What are the most innovative approaches to designing tall buildings for soil-structure interaction?

2 Tuned mass dampers

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are devices that consist of a mass, a spring, and a damper, that are attached to the top or near the top of a tall building. The TMD is designed to vibrate in the opposite phase of the building, and thus counteract the wind-induced or seismic-induced vibrations of the building. TMDs can reduce the sway and acceleration of the building, and thus enhance its stability and comfort. TMDs can also reduce the internal forces and deformations of the building, which can save material and energy. However, TMDs also add weight and complexity to the building, and require careful tuning and maintenance.

3 Soil improvement

Soil improvement is a technique that modifies the properties and behavior of the soil to improve its strength, stiffness, or permeability. Soil improvement can reduce the settlement, liquefaction, or erosion of the soil, and thus improve the bearing capacity and stability of the foundation. Soil improvement can also reduce the dynamic impedance and damping of the soil, and thus reduce the SSI effects on the building. Soil improvement can be achieved by various methods, such as compaction, grouting, reinforcement, or stabilization. However, soil improvement also involves additional costs, risks, and environmental impacts.

4 Hybrid systems

Hybrid systems are systems that combine two or more of the above-mentioned techniques to achieve a better performance and efficiency of the tall building design for SSI. For example, a hybrid system can use base isolation and TMDs to reduce both the seismic and wind loads on the building, or use soil improvement and base isolation to reduce both the settlement and the seismic response of the building. Hybrid systems can offer more flexibility and robustness to the design, and can exploit the synergies and trade-offs between different techniques. However, hybrid systems also require more complex analysis and coordination, and may introduce new challenges and uncertainties.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?