FLOOR DIAPHRAGMS.

Definition and function: A horizontal system (roof, floor or other membrane or horizontal bracing) acting to transmit lateral forces to vertical-resisting elements. The floors and roof of a building, in addition to resisting gravity loads, are also generally designed to act as diaphragms. In this respect, they are required both to distribute seismic forces to the main elements of horizontal resistance, such as frames and shear walls, and also to tie the structure together so that it acts as a single entity during an earthquake. The robustness and redundancy of a structure is highly dependent on the performance of the diaphragms. Precast floors without an in-situ topping are not generally recommended in seismic areas. In a ductile structure, diaphragms will almost always be required to remain elastic, so that they can sustain their function of transferring forces to the main lateral-resisting structure, and tying the building together. Diaphragms should in principle therefore have the strength to sustain the maximum forces that may be induced in them by the chosen yielding mechanism within the rest of the structure. Eurocode 8 deals with this rather simply by specifying that diaphragms should be designed for 1.3 times the shear forces obtained directly from the analysis. Usually, the seismic analysis of buildings is carried out on the assumption that deflections in the diaphragms are so small compared with those in the main lateral loadresisting structure that the diaphragms can be treated as rigid. In most cases, this is quite satisfactory, because usually diaphragm flexibility affects neither overall structural stiffness (and hence natural period) nor the distribution of forces within a structure. Moreover, during a major earthquake, in ductile structures where the diaphragms are designed to remain essentially elastic, the superstructure deflections are likely to include large plastic deformations, increasing the disparity still further. TYPES OF DIAPHRAGM: Rigid Diaphragms A diaphragm may be considered rigid when its midpoint displacement, under lateral load, is less than twice the average displacements at its ends. Rigid diaphragm distributes the horizontal forces to the vertical resisting elements in direct proportion to the relative rigidities. It is based on the assumption that the diaphragm does not deform itself and will cause each vertical element to deflect the same amount. Rigid diaphragms capable of transferring torsional and shear deflections and forces are also based on the assumption that the diaphragm and shear walls undergo rigid body rotation and this produces additional shear forces in the shear wall. Rigid diaphragms
a.

consist of reinforced concrete diaphragms, precast concrete diaphragms, and composite steel deck.
b. FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAM. Flexible diaphragms Roofs or floors including, but not necessarily limited to, those sheathed with plywood, wood decking, or metal decks without structural concrete topping slabs. Metal decks with lightweight fill may or may not be flexible. Diaphragms are considered flexible when the maximum lateral deformation of the diaphragm is more than two times the average story drift of the associated story. This may be determined by comparing the computed midpoint in-plane deflection of the diaphragm itself under lateral load with the drift to adjoining vertical elements under tributary lateral load.

A diaphragm is considered flexible, when the midpoint displacement, under lateral load, exceeds twice the average displacement of the end supports. It is assumed here that the relative stiffness of these non-yielding end supports is very great compared to that of the diaphragm. Therefore, diaphragms are often designed as simple beams between end supports, and distribution of the lateral forces to the vertical resisting elements on a tributary width, rather than relative stiffness. Flexible diaphragm is not considered to be capable of distributing torsional and rotational forces. Flexible diaphragms consist of diagonally sheated wood diaphragms, sheathed diaphragms etc. The rigidity of the diaphragms is classified into two groups on relative flexibility: rigid and flexible diaphragm. Flexible vs. Rigid Diaphragms(another definition) The purpose of determining whether a diaphragm is flexible or rigid is to determine whether a diaphragm should have the loads proportioned according to the tributary area or the relative stiffness of the supports. For flexible diaphragms, the loads should be distributed according to the tributary area, whereas for rigid diaphragms, the load should be distributed according to the stiffness. The distribution of seismic forces to the vertical elements of the lateral force resistance system is dependent first on the relative stiffness of the vertical elements vs. the horizontal elements, and second on the relative stiffness of the vertical elements when they have varying deflection characteristics. The first issue defines when a diaphragm can be considered flexible or rigid. In other words, it sets limits on whether the diaphragms can act to transmit torsional resistance or cantilever. When the relative deflections of the diaphragm and shear walls are determined at the factored load resistance level, and the mid-span deflection of the diaphragm is determined to be more than two times the average deflection of the vertical resistant elements, the diaphragms may be considered as being flexible. Conversely, a diaphragm should be considered rigid when the diaphragm deflection is equal to or less than two times the shear wall drift. Obviously, the performance of most diaphragms falls in a broad spectrum between perfectly rigid and flexible. However, at

the current time, there are no design tools available to provide for analyzing diaphragms in the intermediate realm. Therefore, model building codes simply differentiate between the two extreme conditions. The flexible diaphragm seismic forces should be distributed to the vertical resisting elements according to the tributary area and simple beam analysis. Although rotation of the diaphragm may occur because lines of vertical elements have different stiffness, the diaphragm is not considered sufficiently stiff to redistribute the seismic forces through rotation. The diaphragm may be visualized as a single-span beam supported on rigid supports in this instance. For diaphragms defined as rigid, rotational or torsional behavior is expected and the action results in a redistribution of shear to the vertical force-resisting elements. Requirements for horizontal shear distribution involve a significantly more detailed analysis of the system than the assumption of flexibility. Torsional response of a structure due to an irregular stiffness at any level within the structure can be the potential cause of failure in the building. As a result, dimensional and diaphragm aspect ratio limitations are imposed for different categories of construction. Also, additional requirements are imposed on the diaphragm when the structure is deemed to have a general torsional irregularity such as when reentering corners or diaphragm discontinuities are present. Diaphragm Discontinuity Diaphragms with abrupt discontinuities or variationsin stiffness, including those having cut-out or open areas greater than 50 percent of the gross enclosed diaphragm area, or changes in effective diaphragm stiffness of more than 50 percent from one storey to the next.

Comparison between flexible and rigid diaphragm

T.RangaRajan.