Techniques For Apartment Buildings Seismic Retrofit

By Virginia Ward


People who own story structure in earthquake-prone areas are expected to retrofit their buildings to guarantee safety to their tenants. Different measures have been laid out by different authorities involved in such issues. Therefore, failing to consider their policies might lead to the closure of your structure, collapse or even demolishing if it is extremely risky. Below are methods for apartment buildings seismic retrofit to take into consideration.

Reinforcement of infill walls helps. Soft structures in a story structure are at the highest risk of causing damage. The use of infill walls involves using concrete to reinforce the inner side of a wall. This will add weight on the foundation hence the need to strengthen it as well. This procedure is quite reliable, but it does not improve the level of ductility of a structure.

Adding of braces can be adopted. In this method, the connection between the framing and bracing is very crucial in ensuring that there is no failure of connection during an earthquake. From that point, the structure has an additional stiffness which reduces risks of soft-story frames. There are different types of braces which can be used. This includes eccentric bracing, buckling restrained bracing, tension steel bracing and concentric bracing.

Base isolation. The continuous structure of a base can quickly make a story house to collapse during an earthquake. Base isolation uses bearings which are installed between the superstructure and base structure of a foundation. Therefore, the building is expected to move according to the seismic movements. Also, it dissipates the energy which is caused during the movements.

Use of energy dissipation devices. Most structure collapse in earthquake region occurs due to the vibration which is caused by the movements. Installation of energy dissipation devices dissipates the energy that produces vibration away from the structure. Some of the devices that are used include hysteretic, viscoelastic, and frictional dampers.

Use of smart materials. Cutting technologies have been adapted recently to reduce the possibility of risks in a story structure. The most common smart materials that are in the market include aramid fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastic. They are sheets which are wrapped on beams to improve their ductility and durability. The use of these devices is cost effective and can be used in areas with high earthquake levels.

Other methods which can be used. A construction owner can adopt other modern techniques to reduce the risks caused by an earthquake. Some of these methods include the Aoki method and precast retrofit system. The Aoki method involves the use of steel pipes which have been fitted with friction dampers are used on the external wall. This creates reinforcement and energy dissipation capacity as well. Besides that, on can use the selective method which starts with weakening parts of the wall and reinforcing it using various techniques.

Use a professional company to evaluate your structure and choose the most effective method. Make sure that your choice is within the construction codes in your area, is within your budget and can withstand the seismic level which is within your area. You should also purchase quality materials to guarantee excellent work.




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