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Base Shear - Uniform Building Code (UBC)

The document discusses the calculation of base shear (V) according to the Uniform Building Code (UBC). It specifies that V is calculated using factors such as the total seismic dead load (W), importance factor (I), fundamental period of vibration (T), ductility and overstrength factor (R), and seismic coefficients (Cv and Ca) which vary based on seismic zone and soil conditions. Additional lower bounds for V apply in high seismic zones like California. The terms used in the base shear calculation formulas are defined.

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Parthiban Balasubramaniam
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68 views

Base Shear - Uniform Building Code (UBC)

The document discusses the calculation of base shear (V) according to the Uniform Building Code (UBC). It specifies that V is calculated using factors such as the total seismic dead load (W), importance factor (I), fundamental period of vibration (T), ductility and overstrength factor (R), and seismic coefficients (Cv and Ca) which vary based on seismic zone and soil conditions. Additional lower bounds for V apply in high seismic zones like California. The terms used in the base shear calculation formulas are defined.

Uploaded by

Parthiban Balasubramaniam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Base Shear - Uniform Building Code (UBC)

The UBC addresses the probability of significant seismic activity in various locations by
categorizing geographic regions of the U.S. as Seismic Zones 0 through 4 (See UBC Figure 16-
2). Seismic Zone 0 indicates a geographic location where no seismic activity is expected to occur.
Seismic Zone 4 indicates a geographic location with a high probability of significant seismic
activity.

The equivalent static force procedure in the Uniform Building Code (UBC 1630.2) specifies the
following formula for calculating base shear (V):

V = Cv I W / R T (UBC Equation 30-4)

The UBC also specifies the following upper and lower bounds for V:

Upper bound: V < 2.5 Ca I W / R (UBC Equation 30-5)

Lower bound: V > 0.11 Ca I W / R (UBC Equation 30-6)

An additional lower bound applies in seismic zone 4 (major portions of California, as well
as regions in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming):

V > 0.8 Z Nv I W / R (UBC Equation 30-7)

The upper bound value for base shear tends to govern for relatively stiff structures that
exhibit a small (short) fundamental period of vibration (T). The lower bound values for base shear
tend to govern for relatively flexible structures that exhibit a large (long) fundamental period of
vibration (T).

The terms used to calculate base shear (V) in UBC Equation 30-4 are defined as follows:

W = total seismic dead load of the structure (dead loads plus applicable portions of some storage
loads and snow loads, as specified in UBC 1630.1.1)

I = importance factor (see UBC Table 16-K)

The importance factor is essentially an extra safety adjustment used to increase the calculated
load on a structure based on its occupancy and/or function. Essential facilities (such as hospitals,
fire and police stations, etc.) and facilities that house toxic or explosive substances have higher
seismic importance factors (I = 1.25) than other structures (I = 1.0). Higher importance factors are
intended to insure that structural integrity is not compromised and important facilities remain
operational during emergencies and natural disasters. Based on typical occupancy classifications
for most wood structures, wood buildings are frequently designed using an importance factor of
unity (I = 1.0).

Designers should note that the seismic importance factor (I) is not identical to the importance
factor for wind (Iw). Futhermore, the UBC provides two distinct seismic importance factors - one
(I) for the design of typical structural systems/assemblies such as shear walls and diaphragms,
and another (Ip) for the design of critical elements that are attached to structures and may need to
resist large concentrated seismic forces (see UBC Section 1632 for more details).

T = fundamental (natural) period of vibration for a structure


The UBC provides the following simplified method for estimating T based on the height of the
structure (hn):

T = Ct (hn)3/4 (UBC Equation 30-8)

where Ct = 0.02 for wood structures


hn = height of the top level of a structure (ft)
For structures with flat roofs, hn is the distance from the ground to the roof/ceiling system. For
structures with sloped (pitched) roofs, hn may be taken as either the height of the ceiling system
above the ground or as the mean roof height.

R= ductility and overstrength factor (see UBC Table 16-N)

The R factor is intended to account for inelastic structural behavior and the ability of a structure to
displace/deform and dissipate energy without failing. Since all R factors specified in UBC Table
16-N are greater than unity (R > 1.0), the R factor effectively reduces the calculated base shear
(V) by varying amounts depending on the ductility of a structure. In general, ductile structural
systems should have higher R factors than brittle structural systems. Typical values of R for many
low-rise wood structures are:

R = 5.5 for light frame wood buildings with shear walls that support gravity loads and
simultaneously resist lateral loads in structures less than 4 stories high

R = 4.5 for light frame wood buildings with shear walls that support gravity loads and
simultaneously resist lateral loads in structures more than 3 stories high

The following additional R factors also apply to wood structures, but are associated with less
commonly used structural systems:

R = 6.5 for light frame wood buildings less than 4 stories high in which the frame system supports
gravity loads independently of the shear panels that resist lateral loads

R = 5.0 for light frame wood buildings more than 3 stories high in which the frame system
supports gravity loads independently of the shear panels that resist lateral loads

R = 5.6 for heavy timber braced frames in which the frame system supports gravity loads
independently of the bracing that resists lateral loads

R = 2.8 for heavy timber braced frames in which bracing supports gravity loads and
simultaneously resists lateral loads

Cv and Ca are seismic coefficients associated with structural sensitivity to the velocity and
acceleration (respectively) of seismic ground motion. Cv and Caare based on the geographic
location of the structure (seismic zone) and soil conditions at the site. Values for Cv and Ca are
specified in UBC Tables 16-R and 16-Q.

The additional lower bound for calculating base shear (V) in seismic zone 4 includes factors
associated with the magnitude of peak ground acceleration (Z) and proximity to known sources of
seismic activity (Nv). Values for Z and Nv are provided in UBC Tables 16-I and 16-T.

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