Seismic Response Analysis of Frame Structures with Uneven Settlement of Foundation Considering Soil-Structure Interaction

Uneven settlement of foundation is a typical engineering issue that adversely affects the safety of building structures. To investigate the seismic response characteristics of a structure with uneven settlement of the foundation, we proposed a method based on Lagrange energy and finite element analysis which considering soil-structure interaction. Through numerical simulations, the seismic performance of traditional rigid foundation structures with an uneven settlement was analyzed and discussed. A nonlinear direct integration method and Stage-construction Method are used to achieve natural uneven settlement of the foundation. The results show that the natural periods, de-formation, damage and torsion effects of the structures with uneven settlement of foundation con-sidering soil-structure interaction increase significantly in the presence of earthquakes compared with rigid structures and even settlement structures. The traditional simulation of rigid foundation structures with large values of uneven settlement leads to severe stretching of the settlement col-umn and increases damage to the structure. The structures with uneven settlement of foundation considering soil-structure interaction exhibit significant torsion behavior, and the seismic design without the structural deformation and damage associated with the torsion effect is not conserva-tive.