EFFECTS OF VERTICAL GROUND MOTIONS ON THE

DESIGN OF REGULAR RC BUILDINGS LOCATED IN

SEISMIC ZONE V
by

Pammi Raghunandan Vyas, Pradeep Kumar Ramancharla

in

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DIGEST

Report No: IIIT/TR/2019/-1

Centre for Earthquake Engineering

International Institute of Information Technology
Hyderabad - 500 032, INDIA
July 2019
EFFECTS OF VERTICAL GROUND MOTIONS ON
THE DESIGN OF REGULAR RC BUILDINGS
LOCATED IN SEISMIC ZONE V
(IS 1893:2016 CLAUSES 6.3.2.1 AND 6.3.3)
Pammi Raghu Nandan Vyas and Ramancharla Pradeep Kumar

Abstract
Recent revision of Indian standard code on earthquake
resistant design suggested certain recommendations for
inclusion of effects of vertical ground acceleration for design
of buildings. Clause 6.3.2.1 of IS 1893 (Part 1) suggests that
for non-orthogonal frames, load combinations should include
Pammi Raghu Nandan Vyas 30% of earthquake load in other directions along with the
PhD Student direction considered and Clause 6.3.2.1.1 suggests that for
orthogonal frames, full load has to be applied. Besides, clause
6.3.3 mentions that all the buildings present in seismic zone
IV and V have to consider vertical ground motion effects.
This results in 73 load combinations for calculating the design
forces in structural members. However, the necessity to
consider the effects of vertical ground motions for regular
buildings, although present in seismic zones IV and V, is not
verified. To verify the above clauses for regular buildings, a
case study is performed on a 5 storied regular framed RC
building. Using, linear static analysis, design forces in
structural members for the contradicting clauses on load
combinations are compared. From the study, it is concluded
Ramancharla Pradeep Kumar
Professor, EERC, International
that 3-dimensional ground motion effects are not necessary
Institute of Information Technology, for every building even if the building is located in seismic
Hyderabad zone IV or V.
Introduction
Buildings are usually subjected to 3-dimensional earthquake
ground motions i.e., two orthogonal horizontal components
and one vertical component. However, in the design of
buildings; the effect of vertical component is usually
neglected not only due to the low level of vertical shaking but

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also due to the availability of higher factor of safety in the beams will be considerably affected when compared to the
vertical direction to resist up-down shaking. Past exterior beams [Dana et al., 2014]. Hence, codes of
earthquakes proved that this understanding is not valid. In practice also suggest the consideration of vertical ground
many earthquakes, viz 1994 Northridge [NIST 862, 1994], motion effects in the design of buildings.
1995 Kobe [NIST 901, 1996], 1999 Chi-Chi [Shin et al.,
Although, the codes recognised the effect of vertical
2011] etc., vertical ground motions also contributed for
ground motions, each one recommends special cases in
the damage of the buildings. Due to vertical ground
which the vertical ground motion effects are to be
motions, axial capacity, shear capacity and flexural
considered as shown in table 1. For instance, Indian
capacity of the columns will be reduced. Interior columns
seismic code (IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016) [IS 1893, 2016],
will have more effects than exterior columns because
suggests that the seismic forces in the vertical directions
exterior columns will be designed for overturning
have to be considered under following conditions, viz, a)
moments and therefore receive greater seismic force
structure is located in seismic zone IV or V, b) structure has
whereas, internal columns will be designed
vertical or plan irregularities, c) structure is rested on soft
predominantly for axial forces and overturning moments
soil, d) bridges, e) structure has long spans; or f) structure
will be neglected. Also, columns present in the upper
has large horizontal overhangs of structural members or
storey are more vulnerable to vertical ground
subsystems building. This clause insists the consideration
accelerations compared to the lower storey columns
of seismic forces in the vertical direction for regular
[Dana et al., 2014]. Similarly, due to vertical ground
framed buildings also if the structure is present in seismic
motions, there is a possibility of stress reversals at mid
zone IV or V. Hence, applicability of the same for regular
span of the beams. The interior beams and upper storey
buildings has to be understood properly.

Table 1: Comparison of recommendations on consideration of vertical ground motions in different codes

[IS 1893, 2016], [ASCE, 2016], [BS EN, 2004], [NZS, 2004]

Seismic code H/V Vertical Acceleration Recommendations

Spectrum
IS 1893 (Part 1):2016 2/3 No a) Structure is located in seismic zone IV or V
b) Structure has vertical or plan irregularities
c) Structure is rested on soft soil
d) Bridges
f) Structure has long span
g) Structure has large horizontal overhangs of structural
members or subsystem buildings
ASCE 7:16 No Yes Vertical acceleration should be considered when the structure is
located in site categories D, E, F, G
BS EN:1998-1:2004 No Yes Vertical acceleration should be considered in the following
conditions:
a) Horizontal structural members spanning 20 m or more
b) Horizontal cantilever components larger than 5m
c) Horizontal prestressed components
d) Beams supporting columns
e) Base-isolated structures
NZS 1170.5: 2004 T> 0.3s, 0.7 No No
T< 0.3s, 1

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Further according to the code, horizontal base shear is suggested procedure to consider vertical seismic forces by
calculated as a function of Seismic Zone factor (Z), performing a case study on regular framed building. Since,
Importance factor (I), Response reduction factor (R), the vertical base shear distribution is not explicitly
spectral acceleration (Sa) and seismic weight (ws) based on indicated in the code, two kinds of distribution patterns are
natural period (T) of the building. The final design forces adopted for the purpose of the study.
in the structural members are obtained by distributing the
Case Study: G+5 RC Regular Framed Building
base shear to individual floors and further to all the
members depending on their relative lateral stiffness. In According to IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016, Clause 6.3.2.1
the latest edition of the Indian code (i.e., 2016 edition), it suggests that when load resisting elements are oriented in
suggests the consideration of design base shear in the two mutually perpendicular directions, structure shall be
vertical direction equal to 2/3rd of the maximum horizontal designed for full design earthquake load in one horizontal
base shear, irrespective of the natural period of the direction at a time and not in both the directions
building in vertical direction. However, the distribution of simultaneously. Further, the Clause 6.3.3 suggests that the
vertical design base shear to the structural members is not structures present in seismic zone IV or V should consider
explicitly elaborated. the vertical ground motion effects in the design by
considering 30% of the earthquake load in other
It was understood that the above-mentioned suggestions
directions. These two clauses create confusion in the case
by the code are an outcome of the extensive research on
of regular buildings, which usually have load resisting
the effects of vertical seismic forces on buildings, which
elements in two mutually perpendicular directions. If such
started in the year 1977 by Newmark [Newmark, 1977].
a building is present in seismic zone IV or V, the code
The observations from the recorded ground motions
insists on considering the 30% rule along with the
revealed that the peak vertical accelerations are nearly
consideration of vertical seismic forces.
2/3rd of the peak horizontal accelerations. Therefore, many
codes suggest a value of vertical base shear of either 0.5 or To verify the difference in design forces of structural
0.66 (2/3). Indian code [IS 1893, 1984] also suggested a elements, a G+5 storey regular building with orthogonal
value equal to 0.5 until the 4th revision of code in 1984 and load resisting elements is considered. Figure 1 show the
later modified it to 2/3 in the 5th revision (i.e., 2002). plan and elevation of the building considered. Table 2
However, many recent earthquakes recorded unexpected show the geometric and loading details. The building is
high peak vertical accelerations, for example, modelled using standard structural engineering software.
Christchurch earthquake [EERI Report, 2011], indicating
that the current V/H ratio to be un-conservative.
Although, further research was carried out in the same
direction of proposing a new spectral ratio [Borzognia et
al., 2000], the observed effects of vertical ground motions
during earthquake events could not be replicated in design
with a single spectral ratio. This motivated to study the
frequency component of the vertical ground motions that
emphasized the importance of separate design spectra for
vertical ground motions [Elnashai et al., 2004]. However,
Indian code accounts only for the amplitude of vertical
ground motion as a factor of horizontal ground motion
amplitude and not separate vertical ground motion
spectra. Since the latest revision of Indian code, mandates
the consideration of vertical seismic forces, in special
cases, the procedure to evaluate the effects have to be
studied. With this motivation, this paper elaborates the Figure 1 Plan and Elevation of building considered

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 Table 2 Geometric and Loading details of building considered
Geometric Details
No. Of bays in x and y directions 3
Length of each bay in x and y directions 6m
Floor to floor height 3m
No. Of floors5Slab thickness 0.15 m
Loading Details
Wall thickness (applied as uniformly distributed load) 0.23
Floor finish load 1 kN/m2
2
Live load on slab 3 kN/m on typical
1.5 kN/m2 on roof
Seismic zone V (0.36)
Importance factor1Response reduction factor 5 (SMRF)
Seismic weight in x and y directions 20375 kN
Time period in x and y directions 0.318 sec

The base shear in z direction is calculated according to the CM.

Clause 6.4.6, where the maximum spectral acceleration is
considered irrespective of natural period of the building in
calculating the base shear. For the structure considered the
vertical design base shear is obtained to be 1200kN. As
explained in the earlier section, since the distribution of
design base shear is not explicitly suggested in the code,
there can be 3 ways of distribution.
1. Select all the ground storey nodes. If there are 'n'
nodes, divide the total vertical base shear by 'n' and
apply as joint load in upward direction.
2. Calculate the seismic weight at each storey. Divide
the total vertical base shear by number of storeys to
get the vertical base shear at each storey and apply it at
3. Calculate the seismic weight at each storey. Distribute
the vertical base shear in proportion to seismic weight
at each storey and height and apply it at the CM.
Since the pattern of induced forces in the building are not
clear, the total base shear is distributed equally to all the
nodes in the building, where the mass is lumped.
Results
Linear elastic analysis is performed for the building with
the applied loads and results are extracted. Table 3 shows
the maximum shear force and bending moments of typical
beams for different load combinations as suggested by the
Indian seismic code.

Table 3 Maximum design forces in typical beams for different load combinations suggested by code

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Similarly, table 4 shows the maximum shear force and bending moments of typical columns for different load combinations
as suggested by the Indian seismic code.

Table 4 Maximum design forces in typical columns for different load combinations suggested by code

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Conclusions
From the study performed, the following conclusions are
derived.
1. It was understood that applying the full earthquake
load at a time for a regular building will give the
moment, shear and axial load demands on the
buildings which are almost equal to the demands
obtained by applying 3-dimensional ground motion
effects. Hence, it is suggested that 3-dimensional
ground motion effects are not necessary for every
building even if the building is located in seismic zone
IV or V. This suggestion excludes important
structures. In the case of important structures located
in seismic zone IV or V, then it is suggested to generate
a site-specific spectrum for horizontal and vertical
ground motion effects. Furthermore, dynamic
analysis shall be performed in such cases.
2. It is also important to study the behaviour of
prestressed concrete structures, elevated water tanks,
long span bridges subjected to vertical ground
accelerations that are highly prone to near-field
ground motion effects.
3. Importance of inclusion of vertical ground motions in
the design requires further extensive study by
considering frequency content of near-field
earthquakes, participating mass at different story
levels of the buildings and vertical frequency effects
on behaviour of critical elements.
4. Also, further study is required on the distribution of
vertical seismic forces to frames (viz., internal and
external frames) considering its effects on different
storeys (viz., lower and upper storeys) according to its
seismic behaviour.

References
[1] IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016, Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Buildings.
[2] IS 1893 (Part 1): 2002, Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Buildings.
[3] IS 1893 (part 1): 1983, Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Buildings.
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May 1994.
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Earthquake Report, May 2011.
[6] The January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu Earthquake: Performance of structures, lifelines and fire protection systems, NIST
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[14] NZS 1170.5:2004, Structural design actions -Earthquake actions, New Zealand.
[15] EN 1998-1:2004: Design of structures for earthquake resistance – Part 1: General rules, seismic actions and rules for buildings,
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