H͡i ngh͓ khoa h͕c qu͙c t͇ Kͽ ni͏m 55 năm ngày thành l̵p Vi͏n KHCN Xây d͹ng

SEISMIC DESIGN OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES IN VIETNAM

USING ASCE/SEI 7-16

NguyӉn Ĉҥi Minh1, Ĉӛ TiӃn Thӏnh1 and Phҥm Anh Tuҩn1

1
Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology, Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACTS: According to the present Vietnamese Law, the technical standards (including international and foreign
standards) are recommended while the national codes are mandatory to be used in analysis and design of buildings and
structures in our country. Regarding the seismic designs of buildings, the US standard ASCE 7-16 is allowed to be used in
Vietnam. However, the earthquake input data such as the peak ground acceleration (PGA) must be taken from the national
code QCVN 02:2009/BXD. It is difficult in engineering practices, because there is no information on the two parameters
SDS and SD1 that are required for seismic design by ASCE 7-16 in this Vietnamese code. Therefore, this paper presents
the seismic design of structures in Vietnam using ASCE 7-16, based on the parameters SDS and SD1 obtained from the
PGA values given by QCVN 02:2009/BXD. Comparisons between the design elastic response spectrums obtained from
TCVN 9386:2012 and ASCE 7-16 are also presented.
KEYWORDS: ASCE 7-16, QCVN 02: 2009/BXD, PGA, response spectrum, seismic design, TCVN 9386:2012.

1. PROBLEM DEFINITIONS Method 1: use the list of the PGA values for
Buildings and structures in Vietnam are administrative locations at district levels for the whole
sometimes allowed to be designed based on the territory of Vietnam. This method is simple and easily
international codes/standards including ASCE 7-16 applied for engineers and architects in practice.
[1]. However, the input data such as the earthquake Moreover, the given PGA value is calculated for the
must be taken from the Vietnamese code QCVN 02: representative location (point) of the district. It is
2009/BXD [2] and/or TCVN 9386:2012 [3]. It is however assumed for the whole area of the district.
This method is generally accepted for seismic design
noteworthy that these PGAs are absolutely the same
practice in Vietnam.
because the seismic data of QCVN 02:2009/BXD
have been fully adopted from TCXDVN 375:2006 [4] On the other hand, there are very rare cases that
(later renamed as TCVN 9386: 2012). It is understood the district may cover two seismic zones (for example:
that QCVN 02:2009/BXD and TCVN 9386:2012 the long district). Therefore, the more accurate method
provide only the PGA values (and they are fully), shall preferably be used. That is method 2 (as
while ASCE 7-16 requires 2 parameters SDS (design explained below) - the method using the Vietnam
acceleration response spectrum at short period of 0.2s) seismic zoning map.
and SD1 (design acceleration response spectrum at Method 2: use the seismic zoning map with linear
long period of 1.0s) for seismic design. interpolation from the two nearest referenced PGA
Therefore, this paper presents the method to contour lines where the construction project
determine parameters SDS and SD1 using the PGA (construction location) is located.
values given in QCVN 02:2009/BXD. This method provides a more relevant PGA value
for a specific project, especially for that belongs to the
The calculations of SDS and SD1 that have been
district covering two seismic zones.
carried out for soil types D and E classified by ASCE
7-16 according to seismic characteristics as most In this paper, for simple and easy understanding,
buildings and projects in Vietnam are located on these the TG3 power - oil refinery project that is assumed to
sites are presented in this paper. be located in the border between the 2 provinces
Thanh Hoa and Nghe An (as shown in Fig 1a & 1b) is
Comparisons of the design elastic response taken as an example and a case of study for the
spectrums based on ASCE 7-16 and TCVN 9386: 2012 determination of the PGA values as well as for
have also been conducted and are shown in the paper. seismic design according to ASCE 7-16.
2. DETERMINATION OF PGA VALUES FROM As the seismic map in QCVN 02:2009/BXD is too
QCVN 02:2009/BXD small, it is allowed to use the seismic map scaled
1:1,000,000 (electronic version) archived in the
According to QCVN 02:2009/BXD, the PGA Vietnam Institute for Building Science and
values can be determined based on either one of the Technology (IBST) and the Vietnam Institute of Geo-
two below methods: Physics to determine the required PGA values.

303
H͡i ngh͓ khoa h͕c qu͙c t͇ Kͽ ni͏m 55 năm ngày thành l̵p Vi͏n KHCN Xây d͹ng

PGA values based on the list PGA administrative determine the more accurate PGA value for a specific
locations location. Contour data of 0.04, 0.08, 0.12 and 0.16g
TG3 project administratively belongs to Tinh Gia are drawn in the PGA Vietnam seismic map scaled
district, Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. However, 1:1,000,000 (electronic version).
geographically, it is also closed to Quynh Luu district, Interpolation procedure:
Nghe An province.
(1) For coordinates of 105.8017 (latitude),
From QCVN 02: 2009/BXD (method 1), PGA 19.3169 (parallel) of TG3 project, according to the
value for the Center of Tinh Gia district (Tinh Gia seismic map (scaled 1:1,000,000) in QCVN
town, latitude 105.7765 and parallel 19.4495) is 02:2009/BXD, the two nearest contour lines have the
0.0986g and for the Center of Quynh Luu district (Cau referenced PGA of 0.08g and 0.04g, as shown in
Giat town, latitude 105.6306 and parallel 19.1475) is Figure 2;
0.0390g. The coordinates of the project site are
(2) The closest distance from TG3 site to the
latitude 105.8017 and parallel 19.3169, closer to the
0.08g contour line is 5.65 km; the closest distance
center of Quynh Luu district.
from TG3 site to the 0.04 contour line is 23.35 km;
However, considering the 1:1,000,000 scaled
(3) Using linear interpolation, the applicable PGA
electronic seismic zoning map (shown in Figure 1a), it
value for TG3 site is 0.0720g, rock layer.
is understood that TG3 site belongs to the PGA zone
of 0.04g rather than the PGA zone of 0.08g (see
Figure 1b). Therefore, it is better to used method 2 to
determine the PGA value for TG3 project.

Figure 2: Linear interpolation for determination

of TG3 PGA according to the Vietnam seismic map
scaled 1:1,000,000
Finally, the PGA value of 0.0720g obtained using
the seismic map can be adopted for TG3 project.
3. DETERMINATION OF THE SEISMIC
PARAMETERS
It is understood that SDS and SD1 are to be used to
establish the design acceleration response spectrum
for seismic design according to ASCE 7-16.
Considering the design spectrum curves on the
basic ground (rock layer) type of UBC 1997 [5],
Figure 1: Vietnam seismic map (QCVN ASCE 7-05 [6], ASCE 7-16, TCVN 9386: 2012, and
02:2009/BXD), electronic scaled version, Fig.1a BS EN 1998-1 [7], it is well understood that for
structures with the fundamental period T = 0 (second)
Seismic zoning for Thanh Hoa and Nghe An
(e.g., an ideally solid structure which is fully
provinces, Fig.1b zoomed seismic zoning for Tinh Gia
embedded into the ground) the response spectrum is
Town (Tinh Gia District), TG3 project, Thanh Hoa
exactly equal to the PGA value (as the response
province, and Cau Giat Town (Quynh Luu District),
acceleration of the structure is exactly the acceleration
Nghe An province
of the ground). Therefore, PGA = 0.4SDS or
PGA values based on seismic zoning map SDS = 2.5*PGA (500 years return period).
According to QCVN 02:2009/BXD (method 2), Value of SD1 is considered to be equal to PGA value
linear interpolation from the two nearest referenced for ground type B (for the design spectrum used in
PGA contour lines can be employed in order to UBC 1997: SD1 = CV and CV = Z, where Z is exactly the

304
 H͡i ngh͓ khoa h͕c qu͙c t͇ Kͽ ni͏m 55 năm ngày thành l̵p Vi͏n KHCN Xây d͹ng

PGA value on the ground type B). Hence, the value of 7-16 (recommended for TG3 project) for ground types
SD1 can be adjusted considering the obtained PGA value D and E.
and design spectrum of TCVN 9386:2012.
The recommended design spectrum for ASCE
7-16 based on QCVN 02:2009/BXD is for 500 years
return period PGA values while MCE spectrum in
ASCE is calculated by the design spectrum multiplied
by a factor of 1.5. Therefore, parameters SMS and SM1
are determined by SMS = 1.5*SDS, SM1 = 1.5*SD1 for
the basic ground (rock layer). In a result, SS is taken
by 1.5*SDS and S1=1.5*SD1 (or the exact value of SMS
and SM1 for basic ground, respectively).
For TG3 project, the ASCE 7-16 parameters are
calculated as follows:
For ground type B
PGA = 0.072*g Figure 3: Comparison between the spectrums, ground
SDS = 2.5*PGA = 0.180g type D of ASCE 7-16 (type C of TCVN 9386:2012)
SD1= PGA = 0.072g
SS = 1.5*SDS = 0.270g (1)
S1 = 1.5*SD1 = 0.108g (2)
For ground type D
Using Table 11.4-1 and 2 of ASCE 7-16, Fa and Fv
are taken by 1.55 and 2.33. Therefore:
SMS = Fa*SS = 1.584*0.270g = 0.428g
SM1 = FV*S1 = 2.384*0.108g = 0.257g
Hence:
SDS = 2/3*SMS = 2/3*0.428g = 0.285g (3)
SD1 = 2/3*SM1 = 2/3*0.257g = 0.171g (4)
Other factors and calculation procedures (T0, TS, Figure 4: Comparison between the spectrums, ground
TL) follow ASCE 7-16. TL is taken as 4s (conservative type E by ASCE 7-16 (type D of TCVN 9386:2012)
value because the equivalent TD in TCVN 9386:2012 According to the present Vietnamese regulation,
is only 2s for soil type D (or C in TCVN 9386:2012)). application of the foreign or international
For ground type E codes/standards must be more conservative (safer)
than the Vietnamese codes/standards. The
Using Table 11.4-1 and 2 of ASCE 7-16, Fa and Fv
comparisons above have shown that ASCE 7-16 is
are taken by 2.26 and 3.5 (as explained in 3.2.3).
more conservative than TCVN 9386:2012 regarding
Therefore:
the design elastic response spectrum. Therefore,
SMS = Fa*SS = 2.344*0.270g = 0.633g ASCE 7-16 can be used in Vietnam in terms of
SM1 = FV*S1 = 3.5*0.108g = 0.378g seismic design.
Hence:
5. CONCLUSIONS
SDS = 2/3*SMS = 2/3*0.633g = 0.422g (5)
SD1 = 2/3*SM1 = 2/3*0.378g = 0.252g (6) This paper presents the seismic analysis and
design of buildings and structures in Vietnam using
Other factors and calculation procedures (T0, TS, ASCE 7-16.
TL) follow ASCE 7-16. TL is taken as 4s (as explaned
The seismic analysis is based on the parameters
in in the previous ground type).
SDS and SD1 obtained from the PGA values given by
4. COMPARISON OF THE DESIGN ELASTIC QCVN 02:2009/BXD.
RESPONSE SPECTRUMS BETWEEN TCVN The method to determine the values of SDS and SD1
9386:2012 AND ASCE 7-16 has been presented and explained.
The more accurate PGA values obtained using the
Figures 3 and 4 show the comparisons of the
Vietnam seismic map given in QCVN 02: 2009/BXD
design elastic response spectrums between ASCE
have also been presented.

305
H͡i ngh͓ khoa h͕c qu͙c t͇ Kͽ ni͏m 55 năm ngày thành l̵p Vi͏n KHCN Xây d͹ng

An example of a case of study has been conducted (Quy chuҭn ÿiӅu kiӋn tӵ nhiên dung trong xây
for more clarity and easy understanding in terms of dӵng). Hanoi Construction Publishing house,
seismic analysis. Hanoi, Vietnam (in Vietnamese).
Comparisons between the design elastic response [3] TCVN 9386:2012 Design of structures for
spectrums obtained from TCVN 9786:2012 and earthquake resistances, Hanoi Construction
ASCE 7-16 are also presented in this paper. Publishing house, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2012 (in
Vietnamese).
In conclusion, it can be said that ASCE 7-16 can
[4] TCXDVN 375:2006 Design of structures for
be used in Vietnam for seismic design using the PGA
earthquake resistances, Hanoi Construction
values obtained from QCVN 02:2009/BXD according Publishing house, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2006 (in
to the present Vietnamese regulations. The calculated Vietnamese).
results of a case of study have shown that ASCE 7-16
[5] UBC:1997 Uniform Building Code, Vol. 2,
is more conservative than TCVN 9386:2012 regarding
International Conference of Building Officials,
the seismic design if using the same input PGA value.
Whittier, CA, USA.
REFERENCES [6] ASCE/SEI 7-05 (2005) Minimum design loads for
buildings and other structures, Publication by
[1] ASCE/SEI 7-16 (2016) Minimum design loads and ASCE, Virginia, USA.
associated criteria for buildings and other
[7] BS EN 1998-1:2004 (Eurocode 8) Design of
structures, Publication by ASCE, Virginia, USA.
structures for earthquake resistance. British
[2] QCVN 02-2009/BXD Natural physical and Standard Institution, April, UK, 229 p.
meteorological conditions for construction

306