Seismic behavior of steel lattice telecommunication towers

Steel lattice self-supporting towers usually provide an economical alternative for telecommunication towers of heights up to 150 m located in areas where aesthetics are not a design constraint. Seismic analysis of such structures is not systematically done in practice, and satisfactory performance in past earthquakes has confirmed that it is perhaps not often necessary. In the context of the increasingly competitive market of tower design, simple formulas are proposed for the prediction of seismic response indicators such as maximum base shear, vertical dynamic reaction, and base overturning moment. These simplified predictors are applicable to towers of regular geometry and mass distribution, and for which serviceability limits can be exceeded during strong motion.