be invariantly favorable or negligible when the soil is in saturated condition. For motions inducing extensively inelastic structural behavior and mean period close to first elastic period of the soil deposit, inelastic DSSI seems to be very important.

► The model approach allows using inelastic behavior for soil and 2D structures.
► Accordance among 2D building model and plane-strain approach for the soil is ensured.
► Inelastic soil–structure interaction results in a variation of the structural response.
► Time computation reduction in an inelastic dynamic soil–structure interaction problem.