Building Retrofitting System Based on Bamboo-Steel Hybrid Exoskeleton Structures: A Case Study

Vittoria F Parrella,Luisa Molari

doi:10.3390/su13115984

Abstract

The building heritage of many seismic regions worldwide is largely substandard and seismically deficient and would require seismic retrofitting interventions. The use of natural materials with low embedded emissions could lead to a low carbon footprint of the retrofitting intervention. In this perspective, an innovative structural sustainable retrofitting system is proposed consisting of a hybrid steel–bamboo reticular bracing system. Through a preliminary two-dimensional analysis, the capabilities of the system are assessed by varying the size and the number of the culms and inserting engineered bamboo and steel rods. Considering the constraints posed by the openings, a structure that uses steel in the first inter-storey and bamboo in the others is proposed to obtain a significative improvement of mechanical performances. The spatial behaviour of this structure is studied through a three-dimensional numerical model. The seismic analyses show that the exoskeleton structure when conveniently anchored allows to achieve an effective displacement and deformation control on the primary structure, as well as a reduction of its internal forces. The results of the presented work may provide useful preliminary insights. Further research effort is needed to generalize the results to different seismic zones. The proposed seismic retrofitting system could be easily integrated with a thermal coat to also enhance energy saving.

Highlights

In many parts of the world, including Europe, design of new buildings for earthquake resistance is a relatively recent development
The study shows the feasibility of the use of bamboo for structural retrofitting of The study shows the feasibility of the use of bamboo for structural retrofitting of conconcrete buildings
An innovative retrofitting system consisting of hybrid crete buildings

Summary

Introduction

In many parts of the world, including Europe, design of new buildings for earthquake resistance is a relatively recent development. Resistance of buildings to lateral forces resulted in the past only from wind considerations. Provisions for seismic design and detailing of members and structures resembling those found in modern seismic codes did not appear before the mid-1970s in US standards, or the mid-1980s in European national codes. In the light of current knowledge, the building heritage of many seismic regions worldwide is largely substandard and seismically deficient [1]. According to the fib bulletin 24 [2], as reported in [3], the seismic retrofit intervention in reinforced concrete (RC) buildings can be classified as local, at member level, or global, at structural level.

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