Seismic Simulation of an Integrated Ceiling-Partition Wall-Piping System at E-Defense. I: Three-Dimensional Structural Response and Base Isolation

The seismic response of a full-scale, 5-story steel moment frame building in base-isolated and fixed-base configurations with an integrated suspended ceiling-partition wall-sprinkler piping system that was shaken at E-Defense is critically assessed. Horizontal floor accelerations were constrained by the isolation systems to relatively low levels, which allowed observation of damage to the integrated system that was directly related to the vertical component of input acceleration. The floor slabs exhibited single mode vibration at their natural periods with widely varying effective damping. Peak vertical accelerations were amplified by an average factor ranging from 3 to 6 from the table to the middle of the floor slabs, at which amplification factors increased as slab vibration periods lengthened. Damage to the ceiling-partion-piping components initiated at slab accelerations of approximately 2 g and became extensive for slab accelerations exceeding 5 g. These metrics establish target vertical accelerations for achieving desired performance objectives. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.