Deformation of Overlong Isolated Buildings Caused by Thermal and Concrete Shrinkage

Temperature variations and concrete shrinkage influence structural behavior by reducing the strength of materials and changing their thermal strain contributions. This problem is particularly important for isolated buildings that are characterized by large horizontal dimensions and are sensitive to thermal action and shrinkage. In this study, the measurement of an overlong isolated building shows that the deformations of some isolators exceed the allowed deviation during the construction phase because the building is completely exposed. These deformations are induced by climatic thermal changes and shrinkage effects and cause the complex dynamic behavior and instability of the structure. To ensure the safety of overlong isolated buildings, the structural stress and deformation caused by temperature variations and shrinkage effects are studied. A three-story frame model is developed, and the rule of deformation within isolated frame buildings is analyzed by the deformation distribution method. The theoretical predictions are consistent with the experimental measurements. Therefore, the theoretical model is used to predict the deformation of isolated buildings caused by temperature variations and shrinkage effects. For reinforced concrete frame isolated buildings, expansion joint distances are proposed according to different thermal design regions and heating design conditions.