SIMULATION FOR SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF OFFICE FURNITURE IN A HIGH-RISE BUILDING

Abstract

Seismic behavior of office furniture is examined in an upper floor of a high-rise building due to long period and large amplitude motion by a rigid body simulation technique. Dynamic parameters of the furniture used in the simulation such as friction, spring and damper coefficients are determined from comparison of the computed behavior with the behavior in the shaking table tests. The simulation results show that the furniture continues to move around and collide against each other. The behavior of the furniture can cause fear and injury to people in the floor, and make the evacuation action difficult.