Earthquake Analysis of an Old RC Minaret Retrofitting with Shape Memory Alloy

Abstract

Existing seismic vulnerability has become a topical of actuality, concerning both new and old buildings. Several techniques have been used to allow structures to better resist seismic events. In recent years, these have been so-called intelligent materials such as shape memory alloys (SMAs) due to their superelasticity and their ease in returning to their initial state after deformation, which can reach 10%. In the present article, nickel–titanium SMA is considered in a minaret of an old church transformed into a mosque to control the seismic response in terms of displacements, stresses and accelerations. The assessment of the seismic behavior was performed based on a modal and then transient analysis with Ansys software. The main objective was to determine the effectiveness of the addition of shape memory alloys by varying their number.