A knowledge-based expert system for earthquake resistant design of reinforced concrete buildings

Abstract

Earthquake engineering includes a wide range of disciplines; these include the analysis and evaluation of earthquake risk and the analysis and design of different types of engineering structures. The most frequently encountered of these many specialists is the analysis and design of building for earthquake excitations. In this case, the design engineer has to deal with concepts and requirements, which are not normally encountered when designing for gravity or wind loads. For example, strength and ductility that are key consideration in earthquake resistant design. Additionally, uncertainties are associated with the determination of the earthquake forces, the stiffness and strength of the different structural elements; the selection of the mathematical models which represent the structure behaviour; and the form and intensity of the design earthquakes. Thus, earthquake resistant design of buildings requires extensive knowledge of the conceptual design of structures, mathematical models and analysis assumptions used in structural analysis, and good element detailing. Computer-based earthquake resistant design assistants are needed to provide practicing engineers with decision support tools and to guide them through earthquake resistant design process. This paper is concerned with the description of a knowledge-based expert system for the earthquake resistant design of reinforced concrete buildings. The system is considered as an interactive analysis/design tool in which the structural engineer is guided from the preliminary earthquake design to the final detailed design including non-linear dynamic analysis. The earthquake design methodology included in this system, which is based on the ductile design approach concept, is briefly described.