Civil and Project journal

Dynamic Response of Steel-Braced RC Frames under Differential Foundation Settlement

https://doi.org/10.22034/cpj.2026.574610.1430
Volume 8, Issue 3 - Serial Number 85
June 2026
Pages 27-45
Civil and Project journal

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Ali Farhangpour Khiyabani 1
Mahdi Sadeghzadeh Tabrizi 2

1 M.Sc. in Urban Management, Tabriz Metropolitan Municipality, Tabriz, Iran

2 M.Sc. in Mechatronics Engineering, University of Applied Science and Technology of East Azerbaijan Province, Khaneh Kargar Center, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract
Differential settlement of foundations is one of the key factors affecting the dynamic behavior of reinforced concrete structures, which can cause significant changes in seismic response and force distribution within frames. In this study, the effect of asymmetric foundation settlement on the dynamic response of reinforced concrete frames retrofitted with steel bracing is investigated. For this purpose, a multi-story reinforced concrete frame was modeled using numerical simulation software, and its behavior under various seismic excitations with different magnitudes of differential settlement was analyzed. The main novelty of this research lies in the simultaneous assessment of the effects of non-uniform settlement and the influence of steel braces on improving the seismic performance of frames. In this study, dynamic response metrics including inter-story drift, base shear, and the distribution of bracing forces were evaluated. The results indicate that steel braces can significantly reduce inter-story drifts and enhance the overall stability of frames against non-uniform settlements. Moreover, the effect of differential settlement on retrofitted frames is less pronounced compared to unbraced frames, and the force distribution within the frames becomes more uniform. The findings of this study can assist structural engineers in the optimal design of seismic retrofitting systems for reinforced concrete frames and in predicting structural behavior under non-uniform foundation settlement. The results also emphasize the importance of considering foundation settlement analysis in the seismic design and retrofitting of frames, and the proposed approach can serve as a comprehensive framework for evaluating the effects of differential settlement in reinforced concrete structures.

Keywords

Asymmetric Foundation Settlement
Reinforced Concrete Frame
Steel Bracing
Seismic Behavior
Numerical Simulation
Subjects

AHMADI, M., & GHASEMI, H. (2021). Analysis of asymmetric foundation settlement effects on
seismic response of reinforced concrete frames using numerical modeling. Journal of Civil
Engineering and Earthquake Research, 15(2), 45–60. Persian.
BAHRAMI, P., & REZAEI, A. (2022). Assessment of reinforced concrete frames strengthened with
steel bracing under seismic excitations. Quarterly Journal of Structural and Earthquake Engineering,
23(4), 89–102. Persian.
BAO, C., MA, X., LIM, K. S., CHEN, G., XU, F., & TAN, F. (2021). Seismic fragility analysis of steel
moment resisting frame structure with differential settlement. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake
Engineering, 141, 106526.
Civil and Project Journal, 2026, 8(3), 27-45
https://doi.org/10.22034/cpj.2026.574610.1430
45
DJARIR, Y., & ABDELKRIM, K. (2023). Seismic response of reinforced concrete frames on flexible
foundations subjected to both horizontal and vertical ground motions. Malaysian Journal of Civil
Engineering.
FARAHANI, M., & HASHEMI, R. (2022). Analysis of asymmetric foundation settlement and its effect
on soil–structure interaction. International Journal of Civil Engineering, 8(1), 11–28. Persian.
GAMAL, Y. A. (2022). Using bracing systems to improve the seismic performance of moment resisting
frames. Journal of Engineering Sciences, 50(4), 205–226.
HOSSEINI, S. M., & GHODRATI, B. (2020). Analytical investigation of non-uniform foundation
settlement effect on multistory RC frame response. Proceedings of the National Conference on
Structures and Earthquake, 214–225. Persian.
JAVADI, P., & MOHAMMADI, A. (2017). Composite connection of braced steel frames for RC frame
retrofitting. Proceedings of the 8th National Conference on Structures and Steel, 77–86. Persian.
KHADEMI, S., & ZARRABIAN, A. (2023). Role of diagonal braces in enhancing seismic performance
of strengthened RC frames. Science and Research in Civil Engineering, 19(1), 33–48. Persian.
LIU, X., ZHANG, Y., & WANG, H. (2024). Study on seismic behavior of different forms of
eccentrically braced steel frames. Buildings, 14(7), 2064.
MA, X., & BAO, C. (2023). Seismic response analysis of frame structures with uneven settlement of
foundation considering soil structure interaction. Results in Engineering, 101574.
MOUSAVI, H., & EBRAHIMI, M. (2021). Effect of foundation settlement on seismic stability of RC
structures: Experimental and numerical modeling. Journal of Civil Engineering Research, 12(3),
33–52. Persian.
SMITH, J., DOE, A., & ZHANG, Y. (2020). Integrated soil–structure analysis for seismic performance
of braced RC frames. Journal of Structural Engineering.
XU, F., CHEN, G., & TAN, F. (2021). Science of differential settlement effects on structural seismic
response. Earthquake Engineering Journal.
YAHIAOUI, D. (2023). Seismic response of reinforced concrete frames on flexible foundations
subjected to ground accelerations. Malaysian Journal of Civil Engineering
  • Receive Date 09 January 2026
  • Revise Date 04 February 2026
  • Accept Date 10 February 2026
  • First Publish Date 10 February 2026
  • Publish Date 22 May 2026

Home

Submit

Contact Us

Forthcoming Articles