Analysis of G+20 Horizontally Connected Buildings with and Without Fluid Viscous Dampers

Abstract

As urban populations continue to grow globally, the demand for new cities and high-rise structures is increasing due to limited land resources and expanding social and commercial activities. To address these challenges, this study investigates the seismic performance of G+20 horizontally connected buildings, focusing on the effects of fluid viscous dampers (FVDs) on structural response. A 3D model of two G+20 buildings, one with and one without FVDs, was developed using ETABS software, and seismic analysis was conducted for a Zone V seismic region in India. The study evaluates key performance parameters, including storey displacement, storey drift, and storey shear, to assess the effectiveness of the dampers. Results showed that adding FVDs significantly reduced overall building displacement, particularly in the X-direction at the top storey, with a reduction of approximately 40%. The Y-direction saw a more modest 5% reduction, attributed to geometric and stiffness irregularities. Additionally, storey drifts in the X-direction were higher than in the Y-direction but were significantly reduced after installing dampers. The findings highlight the importance of FVDs in improving the seismic resilience of horizontally connected high-rise buildings and offer valuable insights for future structural design in earthquake prone areas.