Structural response of RC framed buildings to differential soil settlements

Differential soil settlements pose a significant threat to the structural integrity of existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, particularly in densely populated urban areas. This study numerically investigates how variations in beam span lengths and relative position of the building with respect to the subsidence curve affect structural response under differential settlements. A fibre-based distributed plasticity approach was adopted, utilizing two-dimensional (2D) finite element models. The results underscore that both geometric parameters and the building’s relative position with respect to the settlement profile play a critical role in internal force redistribution and deformation patterns.