Parametric Modelling and Analysis of RC Shear Walls in Moment Resisting Framed Hill Buildings

Abstract

In steep terrain, framed buildings present more complex structural behavior than conventional buildings. These buildings' asymmetrical structures have vertical irregularity, as the centers of mass and stiffness differ at different floor levels. When exposed to seismic loads, these structures are drawn to significant shear forces and torsional moments. The significant damage in buildings is restrained against lateral distortion by RC shear walls. Not only are the placement and design of shear walls crucial for their practical function, but they also have a big impact on how well the building will hold up structurally. This study investigates the influence of shear wall placement on the seismic performance of two hill building configurations: Stepback and Stepback-setback layouts. Shear walls were positioned at corners, mid-edges, and the center of the buildings, with all 36 models analyzed using Equivalent Static and Response Spectrum methods. The key dynamic parameters—including fundamental time period, storey drift, storey shear, and column shear forces at the foundation level—were evaluated and compared. To ensure consistency across geometric variations and slope orientations, the volume and number of shear walls were kept constant. The parametric study also explores the effect of building size on seismic response.