| Abstract: | Traditionally, seismic torsional provisions have been evaluated based on the assumption that the strength of the lateral load resisting elements can be adjusted without changing their stiffness. There is an important class of elements that a change of their lateral strength implies a corresponding change of stiffness, as exemplified by reinforced concrete flexural walls. This would imply that when torsional provisions are applied to adjust the strengths of these elements, the stiffness distribution, and also the eccentricity of the system, will change. This paper re-evaluates the consequences of applying the torsional provisions of the Uniform Building Code (UBC, 1997) and also the Eurocode (Eurocode 8, 1994) to single mass eccentric systems supported by elements having such characteristics. In conjunction with the results based on the traditional assumption, the effectiveness of the two provisions to mitigate torsional effects is discussed from a broader perspective. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
