1 Dynamic Test on a Multi – Tower Connected Building Structure

A multi-tower connected building, with large floor slab openings in plan and long-span truss in elevation, was studied because of its structural irregularity. First, a 1/25 scaled model structure was tested on the shake table under minor, moderate, and major earthquake levels. Then, the dynamic responses of the model structure were interpreted to those of the prototype structure according to the similitude laws. The experimental results were also compared with the numerical analysis of the irregular structure. Both results demonstrate that, despite its structural complexity, the responses of the building meet the requirements of the Chinese code and the torsion of the structure is not remarkable. It is suggested that the strength and stiffness of the long-span connecting truss should be improved due to the potentially large vertical acceleration under strong earthquakes.