Reliable earthquake safety lies beyond codes

Article Abstract:

The safety of a earthquake-resistant structure can not be ensured by the contemporary earthquake code due to the faulty prediction of the actual earthquake ground motion at a particular location and the uncertain resistance of a structure to dissipating earthquake energy by cracking and yielding. A reliable earthquake safety structure must provide a structural concept according to the ground conditions including toughness, ductility and redundancy of the ground and must accept overloads of earthquakes and be repaired easily.

Japan, Natural disasters

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State of the art

Article Abstract:

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is constructed by using the latest seismic engineering technology to make it earthquake resistant, without changing the original concept of Mario Botta, the architect who designed the museum. Steel is used as the main building material instead of the originally planned concrete. The usage of dual-moment-resisting space frame and wide-flange bracing structures provide resistance against lateral forces. The vertical-moment-resisting frame of the turret gave it in-plane stiffness.

Design and construction, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco, California)

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Deep and high in Hawaii

Article Abstract:

The First Hawaiian Bank, Honolulu, is specifically designed to minimize damage by earthquakes and hurricanes. The cast-in-place reinforced concrete basement with a steel-framed tower increases the ability of the building to withstand both vertical and lateral load. The natural frequencies of the building are tuned to avoid structural twist in the building exposed to hurricanes. The concrete walls support the steel frame of the tower and act as lateral-load resisting shear walls.

Buildings and facilities, Hurricane protection, First Hawaiian Bank

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