Abstract:
In the present scenario, due to less availability of space and more population, in multi-storey
buildings (both residential and commercial) an open space is reserved for parking, assembly
hall or for auditorium purposes at any level or storey by using floating columns.
This floating column is a vertical member which rest on a transfer beam but does not transfer
the load directly to the foundation. The floating column acts as a point load on the transfer
beam and this beam transfers the load to columns found below it. However, deviation or
discontinuity in this load transfer path results in poor seismic resistance of the building, which
raised interest on this research.
This research study is attempted to compare the parameters which includes the effect of floating
column provision on seismic resistance of buildings, assessing optimum position of floating
column that can better resist seismic force, evaluating effect of critical beam and column
dimension increment on building with floating columns, evaluating percentage effect of lift shear
wall provision on seismic resistance of building with floating columns. It was done on
symmetrical 6-storey building, by comparing three critical parameters; storey displacement;
storey drift and storey shear using ETABS 2016.00 as per ES EN 1998-1:2015.
As per comparison made, provision of floating column at ground floor edge corner increased
maximum lateral displacement of the building without floating column by 31.4% due to
structural irregularity occurred in discontinuity of load transfer path, while changing position of
floating column from ground floor edge corner to fourth floor parallel position led to decrement
of lateral displacement by 4.4%. Increment of critical beam and column dimension reduced
lateral displacement of optimized position floating column building by 0.69% and 8.21%
respectively. Providing Center lift shear wall on optimized position floating column building
reduced lateral displacement by 22.17%, using combination of lift shear wall and critical
member dimension increment reduced lateral displacement of optimized position floating column
building by 28.03%.
Generally, the result show that provision of floating column reduce seismic resistance of
buildings which can be improved by moving floating column from outer edge to inner edge, from
lower to upper floor, increasing column supporting transfer beam and using lift shear wall for
vertical transportation
