Modelling of post-tensioned timber-framed buildings with seismic rocking mechanism at the column-foundation connections

The need to mitigate damage of buildings even after strong earthquakes has led to the development of high-performance seismic resisting systems. Extensive studies have been made in the last decade on the development and use of jointed ductile connections and on the effects of rocking vibration systems in reducing seismic damage of buildings. A recently developed technology for construction of multistorey timber buildings called Pres-Lam system uses long lengths of prefabricated laminated timber and binds them together using pre-stressing steel tendons. When appropriately combining unbounded posttensioned tendons, or rocking columns with additional sources of energy dissipation devices, a hybrid system is obtained, with self-centering and dissipative properties, leading to a characteristic flag-shape hysteresis behaviour.