Behavior of Adjacent Building on the Effect of Pounding Under Seismic Excitation

Urban densification and limited land availability have led to closely spaced buildings, greatly increasing the risk of seismic pounding during earthquakes. This study explores the dynamic interaction between neighboring structures with different properties and emphasizes the importance of soil-structure interaction (SSI) in affecting seismic responses. Using nonlinear finite element modeling with ABAQUS software, the behavior of two adjacent buildings under various boundary conditions—viscous, Novak and Mitwally, and infinite element—was simulated. Seismic input from the 1994 Northridge earthquake was used to analyze displacement and acceleration responses. The findings show that pounding significantly increases inter-story drift, base shear, and structural deformation, especially when separation gaps are inadequate and stiffness contrasts are high. The study indicates that applying infinite element boundary conditions can reduce pounding effects by up to 40% in displacement and 20% in acceleration. It also highlights that including SSI in seismic analysis is crucial for accurately predicting and mitigating pounding effects in high-seismic-risk urban areas. The results recommend new design guidelines that incorporate SSI and structural response to improve seismic resilience and urban safety.