Comparison of Seismic and Wind Actions on Medium to High-Rise Buildings in Muscat, Oman

Abstract

This study is a comparison of wind and seismic loads on medium and high-rise buildings in Muscat, Oman. It uses the proposed Omani Seismic Code and Eurocode EN1991 for seismic and wind calculations, respectively. Muscat falls under Zone-1 in the Omani seismic code and experience basic wind speed of 30 m/sec. The research investigates buildings with varying aspect ratios (1:1 and 1:2), heights (11, 15, and 19 stories), and structural layouts (frame only, core shear wall, and corner shear wall), using ETABS for structural analysis. The findings reveal that seismic actions are generally more significant than wind actions for buildings in Muscat. In frame-only structures, wind-induced base shear ranges from 16%-33% for 1:1 aspect ratio and 21%-43% in the x-direction and 10%-20% in the y-direction for 1:2 aspect ratio, when compared to seismic actions. This difference decreases with increasing building height. Incorporating shear walls notably reduces the maximum lateral displacement across all scenarios, with core-located walls being most effective, leading to a 49% reduction in lateral displacement. Shear walls also substantially mitigate first-story column shear forces and bending moments. The study concludes that seismic actions are more critical than wind actions in Muscat for simple moment-resisting frame systems. Additionally, using shear walls in these buildings is highly beneficial for controlling lateral displacements and reducing member forces.