SEISMIC PERFORMANCE ON NON-STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS – AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND NUMERICAL ANALYSES

Non-structural elements are more important for the structure. This study is more interested in knowing the response of non-structural elements which may lead to make the structural element not to achieve the immediate occupancy performance level. The response of a non-structural element depends on the response of its supporting building, size and weight of element, location of the element in the building (for example, the first floor or roof), flexibility of the component, etc. Earthquake design of non-structural elements is quite crucial for important buildings and lifeline structures. However, as progress was made with regard to seismic safety of main structures, and failures of nonstructural elements were observed in the past earthquakes, seismic codes incorporated design provisions for these elements. The main aim is to study the seismic performance of the non-structural element mounted within buildings to withstand the forces and displacement that arise from the seismic response of the structure. Non-structural elements transfer the inertia force to the structural elements. Observation of nonstructural element in the past earthquake that had happened in Northrigde, Nisqually and Bhujwere observed. In these earthquakes, the major damage is due to nonstructural elements. This study includes the physical characteristics of non-structural element, response characteristics of non-structural elements, acceleration of nonstructural elements and importance of non-structural elements. Various analysis methods of non-structural elements such as Equivalent static analysis, Linear dynamic analysis, Non-linear static analysis, Non-linear dynamic analysis and Response spectrum analysis are presented. Dynamic interaction of the structural and nonstructural elements is studied. Evaluation of the mid period dynamic response and short period dynamic response of the non-structural elements are studied and reported. It is concluded that as the displacement goes higher the acceleration decreases respectively and the stress increases accordingly