# US 12,180,696 B1 · Systems and methods for resisting soft story collapse

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- Number: US 12,180,696 B1
- Document ID: US12180696B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/198,135
- Filed: 2021-03-10
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-10
- Assignees: The Steel Network, Inc.
- Applicants: Hamed M. M. Salem; Edward R. diGirolamo
- Inventors: Hamed M. M. Salem; Edward R. diGirolamo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180696B1

## CPC

- E04B 1/24: the supporting parts consisting of metal
- E04B 2001/2481: {Details of wall panels}
- E04B 2001/2484: {Details of floor panels or slabs}
- E04B 2001/2496: {Shear bracing therefor}
- E04B 2103/06: of metal
- E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001})

## Abstract

The present subject matter relates to systems and methods for providing resistance to soft story collapse in a multi-story structure. Such systems and methods includes providing a multi-story structure having a first floor and one or more upper floors, wherein a structural of the first floor is less than 70% of a structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors, and decreasing the structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors to be less than or substantially equal to the structural stiffness of the first floor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing resistance to soft story collapse in a multi-story structure, the method comprising:
providing a multi-story structure having a first floor and one or more upper floors, wherein a structural stiffness of the first floor is less than 70% of a structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors; and
decreasing the structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors to be less than or substantially equal to the structural stiffness of the first floor, wherein the one or more upper floors comprise a structural frame and one or more infill walls, and wherein decreasing the structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors comprises modifying the structural frame and the one or more infill wall of the one or more upper floors to have no in-plane interaction.

### Claim 2

A method for providing resistance to soft story collapse in a multi-story structure, the method comprising:
providing a multi-story structure having a first floor and one or more upper floors, wherein a structural stiffness of the first floor is less than 70% of a structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors; and
decreasing the structural stiffness of the one or more upper floors to be less than or substantially equal to the structural stiffness of the first floor, wherein the one or more upper floors comprise a structural frame and one or more infill walls, and wherein the structural frame is substantially decoupled from the one or more infill wall of the one or more upper floors such that in-plane interaction is reduced.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, comprising providing a gap between the structural frame and the one or more infill wall of the one or more upper floors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, comprising connecting a connector assembly to the one or more infill wall and to the structural frame across the gap.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein one or more components of the connector assembly is made of steel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the connector assembly comprises slots that allow relative horizontal movement between the structural frame and the one or more infill walls or allow both relative horizontal and vertical movements between the structural frame and the one or more infill walls.