Performance of a seismically isolated building in Albania during the Durrës sequence of 2019 and a feasibility study of pendulum isolators in the region

Abstract

This work evaluates the behaviour of the only seismically isolated building in Albania during the Durrës sequence of 2019 and analyses the efficiency and feasibility of pendulum isolators in the region. The behaviour of the existing building is analysed through observational data gathered during on-site inspection and is verified through numerical simulations using the impact of the main shock of 26th of November 2019. The technical efficiency and the economic feasibility of seismic isolation through pendulum isolators for non-strategic buildings are analysed by designing, detailing, and estimating the cost of an ordinary six story residential building in both approaches (capacity design and seismic isolation approach), accounting for the local factors such as typical architecture, soil characterization, the level of the seismic hazard and the cost of the construction materials and workmanship in the densely populated region of central Albania. The structural behaviour assessment highlighted the superiority of the seismic isolation, and the feasibility analysis revealed that the initial cost for delivering seismically isolated buildings is higher than that of the conventional approach by some percentage. However, the gains in structural performance and the relatively high seismic hazard of the country make seismic isolation of buildings a relevant alternative in achieving seismic protection for buildings in the region.