HINDUSTAN COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

ECE-064
EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT DESIGN
UNIT-5

IN GUIDANCE OF
Mr.V.K. Gupta sir
Professor

Deptt. of civil engg.

Submitted by Group -5 ,civil-A, final year students

Student name (roll no):
Pankaj Yadav (0806400066)
Rituraj Rastogi (0806400083)
Ritesh Yadav (0806400082)
Roopesh kumar (0806400086)
Pranjul Rajput (0806400070)
Priyanshi Dubey (0806400076)
Rishi yadav (0806400081)
Neeraj Tyagi (0806400065)
Rohan chaudhary (0806400084)
Sarthak Gautam (0806400091)
Rohit Maurya (0806400085)
Ramveer Tyagi (0806400079)
Sachin gupta (0806400087)
Prateek agarwal (0806400074)
Prem prakesh Gupta (0806400075)
Rajeev Patel (0806400078)

STEPS FOR SAFE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF

MULTISTOREY REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDINGS
1. Introduction:
A large number of reinforced concrete multistoreyed frame buildings were heavily damaged and
many of them collapsed completely in Bhuj earthquake of 2001 in the towns of Kachchh District
(viz., Bhuj, Bhachao, Anjar, Gandhidham and Rapar) and other district towns including Surat and
Ahmedabad. In Ahmedabad alone situated at more than 250 kilometers away from the Epicentre of
the earthquake, 69 buildings collapsed killing about 700 persons. Earlier, in the earthquake at Kobe
(Japan 1995) large number of multistoreyed RC frame buildings of pre 1981 code based design were
severely damaged due to various deficiencies. Such behaviour is normally unexpected of RC frame
buildings in MSK Intensity VIII and VII areas as happened in Kachchh earthquake of January 26,
2001. The aim of this paper is to bring out the main contributing factors which lead to poor
performance during the earthquake and to make recommendations which should be taken into
account in designing the multistoreyed reinforced concrete buildings so as to achieve their adequate
safe behaviour under future earthquakes. The Indian Standard Code IS:1893 was suitably updated in
2002 so as to address the various design issues brought out in the earthquake behaviour of the RC
Buildings. The paper highlights the main provisions of this code.
2. Causes of the Collapse of RC Frame Buildings and Recommendations
2.1 Ignorance of the Architects and Structural Engineers about the Contents of the relevant
earthquake resistant Building Codes :
Recommendation:The following BIS Standards will be mainly required for the design of RCC Buildings.
Architects and Structural engineers design office should have the current copies of these
standards available in their offices and all their staff should fully familiarize with the contents of
these codes:1. IS: 456 -2000 Code of Practice for Plain and Reinforced Concrete
2. IS: 875 Part 1 Unit weights of materials.
3. IS: 875-1987Design loads ( other than earthquake ) for buildings and structures, Part2
Imposed Loads
4. IS: 875-1987Design loads ( other than earthquake ) for buildings and structures ,Part 3 Wind
Loads
5. IS: 1904-1987 Code of Practice for Structural Safety of Buildings: Foundation
6. IS: 1498-1970 Classification and identification of soils for general engineering purposes
(First Revision)
7. IS: 2131-1981 Method of Standard Penetration Test for soils (First Revision)
8. IS: 1905-1987, Code of Practice for Structural Safety of Buildings: Masonry
9. IS:1893(Part-I)-2002 "Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures (Fifth
Revision).
10. IS:13920-1993, "Ductile Detailing of Reinforced Concrete Structures subjected to Seismic
Forces - Code of Practice"
11. IS: 4326-1993, "Earthquake Resistant Design and Construction of Buildings - Code of
Practice (Second Revision)"
12. IS-NBC-2005: National Building Code of India.
Note: The design offices should keep in touch with BIS-CE division to keep track of any amendments
issued or further revisions.
1

2.2 Softness of Base Soil:

The soft soil on which most buildings in Ahmedabad were founded would have affected the
response of the buildings in three ways:
(i) Amplification of the ground motion at the base of the building;
(ii) Absence of foundation raft or piles;
(iii)Relative displacement between the individual column foundations vertically and laterally, in the
absence of either the foundation struts as per IS: 4326 or the plinth beams;
(iv) Resonance or, semi-resonance of the whole building with the long period ground waves;
(v) In the absence of the beam at plinth or, ground level, the length of ground storey columns gets
increased, which increases the flexibility of the ground storey and if the columns become long
the buckling moments due to P- effect will increase bonding to cause collapse of the columns.
(vi) If the soil is sandy and water table is high, it may liquify. See IS:1893-2002 Cl 6.3.5.2 and
Table 1 for minimum N (corrected values) for safety and carryout soil liquefaction analysis by
standard procedures available in the literature. The adverse effects of liquefaction may be seen in
Figs. 1, 2 & 3.

Fig. 1
The Building Sank evenly about 1 m
due to soil liquefaction. The displaced
soil caused a bulge in the road.

Fig. 2
This inclined building sank unevenly
and leans against a neighbouring
building

Fig. 3
The solid building tilted as a rigid
body and the raft foundation rises
above the ground

Recommendation:Soil exploration at the buildings site must be carried out at sufficient points and to sufficient depth
so as to give the following data:
(i) Soil classification in various layers and the properties like grain size distribution, fields density,
angle of internal fritting and cohesion a plastic and liquid limits and coefficient of consolidation
of cohesive sites.
(ii) Position of water table just before and just after monsoon.
(iii)SPT values and CPT values.
(iv) The output results should include liquefaction potential, safe bearing capacity and the type of
foundation to be adopted, viz. (i) individual column footing of given width (ii) combined row
footing or (iii) raft foundation or (iv) Pile foundations.
(v) Chemical analysis of soil to find if it has any harmful elements to the concrete, if so, precautions
to be taken in making the foundations.
(vi) Chemical analysis of water to be used in making the Concrete mixtures.
2.3 Soft-first Storey:
Open ground storey (stilt floor) used in most severely damaged or, collapsed R.C. buildings,
introduced severe irregularity of sudden change of stiffness between the ground storey and upper
storeys since they had infilled brick walls which increase the lateral stiffness of the frame by a factor
of three to four times. Such a building is called a building with soft ground storey, in which the
dynamic ductility demand during the probable earthquake gets concentrated in the soft storey and
2

the upper storeys tend to remain elastic. Hence whereas the soft storey is severely strained causing
its total collapse, much smaller damages occurs in the upper storeys, if at all.
Behaviour of soft first storey buildings (buildings on stilts or with open plinth) during earthquakes
may be seen in Figs. 4, 5 & 6.

Fig. 4
Sway mechanisms with soft
storey ground floors (Izmit,
Turkey 1999

Fig. 5
Soft first storey collapsed, upper
part of the building fall onto the
ground, (kachchh, 2001)

Fig. 6
Soft Storey (Open Plinth), Vertical
Split between two blocks (Bhuj)

Recommendation:In view of the functional requirements of parking space under the buildings, more and more tall
buildings are being constructed with stilts. To safeguard the soft first storey from damage and
collapse, clause 7.10 of IS: 1893-2002 (Part 1) provides two alternative design approaches
(i) The dynamic analysis of the building is to be carried out which should include the strength and
stiffness effects of infills as well as the inelastic deformations under the design earthquake force
disregarding the Reduction Factor R.
(ii) The building is analysed as a bare frame neglecting the effect of infills and, the dynamic forces
so determined in columns and beams of the soft (stilt) storey are to be designed for 2.5 times the

Bracings in the columns of open ground storey

Largest size stilt columns

Providing R.C. Shear Wall

Fig. 7:- Remedial Measures for Soft Storey

Providing Brick infills between

columns

storey shears and moments: OR the shear walls are

introduced in the stilt storey in both directions of the
building which should be designed for 1.5 times the
calculated storey shear forces.
Some remedial measures to counter the bad performance are
shown in Fig. 7.
Some times a soft storey is created some where at mid-height
of the multi-storey building, for using the space as restaurant
or gathering purposes, see fig.8. Such soft storey in building
also collapsed in Kutch and Kobe earthquakes. For such a
case also, the storey columns should be designed for the
higher forces OR a few shear walls introduced to make up for
the reduced stiffness of the storey.
2.4 Bad Structural System:
The structural system adopted using floating columns, for
reasons of higher FSI is very undesirable in earthquake zones
of moderate to high intensity as in Zone III, IV & V since it
will induce large vertical earthquake forces even under
horizontal earthquake ground motions due to overturning
effects.
Recommendation:The structural engineer should provide for the load path in the
building from roof to the foundation. For example, a building
with floating columns requires transfer of the floating column
loads to horizontal cantilever beams through shear forces. The
load path, therefore, is not vertical but changes from vertical to
horizontal members before reaching the foundation. Sometimes
similar situations arise within the frames where, for any reason,
either the beam is missing or a column is missing. These are
structural discontinuities and should better be avoided as far as
possible. Other irregularities such as those defined in Table 4
& 5 of IS: 1893-2002 (Part 1) become the cause for large
torsional moments and stress concentration in the buildings
which should better be avoided by the architect and structural
engineer in the initial planning of the building configuration.
Otherwise, they should be carefully considered in structural
analysis and properly detailed in the structural design.

Fig.8:- Collapse of soft middle storey in a

building at Bhuj.
Fc
Cb
Fc
Cb

Fig.9:-Floating columns
Fc= Floating Columns
Cb= Cantilever Beams

2.5 Heavy Water Tanks on the Roof:

Heavy water tanks add large lateral inertia forces on the
building frames due to the so called whipping effect under
seismic vibrations, but remain unaccounted for in the design.
See the fall of such water tank in Fig.10
Recommendation:All projected systems above the roof top behave like secondary
elements subjected to roof level horizontal earthquake motions
which act as base motions to such projecting systems. To

Fig.10
5 storey R.C., collapse of open plinth, water
tank at top dislocated (Bhuj)

account for such heavy earthquake forces, IS:1893-2002 (Part 1) provides in clause 7.12 that their
support system should be designed for five times the design horizontal seismic co-efficient Ah
specified in clause 6.4.2. Similarly any horizontal projections as the balconies or the cantilevers
supporting floating columns, the cantilevers need to be designed for five times the design vertical
co-efficient as specified in clause 6.4.5 of IS: 1893-2002 (Part 1)
2.6 Lack of Earthquake Resistant Design:
Many buildings in Gujarat were not designed for the
earthquake forces specified in IS:1893, which was in existence
from 1962, revised in 1970, 1976 & 1984. The applicable
seismic zoning in Gujarat had remained the same as adopted in
1970 version. It is the same even in 2002 version of IS:1893
(Part I).
Inspite of that, the structural designers ignored the seismic
forces in design. It may also be stated that most buildings are
designed against lateral load in the transverse direction. Hence
they collapse in the longitudinal directions.
Proper arrangement of columns is shown in
Fig. 11 which would give adequate seismic
resistance along both axes of the building.

All the upper floors weak in long directions

(Izmit, Turkey 1999)

STRONG

WEAK

Recommendation:It does not need emphasizing that all

buildings including the multistoried
buildings should be designed in accordance
with IS: 1893 (Part 1) and IS: 4326 1993.
The salient features of the design will be
presented in Para 3.0 in this guide.

STRONG

STRONG

Fig.11:- Lateral Strength of Building Frame

2.7 Improper Dimensioning of Beams &

Columns:
The structural dimensioning of beams and
columns was inadequate in terms of provisions
in IS: 13920-1993 and also for proper
installation of reinforcements in Beam-Column
joints as per IS: 456 and IS: 13920.
Recommendation:
The relative dimensions of beams &
columns become very important in tall
buildings from the point of view of
provision of longitudinal & transverse
reinforcement in the members as well
as the reinforcement passing through
and anchored in the beam-column
joints, permitting enough space for
proper concreting and without
involving any local kinking of the
reinforcing bars. The practice of using
small dimension columns like 200 or
Fig.13:- Plan of Reinforcement in Beams & Columns

230 mm and beams of equal width is totally unacceptable from the reinforcement detailing view
point. Infact for permitting the beam bars passing through the columns, without any local bending
then straightening (introducing kinks), the proper scheme would be to use wider columns than the
beams. Minimum dimensions of beams and columns, also limiting aspect ratios of the two members,
are specified in IS: 13920 which need to be adhered to.

2.8 Improper Detailing of Reinforcement:

In detailing the stirrups in the columns, no conformity appeared to satisfy lateral shear requirements
in the concrete of the joint as required under IS 4326- 1976 and IS: 13920-1993. The shape and
spacing of stirrups seen in collapsed and severely damaged columns with buckled reinforcement was
indicative of non-conformity even with the basic R.C. Code IS: 456-1978.
Recommendation:
In respect of proper detailing of reinforcement in beams, columns, beam-column joints as well as
shear walls, all the provisions in IS:13920 have to be carefully understood and adopted in design.
The philosophy of over-design of beams in shear to force flexural hinge formation before shear
failure, confining of highly compressed concrete in columns and the use of properly shaped shear
stirrups with 135 degree hooks are some low-cost but extremely important provisions. For overall
safety of the frame, design based on the concept of strong-column, weak-beam system should be
adopted as far as practical. It may be mentioned that the full ductility details as specified in IS:
13920 permit the use of the High Reduction Factor R=5 which would make the design economical.
But if such ductility details are not adopted, the Reduction Factor is permitted as only 3.0, which
means that the design force will become 1.67 times the case when full ductile detailing is adopted
which may indeed turnout to be more expensive and at the same time brittle and relatively unsafe
(see fig.13).

Fig.13:- Detailing of reinforcement (Overlapping Hoops & Crosstie)

2.9 Short Column Detailing

In some situations the column is surrounded by walls on
both sides such as upto the window sills and then in the
spandrel portion above the windows but it remains exposed
in the height of the windows. Such a column behaves as a
short column under lateal earthquake loading where the
shear stresses become much higher than normal length
columns and fail in shear. (See fig. 14)

Recommendation:
To safe guard against this brittle shear failure in such
columns the special confining stirrups should be provided
throughout the height of the column at short spacing as
required near the ends of the columns.
2.10

Fig.14:- Damage
to buildings due to
short
column
effect on columns

Torsional Failures

Torsional failures are seen to occur where the symmetry is

not planned in the location of the lateral structural elements
as for example providing the lift cores at one end of the
building or at one corner of the building or
unsymmetrically planned buildings in L shape
at the street corners. Large torsional shears are
caused in the building columns causing there
torsional shear failures (See fig.15).
Recommendation:
Where site requirements of from functional
requirements control the building plan shape,
either it should be split into two symmetrical
rectangular blocks by providing separation
sections of appropriate with between the
blocks or the structural elements should be so
adjusted that the centre of stiffness and the
Fig.15:- Very unsymmetrical building
centre of mass should coincide along both axis
of the building needless to say that any non-coincidence of the centre of mass and centre of stiffness
should be taken into design calculations as per IS:1893
2.11

Pounding Damage of Adjacent Buildings

Severe damage even leading to collapse are

seen due to severe impact between two
adjacent buildings under earthquake shaking if
the adjacent blocks of a building or two
adjacent buildings are of different heights with
floors at different levels and with inadequate
separation. Such buildings can vibrate out of
phase with each other due to very different
natural frequencies thus hitting each other
quite severely (see fig.16).
Recommendation:

Fig.16:- Pounding damage of adjacent buildings

To avoid such pounding damage the amount of separation between them should be liberally
provided so as to cater for the combined maximum out of phase displacements. A simple
recommendation is given in IS:4326 (Cl.5.1.2) for flexible as well as stiff buildings which must be
adopted as a minimum to avoid the possibility of pounding between two unsimilar buildings/blocks

2.12

Lack of Stability of Infill Walls

The infill walls were not properly attached either to

the column or the top beams for stability against
out-of-plane bending under horizontal earthquake
forces. Their cracking and falling was widespread
(See Fig. 17).
Recommendation:
Stability of infill walls is important in two ways:
first, they introduce their brittle failure due to the
diagonal compression in the panel and or diagonal
Fig. 17:- Infill wall damage
tension cracking; secondly, and more important is
their lateral stability under out of plane earthquake
force acting on their own mass. While conducting the retrofitting studies of three lifeline buildings
in Delhi, the 114 mm thick brick infill walls have turned out to be one of the main issues to handle
while retrofitting the building so as to save the inmates and the property inside from damage due to
the failure of the infill walls. It has been found that such walls will have to be contained with in pairs
of vertical angles spaced at 1.2 1.5 m apart. Therefore, while designing a new multistoried
building, the stabilisation of the infill wall panels should be properly considered either by providing
confining angles near the top or by providing slits on the vertical sides and stabilising by the means
of vertical angles or channels.
2.13

Poor Construction Quality:

The construction quality of the damaged R.C. buildings was found to be much below that desired, as
seen by the cover to reinforcement in the damaged members and the bad quality of concrete in the
columns in 150 to 300 mm length just below the floor beams and within the beam column joints.
Recommendation:
Needless to say that if the quality of construction is not commensurate with the quality of design,
even a well planned and a well designed building can show extremely bad behavior under
earthquake shaking. It should be remembered that during earthquake shaking all bad quality
constructions will be revealed and nothing can be kept hidden. Good quality of construction will
include: proper mixing and quantity of water, good quality sand and aggregates, designed quantity
of cement in the mix, proper mixing of all the ingredients with control on water cement ratio,
adequate compaction in the placement of concrete preferably by using vibrators, proper placement
of steel with control on the cover to steel and adequate curing before striking of the form work. The
engineer incharge of the construction should personally be present at site to supervise all operations.
He should have appropriate sampling and testing of materials carried out in a recognized laboratory,
the results of test being kept in well maintained register for inspection by quality audit team. He
should organize the taking of sample of steel reinforcement & concrete cubes in adequate numbers
which should be tested at the specified age of testing.
3. Some Important Codal Design Provisions:
In the last few years the author has had the opportunity of reviewing many reinforced concrete
building designs prepared by well-established consulting companies as well as individual
8

consultants and felt the need of preparing brief guidelines so that no important Codal provisions are
missed out and the various design details for achieving better construction in the field and better
ductile performance in the event of a great earthquake are ensured. Thus a safe and ductile building
could be achieved.
3.1 Building Configuration
For achieving basic structural safety of buildings under postulated earthquake forces the first
important requirement is that the building should be designed with symmetrical configuration both
horizontally and vertically. In any case the seismic force resisting elements must be planned
symmetrically about the centre of the mass of the building. IS:1893 (Part 1-2002) presents in detail
in cl.7.1 the various types of irregularities which should be avoided as far as possible or corrected by
planning the structural resisting elements. The present day requirements of large column free spaces
inside can be met by designing strong frames on the periphery of the building so as to resist most of
the horizontal design seismic forces and relieving the internal columns relatively from the
earthquake forces. For this purpose shear walls may be provided in the building perimeter to
increase the stiffness in both principal axes of the building as compared with the internal columns
which could be designed basically for vertical loads.
3.2 Calculation of Loads
The loads will include the following:
(i)

Dead Loads: These will include the weight of all components at each level, viz., roof
including water tanks, Barsatis, Parapets, roof finishes, slabs, beams, elevator machine room
etc. and including all plasters and surface cladding etc., and each floor level including fixed
masonry or other partitions, infill walls, columns, slabs and beams, weight of stairs,
cantilever balconies, parapets and plastering or cladding wherever used. The unit weights
may be taken from IS:875 (Part 1) or ascertained from the manufacturer.

(ii)

Imposed Floor Loads: IS 875 (Part 2) deals with the imposed loads on roofs, floors, stairs,
balconies, etc., for various occupancies. There is a provision for reduction in the imposed
loads for certain situations, e.g. for large span beams and number of storeys above the
columns of a storey. The earthquake code IS: 1893 (Part 1)-2002 permits general reduction
in roof and floor imposed load when considering the load combination with the earthquake
loading. But the two types of reductions, that is, in IS: 875 (Part 2) and IS: 1893 (Part 1) are
not to be taken together.

3.3 The Earthquake Load:

For working out the earthquake loading on a building frame, the dead load and imposed load and
weights are to be lumped at each column top on the basis of contributory areas. The imposed load is
to be reduced as specified in IS: 1893 (Part1)-2002 for seismic load determination. Let us call them
Wi at ith floor and Wn at the nth level at the roof level for a n-storey building. Hence the total load
at the base of the building just above the foundation will be
W

= i=1 W i + Wo

where Wo is the weight of elements in the ground storey.

3.4 Earthquake Resistant Design
Now the following steps may be taken:
(a) Estimate fundamental time period Ta using empirical expressions given in the Code IS: 18939

2002.
Ta = 0.075 H0.75, IS: 1893 Cl.7.6.1 for bare frame along each axis
Tax = 0.09h/d along x-axis IS: 1893 Cl.7.6.2 for frame with substantial infills
Ta z = 0.09h/b, along z-axis, IS: 1893 Cl.7.6.2 for frame with substantial infills
where h is the height of the building and d and b are the base dimensions of the building
along x and z axis respectively.
(b) Calculate the design horizontal Seismic coefficient Ah
Now compute the fundamental time periods T/x and T/z for the bare frame along the two axes by
dynamic analysis. These are generally found to be higher than Tax and Taz respectively.
The design horizontal coefficient Ah is given by
Ah = (Z/2). (I/R). (Sa/g)
Take Z for the applicable seismic zone
Take I for the use importance of the building
Take R for the lateral load resisting system adopted

(IS: 1893 Cl.6.4.2),

(IS: 1893 Table 2),
(IS: 1893 Table 7),

and take Sa/g for the computed time period values T/x, Tax, T/z and Taz with 5% damping
coefficient using the response spectra curves IS: 1893 Fig 2 for the soil type observed. Thus four
values of Ah will be determined as follows:In x-direction A/hx for T/x & Ahax for Tax
In z-direction A/hz for T/z & Ahaz for Taz
(c) Calculate the total horizontal shear (the base shear)
The design value of base shear VB
VB = Ah W
as per 1893 Cl.7.5.3.
For design of the building and portions thereof, the base shear corresponding to higher of Ahax
and A/hx, similarly between Ahaz and A/hz will be taken as minimum design lateral force.
(d) Seismic Moments and Forces in Frame Elements:
Calculate the seismic moments and axial forces in the columns, shears and moments in the
beams by using the seismic weights on the floors/(column beam joints) through an appropriate
computer software (having facility for using floors as rigid diaphragm and torsional effects as
per IS: 1893:2002).
It may be performed by Response Spectrum or Time History analysis. The important point is
that according to IS: 1893 Cl.7.8.2., the base shear computed in either of the dynamic method,
say V/B shall not be less than VB calculated under Cl.7.5.3 using Ahax and Ahaz. If so, then all
shears, moments, axial forces etc worked out under dynamic analysis will be increased
proportionately, that is, in the ratio of VB/V/B.
(e) Soft Ground Storey
It must be designed according to Cl.7.10 of IS: 1893-2002.
10

4. Method of Design
Structural design of various members has to be done by Limit State Method, as per IS 456-2000 for
which the following load combinations should be used to work out the maximum member forces:Using
DL

for

DEAD LOAD

LL

for

LIVE LOAD

EQX

for

SEISMIC LOAD (X) DIRECTION

EQZ

for

SEISMIC LOAD (Z) DIRECTION

The load combinations for analysis and design will be taken as follows:
1. (DL+LL)*1.5

8.

(DL-EQX)*1.5

2. (DL+LL+EQX)*1.2

9.

(DL-EQZ)*1.5

3. (DL+LL+EQZ)*1.2

10.

0.9DL+EQX*1.5

4. (DL+LL-EQX)*1.2

11.

0.9DL+EQZ*1.5

5. (DL+LL-EQZ)*1.2

12.

0.9DL-EQX *1.5

6. (DL+EQX)*1.5

13.

0.9DL-EQZ*1.5

7. (DL+EQZ)*1.5
The members (beams, columns, shear walls etc.) and their joints will be designed for the worst
combination of loads, shears and moments.
MATERIALS:
a) Cement: Ordinary portland cement conforming to IS 269 - 1976 shall be used along with fly ash
after carrying out the design mix from approved consultant.
b) Reinforcement: Cold twisted high yield strength deformed bars grade Fe 415 conforming to IS:
1786-1985, or preferably TMT bars of standard manufacturer e.g. TATA Steel, SAIL or equivalent
shall be used.
The following grades of concrete mix may be adopted or as required for safe design:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

For RCC columns in lowest few storeys

For RCC columns in the middle few storeys
For RCC columns in the top few storeys
For beams, slabs, staircase etc.
For raft foundation
Max. Water cement Ratio
Minimum cement content

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

M35
M30
M25
M20
M 20 or 25
0.45
300 kg/m3 of concrete.

(h) Admixtures of approved brand may be used as per mix design

CLEAR COVER TO ALL REINFORCEMENT:
For mild Exposure and fire rating of 1 hr. following clear covers may be adopted
(a) For foundation R.C.C.:
i) Footings
: 60 mm.
11

ii) Raft
(b) For columns
(c) For Beams
(d) For Slab

:
:
:
:

60 mm.
40 mm
25 mm or main bar dia. whichever is more.
20 mm.

4.1 Ductile Detailing

After designing the frame column-beam, shear walls and foundation by limit state theory as per
IS: 456:2000, all details of longitudinal steel, overlaps, shear capacities, confining reinforcement
requirements, stirrups and ties etc. shall be worked out using the provisions of IS: 13920-1993.
The drawings should clearly show all the adopted details.
5. Concluding Remarks
In a nut-shell, the seismic safety of a multi-storeyed reinforced concrete building will depend upon the
initial architectural and structural configuration of the total building, the quality of the Structural
analysis, design and reinforcement detailing of the building frame to achieve stability of elements and
their ductile performance under severe seismic lading. Proper quality of construction and stability of
the infill walls and partitions are additional safety requirements of the structure as a whole. Any
weakness left in the structure, whether in design or in construction will be fully revealed during the
postulated maximum considered earthquake for the seismic zone in the earthquake code IS: 1893.
Acknowledgement:
The figures have been taken from various sources to suit the text message and are anonymously
acknowledged.
---------------------

12

ERD- unit-5

2012

Introduction to machine foundation

Machine foundations require a special consideration because they transmit dynamic loads to soil
in addition to static loads due to weight of foundation, machine and accessories. The dynamic
load due to operation of the machine is generally small compared to the static weight of machine
and the supporting foundation. In a machine foundation the dynamic load is applied repetitively
over a very long period of time but its magnitude is small and therefore the soil behavior is
essentially elastic, or else deformation will increase with each cycle of loading and may become
unacceptable.The amplitude of vibration of a machine at its operating frequency is the most
important parameter to be determined in designing a machine foundation, in addition to the
natural frequency of a machine foundation soil system.
There are many types of machines that generate different periodic forces. The most important
categories are:
Reciprocating machines:
It produces periodic unbalanced force and operating frequency is 600rpm. For
designing unbalanced force is taken as varying sinusoidally.
Impact machines:
It produces impact loads at an operating frequency of 60-150 blows/min.
Dynamic load attends the peak within short duration and then die out quickly. Designed as over tuned.
Rotary machines:
These are high speed machines with high operating frequency. Hence the
foundations are designed as under tuned.

A suitable foundation is selected, depending upon the type of machine. For compressors and
reciprocating machines, a block foundation is generally provided (Fig.1a). Such a foundation
consists of a pedestal resting on a footing. If two or more machines of similar type are to be
installed in a shop, these can profitably be mounted on one continuous mat.
A block foundation has a large mass and, therefore, a smaller natural frequency.However, if a
relatively lighter foundation is desired, a box or a caisson type foundation may be provided.
(Fig.1b) The mass of the foundation is reduced and its natural frequency increases. Hammers
may also be mounted on block foundations, but their details would be quite different than those
for reciprocating machines.
Steam turbines have complex foundations that may consist of a system of walls columns, beams
and slabs. (Fig.1c) Each element of such a foundation is relatively flexible as compared to a rigid
block and box or a caisson-type foundation.

ERD- unit-5

2012

Figure 1. Types of Machine Foundations (a) Block foundations. (b) Box or caisson
foundations. (c) Complex foundations

CRITERIA FOR DESIGN:

A machine foundation should meet the following conditions for satisfactory performance:
Static loads:1. It should be safe against shear failure
2. It should not settle excessively
These requirements are similar to those for all other foundations.
Dynamic loads:
1. There should be no resonance.
2. The amplitudes of motion at operating frequencies should not exceed the limiting amplitudes,
which are generally specified by machine manufacturers.
3. The natural frequency of the foundation soil system should not be whole number multiple of
the operating frequency of the machine to avoid resonance with the higher harmonics.
4. The vibrations must not be annoying to the persons working in the shops or damaging to the
other precision machines.

ERD-unit-5

2012

I.S. CODE PROVISION FOR MACHINE FOUNDATION

A)FOUNDATION

FOR RECIPROCATING TYPE MACHINES

DESIGN CRITERIA

The foundation structure of machine shall be isolated at all levels from the main building and
frorn other foundations as far as possible.
Overhanging cantilevers where unavoidable shall he designed to ensure rigidity against
vibration.
All machine foundations shall satisfy two fundamental criteria that resonance does not occur
between the frequencies of the fluctuating loads and natural frequency of foundation/soil
system and also the amplitude of vibration does not exceed safe limits.
Design criteria based on frequency and amplitude limits can be bsed as follows:

a) Limits set by the possibility of damage or uneconomic wear to machinery or associated equipment or
both.
b) Limits set by the possibility of damage to building structures.
c) Limits of structural borne vibrations to ensure comfort of person.
d) Limits set by possibility of disturbance of ground resulting in unacceptable settlement of foundation.
1. Frequency Ratio
The frequency ratios shall not be normally less than 0.4. Where this is not possible, the natural freq --uency of the foundation-soil system shall be kept lower than the Iowest disturbing frequency. The
frequency ratios in such cases shall not be lower than 1.50.
2. Permissible Amplitudes:Limitations of Vibration Amplitude to Avoid Damage to Machinery
The damage in neighbouring buildings due to resonance will be negligible if the amplitude vibration of
the foundation is less than 200 microns at frequencies below 20 Hz.

3. Concrete Foundation Design

Conditions
* Normally concrete block foundations are designed for reciprocating machines. Both the foundations
and machines are usually taken as a single body resting on an elastic bedding. ( Subsoil or resilient
mounting ). The foundation is subject to oscillations at determinable frequencies in six degrees of
freedom-(as shown in fig)

ERD-unit-5

2012

FIG:-SYSTEM OF AXES AND THE SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM

*Pile foundations may be used in cases where the soil conditions are unsuitable to support block

foundation.
Dimensions of Concrete Foundation Blocks:The following empirical rules may be allowed:

Mass of the foundation shall be greater than that of the machine.

The eccentricity of foundation system along axis shall not exceed 5 percent of the length of the
corresponding side of the contact area.
To ensure reasonable stability in the case of vertical machines, the total width of the foundation
shall be at least equal to the distance from the centre of the shaft to the bottom of the
foundation.
The proportion of foundation block shall be such to ensure stability.

Minimum Reinforcement in Block Foundations

ERD-unit-5

I.
II.
III.
IV.

2012

Minimum reinforcement in the concerete block shall be not less than 25 kg/m . For machine
requiring special design considerations of foundatron, like machines pumping explosive gases
the reinforcement shall be not less than 40 kg/m3.
The minimum reinforcement in the block shall usually consist of 12 mm bars spaced at 200/230
mm centre to centre extending both vartically and horizontally near all the faces of the
foundation block.
The following points shall be considered while arranging the reinforcements:
The ends of mild steel ( if used ) shall always be hooked irrespective of whether they are
designed for tension or compression.
Reinforcement shall be used at all faces.
If the height of foundation block exceeds one metre, shrinkage reinforcement shall be placed at
suitable spacing in all three directions, and
Reinforcemc,it shall be provided around all pits and openings and shall be equivalent to 0.50 to
0.75 percent of the crosssectional area of the opening.

B)FOUNDATIONS FOR IMPACT TYPE MACHINES

(HAMMER FOUNDATIONS)
NECESSARY DATA FOR DESIGN

Hammer Details
a) Total mass of hammer, that is, mass of frame and falling parts.
b) Mass of falling parts, that is, mass of tup and top die.
c) Mass of anvil and frame of the hammer is attached to the anvil, the mass of t e frame should
be added.
d) Energy of impact.
e) Number of blows per minute (this may vary depending on full stroke and short stroke.)
f) Base dimensions of the anvil.
g) Manufacturers drawing showing general cross section, plan, elevation of anvil, frame base,
anvil base, etc, including detail % of anchor bolts.
h) Coefficient of impact of anvil in extreme case for die to die blow.
Details of the Cushion Pad Between Anvil and Block
a) Material.
b) Elastic modulus.
c) Maximum allowable deformation.
d) Allowable stress intensity.
Details of Cushioning Between Foundation Block and Soil.
a) If resilient pad is used1) Material,
2) Elastic modulus,

ERD-unit-5

2012

3) Maximum allowable deformation, and

4) Allowable stress intensity.
b) If springs and dampers are used:
1) Maximum allowable spring deflections for normal working as well as for extreme conditions
and also for static loads as well as for dynamic loads,
2) Details of springs, and
3) Details of dampers.
Soil Data details
The sub-soil properties shall be determined.
The dynamic elastic properties of the soiI shall be determind
Information about the location of the hammer in the shop with respect to adjacent
foundations,the dimensions, elevations and depth of these foundations as well as their
tolerable amplitudes.
DESIGN CRITERIA
Considerations:

The design of the entire foundation system shall be such that the centres of gravity of
the anvil and of the foundation block, as well as the resultants of the forces in the elastic
pad and the foundation support, act as far as practicable so as to coincide with the line
of fall of the hammer tup. While determining the centre of gravity of the foundation
block the weight of the frame and of the tup shall also be considered.
The foundation shall be so designed that the induced vibrations in the structures.
The natural frequency of the foundation system will not be a whole number multiple of
the operating frequency.

Permissible Stresses
The load intensity on the soil below the foundation shall not be more than 80 percent of the
allowable bearing pressure of the soil.
Permissible Amplitudes
The amplitude of the foundation should be adjusted so that the velocity of the vibrations at the
structure does not exceed 0.3 cm/s.
CONSTRUCTION
The foundation block should be made of reinforced concrete. concrete used shall be of grade
not less than M 20 grade.It is desirable to cast the entire foundation block in one operation.

ERD-unit-5

2012

If a construction joint is unavoidable, the plane of joint shall be horizontal and measures shall
be taken to provide a proper joint. The following measures are recommended

Dowels of 12 to 16 mm diameter at 60 mm centres should be embedded to a depth of

at least 30 cm on both sides of the joint. Before placing the new layer of concrete, the
previously laid surface should be roughened, thoroughly cleaned, washed by a jet of
water and then covered by a layer of rich 1 : 2 cement grout, 2 cm thick. Concrete
should be placed not later than 2 hours after the grout is laid.
The arrangement of reinforcement is shown in fig.
Topmost layers of reinforcement shall be provided with a cover of at least 5 cm. The
reinforcement provided shall be at least 25 kg/m3 of concrete.
Special care shall be taken to provide accurate location of holes for anchor bolts cut out
for anvil, frame, etc.
The protective layer between anvil and foundation block shall be safeguarded against
water, oil etc, and the material selected should withstand temperatures up to 100C.

You can download this notes from:-- http://www.learncivil.weebly.com/