Physically-based prediction of the maximum corner displacement magnification of one-storey eccentric systems

This paper gives a new insight into the linear dynamic behavior of one-storey eccentric systems, with particular attention devoted to provide a comprehensive physically based formulation of the maximum corner displacement magnification, which involves three contributions (translational response, torsional response and their combination). It is shown that the largest magnifications, which mainly occur for the class of torsionally-flexible systems, are due to the translational contribution which is caused by the shift of the fundamental period of the eccentric system with respect to that of the equivalent not-eccentric system. A simplified method for the estimation of the maximum corner displacement under seismic excitation, based on the physical properties of the eccentric system, is finally proposed.