Seismic Conceptual Design of Buildings: Basic Principles for Engineers, Architects Building, Owners and Authorities

GSDMA-LDCE Objectives What Happens During an Earthquake? The Most Important Natural Risk The Seismic Risk Keeps Increasing Insufficient Measures Urgent Action is needed The Architect and the Engineer Collaborate from the Outset! Follow the Seismic Provisions of the Building Codes! No Significant Additional Cost Thanks to Modern Methods! Avoid Soft - Storey Ground Floors Avoid Soft - Storey Upper Floors Avoid Asymmetric Bracing! Avoid Bracing Offsets! Discontinuities in Stiffness and Resistance Cause Problems! Two Slender Reinforced Concrete Structural Walls in Each Principal Direction! Avoid Mixed Systems with Columns and Structural Masonry Walls! Avoid << bracing>> of Frames with Masonry Infills! Brace Masonry Buildings with Reinforced Concrete Structural Walls! Reinforce Structural Masonry Walls to Resist Horizontal Actions! Match Structural and Non Structural Elements! In Skeleton Structures, Separate Non - Structural Masonry Walls by Joints! Avoid Short Columns! Avoid Partially Infilled Frames! Design Diagonal Steel Bracing Carefully! Design Steel Structures to be Ductile! Separate Adjacent Buildings by Joints! Favour Compact Plan Configurations! Use the Slabs to <<tie in>> the Elements and Distribute the Forces! Ductile Structures through Capacity Design! Use Ductile Reinforcing Steel with: Rm/Re? 1.15 and Agt ? 6%! Use Transverse Reinforcement with 135° Hooks and Spaced at s ? 5d in Structural Walls and Columns! No Openings or Recesses in Plastic Zones! Secure Connections in Prefabricated Buildings! Protect Foundations Through Capacity Design! Develop a Site Specific Response Spectrum! Assess the Potential for Soil Liquefaction! Softening may be more Beneficial than Strengthening! Anchor facade Elements against Horizontal Forces! Anchor Free Standing Parapets and Walls! Fasten Suspended Ceilings and Light Fittings! Fasten Installations and Equipment! Illustration Credits Bibliography Contacts / Links Appendix: Global Seismic Hazard MAP