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In this research, an innovative numerical simulating approach for time domain analysis of multi degrees of freedom structures with uncertainty in dynamic properties is presented. A full scale finite element model of multi-story and multi bays of three sample structures has been constructed. The reduced order model of structure with holding the dominant and effective Gramians in the balanced state-space realization has been achieved for easy and safe design of the optimal control forces applied to the structure. Some easy selective control algorithms based on the Optimal-Stochastic control theories such as LQG, DLQRY and modified sliding mode control has been programmed with the simulation control sequences. Some real features of accurate control system such as time delay and noise signals in earthquake time histories and also measurement sensors are considered in illustrative simulation models. These models can be analyzed under either various intensity of corresponding earthquakes or desired random excitations passed through the suitable filters providing stochastic parameters of earthquake disturbances. This control procedure will be shown to be very efficient suppressing all the severities and difficulties may arise in design of a multi-objective optimal control system. The obtained results illustrate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed stochastic optimal control design of active control force providing a stable and energy-saving control strategy for tall building structures.

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Plan irregularity causes local damages being concentrated in the irregular buildings. Progressive collapse is also the collapse of a large portion or whole building due to the local damages in the structure. The effect of irregularity on the progressive collapse potential of the buildings is investigated in this study. This is carried out by progressive collapse evaluation of the asymmetric mid rise and tall buildings in comparison with the symmetric ones via the nonlinear time history analyses in the 6, 9 and 12 story reinforced concrete buildings. The effect of increasing the mass eccentricity levels is investigated on the progressive collapse mechanism of the buildings with respect to the story drift behavior and the number of beam and column collapsed hinges criteria. According to the results, increasing the mass eccentricity levels causes earlier instability with lower number of the collapsed hinges which is necessary to fail the asymmetric buildings and at the same time mitigates the potential of progressive collapse. Moreover, the decreasing trend of the story drifts of the flexible edges is lower than those of the stiff edges and the mass centers and the amount of decrement in the story drifts of the stiff edges is approximately similar to those of the mass centers.

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The interactive effects of adjacent buildings on their seismic performance are not frequently considered in seismic design. The adjacent buildings, however, are interrelated through the soil during seismic ground motions. The seismic energy is redistributed in the neighboring buildings through multiple structure-soil-structure interactions (SSSI). For example, in an area congested with many nearby tall and/or heavy buildings, accounting for the proximity effects of the adjacent buildings is very important. To solve the problem of SSSI successfully, researchers indicate two main research areas where need the most attention: 1) accounting for soil nonlinearity in an efficient way, and 2) spatial analysis of full 3D soil-structure models. In the present study, three-dimensional finite element models of tall buildings on different flexible foundation soils are used to evaluate the extent of cross interaction of adjacent buildings. Soil nonlinearity under cyclic loading is accounted for by Equivalent Linear Method (ELM) as to conduct large parametric studies in the field of seismic soil-structure interaction, the application of ELM is preferred over other alternatives (such as application of complicated constitutive soil models) due to the efficiency and reliability of its results. 15 and 30 story steel structures with pile foundations on two sandy and clayey sites are designed according to modern codes and then subjected to several actual earthquake records scaled to represent the seismicity of the building sites. Results show the cross interaction of adjacent buildings on flexible soils, depending on their proximity, increases dynamic displacements of buildings and reduces their base shears.