Study on Dynamic Structure-Soil-Structure Interaction of Three Adjacent Tall Buildings Subjected to Seismic Loading

The dynamic structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) involving three adjacent structures with pile-raft foundations arranged along the east-west direction in a viscoelastic half-space is numerically studied under earthquake excitation. The direction of earthquake excitation is perpendicular to the direction of the structural arrangement. In the simulation, the Davidenkov model of the soil skeleton curve is assumed for soil behavior, and the viscous-spring artificial boundary is adopted. In order to investigate the effects of SSSI, the clear distance between structures, structure types, structure heights, and the first natural periods of structures are considered, and a series of numerical simulations are conducted. The peak floor displacement and the peak inter-story shear force of structures are examined to determine the SSSI effects. Results show that SSSI effects change significantly with these factors. Furthermore, the structural seismic response could be increased or reduced as a result of SSSI, depending mainly on the structural characteristics, rather than the location of the structures. These results are significant for studying the effects of SSSI and the sustainable development of cities, especially for the seismic design of dense urban buildings.