Vulnerability of structures from the aspect of seismic safety and risk in architectonic designing

Abstract

It is natural the people should be most interested in the behavior of buildings during earthquakes, as they spend the most of their time in them. The times when the buildings were designed and constructed for unknown customers have passed. Apart from the static stability, which must not be endangered, care must be taken of functional and esthetic features. The buildings are long-lasting and expensive human property, more so in the seismic areas, so by their quality they must guarantee safety to their users. Regarding high seismicity and frequency of earthquakes on the territory of our country, safety of social resources and human lives must be harmonized with the development degree and future needs of the society and the users. Through seismic safety and reduction of risks, we protect ourselves from collapse and damage of the structures, from injuries and human casualties, and from direct and indirect, economic and functional, social and other damage. For these reasons building in seismically active areas is a complex task. Complete protection from the earthquake action is not possible, and for this reason the level of seismic risk represents an acceptable vulnerability for the corresponding period and probability of excitation. Structures are protected from collapse and seismic damage if the appropriate regulations are applied. Seismic division in micro-regions represents a good approach to defining an uniform criterion of protection of structures and protection of equipment in them.