EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF FRAME DISCONTINUITY ON EARTHQUAKE PERFORMANCE IN REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDINGS USING NONLINEAR ANALYSIS

Earthquakes are natural events that challenge the limits of engineering designs through the forces they exert on structures. The devastating outcomes of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes have underscored the urgent need to reassess the seismic safety of the building stock and current design practices. Frame continuity in reinforced concrete buildings is particularly vital for structural strength and earthquake resilience. This study examines the effects of frame discontinuity on the performance of reinforced concrete buildings using nonlinear analysis methods. As part of the research, three regular reinforced concrete buildings were initially designed and later re-modeled to incorporate frame discontinuities. Both building types were analyzed using the nonlinear pushover analysis method, and the resulting capacity curves and damage states were compared to evaluate the impact of frame discontinuity. The analysis results reveal the negative impact of frame continuity on the building performance.