Analytical study on the seismic performance of a RC building with structural wall during the May 19, 2011 Simav, Turkey Earthquake

Abstract

Previous studies imply that, after the recent destructive earthquakes reinforced concrete (RC) buildings having structural walls showed better seismic performance than RC buildings in which seismic loads are fully resisted by frames. Although the structural design of the buildings should be in accordance with the Turkish Earthquake Code (TEC), RC frame buildings are the most vulnerable ones having insufficient seismic performance due to poor material quality and workmanship and improper applications in design as well as in construction stages. Structural walls have an ability to compensate the lateral loads that is caused by earthquakes and they can tolerate the deficiencies in structural system better than the moment-resisting frame buildings. In this study, to present the effect of shear wall, two similar RC buildings in terms of geometric and material properties as well as their structural deficiencies, are investigated which were affected by the May 19, 2011 Simav Earthquake in Turkey. One of the buildings collapsed after the earthquake; however the other one with structural walls survived with negligible structural damage. Analytical study results indicate that the building with structural walls have better seismic performance than the building without structural wall as also observed after the earthquake. Structural walls were found to be one of the key structural components to improve the earthquake resistance of RC buildings with several structural deficiencies.