Integrating Dynamic Seismic Simulation in Architectural Design: A Parametric Approach for Tall Buildings with Outer Diagrids

This paper presents a comprehensive computational workflow to generate, evaluate, and compare different outer diagrid designs for tall buildings, focusing on their structural efficiency under various load conditions, including seismic actions. Such diagrid systems not only enhance both structural resilience and architectural flexibility but also provide primary resistance to lateral loads, allowing for smaller internal core structures. Despite their advantages, widely used architectural design software, such as Grasshopper®, offer limited support for the seismic simulations essential for such complex structures. To address this limitation, a novel integration of the Alpaca4d plug-in, based on OpenSees software, is developed to facilitate seismic simulations for architects and engineers. The methodology generates a diverse dataset of tall buildings by varying critical design parameters, including the geometries of the top and bottom floors, floor heights, and vertical transformations such as tapering or twisting. From over 61,200 theoretical combinations, the Latin hypercube sampling technique is adopted to select 1000 models to ensure a representative diversity. Each model is subject to cross-section optimisation based on Eurocode load combinations, incorporating both permanent and live loads according to code specifications. Dynamic analyses are then performed under seven ground motions selected from the PEER NGA-West2 database, to capture structural responses under realistic conditions. The computational workflow generates key outputs, including inter-storey drifts, base reaction forces and moments, and acceleration distributions, recorded at critical nodes and elements to optimise data collection and computational efficiency. These outputs provide a detailed understanding of the seismic performance of each model and serve as the basis for further structural/materials optimization. By leveraging these results, the workflow will support in the future early decision-making in structural and architectural design, also in view of the progresses in the artificial intelligence field. Overall, this approach offers a streamlined and adaptable method for systematically evaluating and optimising the seismic design of tall buildings for architectural design.