Shaking table model test and numerical analysis of a supertall building with high‐level transfer storey

SUMMARY The seismic behaviour of a 53‐storey tower with the height of 250 m is investigated in this paper. This supertall building is composed of a reinforced core, two outrigger trusses (a strengthened storey at 20th ∼ 21st floor and a high‐level transfer storey at 37th ∼ 38th floor) and eight composite (steel‐encased concrete) mega‐columns below the high‐level transfer storey in the exterior perimeter of the building. Due to the discontinuity of the eight composite mega‐columns, they are replaced by 33 upper‐close columns at the 37th ∼ 38th level. This paper describes tests performed on a 1/30 scaled model of the building to study its dynamic characteristics and to evaluate its earthquake resistant capacity. The model test results indicate that the prototype structure is able to withstand an earthquake of intensity 7 without severe damage. In addition, a 3D finite element analysis of model structure was carried out and the analytical results were compared with the experimental ones to gain a better understanding of the structural behaviour.