Abstract
The revised building code of Japan, to become effective in June, 1981, is reviewed. It features a two-phase design for earthquakes. The first phase design is for medium earthquake motions, and this is basically the unchanged traditional seismic design. The new second phase design is intended to give protection to buildings in case of severe ground shaking. It requires the checking of several aspects of the building that has been proportioned by the first phase design. These include storey drift, vertical stiffness distribution, horizontal accentricity and ultimate lateral load carrying capacity. Both phases of the design are reviewed in detail, with some numerical examples where it is appropriate to illustrate the design procedure. Some provisions are discussed in the light of recent earthquake damage in Japan. A comparison with New Zealand seismic design loadings is also made.
Highlights
The seismic design of Japanese buildings is changing drastically
During the period 1980-1981, the building code of Japan has experienced its largest revision since its first version in 19 24
The traditional seismic design is retained, with some alteration, as the first phase design for earthquakes. This aims at the safety and serviceability of buildings during medium earthquake motions
Summary
The seismic design of Japanese buildings is changing drastically. During the period 1980-1981, the building code of Japan has experienced its largest revision since its first version in 19 24. The history of seismic design in Japanese building code started in 1924 when the Urban Building Law was revised, as a consequence of the disaster of great Kanto earthquake of 1923. The more common type of construction for apartment houses uses reinforced concrete "wall" structures For these the building code allows a much simpler method of design than for ordinary reinforced concrete frame construetion. This wall construction is in the majority of low-rise apartment houses, ranging from three to five storeys. Ordinary reinforced concrete frame structures, with or without shear walls, represent the most common type of construction for various types of buildings, such as shops, offices, schools, and hospitals, ranging from three to seven storeys It may be used for lower or.higher buildings. Some of these are frame structures but for lateral load resistance many of them rely, at least partly, on bracing
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