BRITE Synergy: Holistic Framework for Structural Stability Design of Buildings

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This Boosting Research Ideas for Transformative and Equitable Advances in Engineering (BRITE) Synergy project will synthesize distinct threads of research on building structural stability to create a holistic framework for assessment and design that consistently applies fundamental principles across a broad range of real-world scenarios. These scenarios include: low-seismic where wind is most important and behavior is nominally elastic; moderate-seismic where behavior is often inelastic with low-ductility response and severe degradation; high-seismic where behavior is inelastic with high-ductility response. In all cases, whether response is static or dynamic, the essential cause of instability is the effect of gravity acting on the deformed system configuration. This project will coalesce the current research state-of-the-art and industry state-of-the-practice into a consistent view of stability behavior. The consideration of multiple loading conditions and hazards will encompass a large portion of the building stock in the United States. Ultimately, this project will benefit society by supporting economical design and construction of buildings with resilient performance.The framework for structural stability design of buildings that will be developed in this project will focus on providing persistent positive stiffness across the full range of expected response to counteract P-Delta effects. Although this central concept is simple – the lateral system of the building must have adequate stiffness to resist the applied lateral loads plus the destabilizing effects of gravity loads acting through lateral displacements – its simplicity belies the complexity of stability behavior and the nuances associated with stability design for diverse combinations of demand and structural response. The current stability design framework for non-seismic scenarios, where the structure has modest overstrength and the ultimate strength of the structure occurs prior to significant inelastic deformation, is rigorous, but its focus on force amplification does not translate to seismic scenarios where significant inelastic deformation, overstrength and/or degradation are expected. A consistent focus on stiffness will unify the treatment of building structural stability and provide a coherent philosophy that enables innovation in design and supports development of next-generation building lateral systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.