Dynamic ground compliance in multistorey buildings

A study is presented of the changes in the characteristics of the natural modes of vibration for multistorey structures which are founded on flexible foundations. First a standard eigenvalue problem is formulated for the proportionally damped case. Then general relationships of changes in natural frequencies and mode shapes are derived for the linear vibration theory. By means of an example problem it is demonstrated, however, that only the first mode obeys the predicted changes of frequencies and mode shapes over a wide range of foundation stiffness. The higher modes are shown to deviate substantially from the linear behaviour. This deviation is ascribed to geometric changes in mode shapes.