Distribution of Building Nonstructural Components in Height Subjected to Cost of Damage for Low-Rise Office Buildings

Exceeded losses of nonstructural components from structural ones in most demolished buildings in previous earthquakes and its limitation on functionality of critical facilities and building serviceability after earthquakes should be got the point of view for accounting loss of building as a merit for building performance. This paper attempts to demonstrate the significant role of distribution pattern of building nonstructural components in height accounting for economic losses due to seismic excitation. To achieve this purpose a new modified distribution of nonstructural components in height is proposed for three typical steel moment frame models by office occupancy and comparative assessments between two competing distribution of nonstructural components are conducted. Dealing with discussions, it could be concluded that the economic losses could be reduced by more astutely situating building nonstructural components in height considering type of dominated demands in a specific story without requirement to any alternation in component's type or quantity.