The Effect of Using Skybridge and Its Various Design Methods on the Performance of Multitower
Majid Moradi , Sadegh Rezaei , Shafee Farzanian , Parsa Mohseni Saravi
Earthquake Engineering and Resilience ›› 2026, Vol. 5 ›› Issue (2) : 161 -179.
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of using a truss-type skybridge and different design methods on the performance of tall structures. Three design methods were examined, including force-based design, energy-based performance design, and a supplementary configuration using isolators and dampers, which was also examined to illustrate an upper-bound elastic scenario for comparison purposes. The study first analyzed twin 50-story towers, followed by a 50-story and a 40-story tower with a core-braced and outrigger truss system. After initial design, the structures were nonlinearly modeled in PERFORM-3D software and subjected to 28 near-field ground motion records recommended by FEMA P695, and the average responses were finally compared. The results illustrated that the force-based design method could not provide appropriate performance for the skybridge under seismic loads. The energy-based performance method ensured the skybridge met the Life Safety performance level, while the force-based method with isolators and dampers guaranteed elastic behavior of the skybridge. The findings also indicated that both the use of a sky bridge and its design methods significantly affect structural performance. In the twin towers, the average roof displacement decreased by 9.2% when the skybridge was designed using the energy-based performance design method and 7% when designed using the force-based method with isolators and dampers.
design methods / multi-tower / nonlinear dynamic analysis / seismic performance / skybridge
2026 Tianjin University.
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