Determination of the effect of seismic isolation on structural behavior based on comparative analyses

A lateral load resisting system is a specially constructed component of a construction that can withstand lateral loads like seismic or wind so that it can resist excessive deformations and cracks that may develop during any lateral load occurrence. The stability and durability of the structure to withstand these loads, as well as the safety of its occupants, depend on the lateral force resisting system used for the structure. Without any lateral resisting system made especially for each building, it may sustain significant damage and cracks initiation and propagation in the non-structural and structural elements in the building. There are many types of lateral load resisting systems used in construction and all these systems work in the same way as each other while exposing to any lateral movement There are many types of these systems, such as moment resisting frames which resist the lateral loads by the stiffness and rigidity of the main components of beam and columns and the connection between them, another system is shear wall resisting systems which is resisting the lateral loads by using the stiffness of the shear walls in the building and limiting the excessive deformation and cracks. There is another system that use a concept of isolation of the superstructures from the foundation of the building so that during any lateral motion the foundations can move with the lateral motion and accommodate it without any additional stresses or cracks to the elements. In this thesis, a comparison will be made between these three types of systems by studying three buildings, each utilizing a different system, to determine which one performs best in terms of lateral load response. Upon comparing the results, it was found that the building using the base isolation system achieved the best performance in resisting lateral forces Keywords: Lateral load resisting system, seismic loads, moment resisting frames, shear walls, Base isolation