Abstract
The use of “ductile seismic frames”, whose proper seismic behavior largely depend upon construction details and specific design rules, may do not always lead to effective seismic resistant structures, as dramatically denounced by the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in his artwork Straight. The artwork (96 tons of undulating metal bars that were salvaged from schools destroyed by the 2008 Sichuan, China earthquake, where over 5,000 students were killed) is a clear denounce against the corruption yielding to shoddy construction methods. The issue of safe constructions against natural hazards appears even more important in developing countries where, in most cases, building structures are realized by non-expert workers, or even by simple “people from the street”, who does not have any technical knowledge on construction techniques and seismic engineering. In the present paper, a brief history from the first frame structures to the more efficient wall-based structures is provided within earthquake engineering perspectives. The superior structural properties of box-type wall structures with respect to conventional frame structures envisage a change of paradigm from actual “ductility-based” Earthquake Engineering (centered on frame structures) towards 100% safe buildings through a “strength-based” design exploiting the use of box-type wall based structures.
Highlights
Frontiers in Built EnvironmentThe use of “ductile seismic frames,” whose proper seismic behavior largely depends upon construction details and specific design rules, may do not always lead to effective seismic resistant structures, as dramatically denounced by the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in his artwork Straight
According to the World Bank—Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, in the last decades, low- and middle-income countries have experienced 53% of all disasters globally but have accounted for 93% of disaster-related fatalities
It is remarked that the first framed structures, which were introduced for freedom and versatility in the use of the spaces, showed all their limited seismic capacities before modern Earthquake Engineering was established as own discipline
Summary
The use of “ductile seismic frames,” whose proper seismic behavior largely depends upon construction details and specific design rules, may do not always lead to effective seismic resistant structures, as dramatically denounced by the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in his artwork Straight. The issue of safe constructions against natural hazards appears even more important in developing countries where, in most cases, building structures are realized by non-expert workers, or even by simple “people from the street,” who does not have any technical knowledge on construction techniques and seismic engineering. The superior structural properties of box-type wall structures with respect to conventional frame structures envisage a change of paradigm from actual “ductility-based” Earthquake Engineering (centered on frame structures) toward 100% safe buildings through a “strength-based” design exploiting the use of box-type wall-based structures
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
