Seismic Design of Timber Rocking Structures Through Energy-Based Design Approach

Low-damage design capitalizes on innovative damage mitigation technologies to improve the seismic performance of both structural and non-structural components. The key advantages of low-damage systems include minimizing structural damage, reducing post-earthquake repair costs, and enhancing overall building safety. Among these systems, timber rocking mechanisms stand out as one of the most promising solutions. Thanks to the natural flexibility and resilience of timber, these systems represent a significant breakthrough in seismic protection. The controlled rocking behavior allows structural elements to pivot at their base during seismic events, effectively dissipating energy and reducing shear forces on the structure. Timber’s high strength-to-weight ratio, combined with its inherent ductility and the self-centering capacity of rocking systems, makes this approach a powerful strategy for enhancing the resilience and protection of buildings. Incorporating Energy-Based Design (EBD) principles into this framework represents a significant advancement toward creating a safer, more resilient built environment. EBD addresses the limitations of traditional methods by offering a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of how energy is dissipated throughout the structure. This approach allows for a more precise evaluation and control of structural performance and damage distribution compared to conventional methods. This study aims to outline an efficient energy-based design approach for timber rocking buildings. The primary objective of the proposed methodology is to ensure uniform damage distribution along the building's height, preventing localized failures and maintaining overall stability through even energy dissipation. The effectiveness of this EBD approach is validated through numerical simulations of a multi-story timber building using nonlinear time-history analyses.