Everywhere there is an old building, its damages are not hidden. The crevices and its cracks on its surfaces that makes it look weak and dangerous. One reason why damages on building are often seen is seismic activities. This is the movements below the ground or so called earthquake. The shaking caused by this natural disaster affects the structure of a building and sometimes even destroying it. In addition, the ground or soil where a structure is built can also be deformed making it not a great base for skyscrapers anymore.
Apartment buildings seismic retrofit is a method that protect an infrastructure from such kind of damages. There have been lots of studies made on structures especially apartment to have it more resistant to hazards. This is not only used to protect from earthquake but as well as cyclones, tornadoes and more.
There are several countries that are surrounded with tectonic plates, an example would be Japan. Usually homes and apartments that is built around there are prone to damages when the constant shaking occurs. Annually, the numbers of homes that are destroyed due to seismic activities are growing rapid.
This retrofitting method actually started during the late nineties in few countries like USA and Japan. But, during that period it was not yet well developed and modified. The details were just so basic and often does not promote over all protection. But lot of architects and engineers thought of how improving such method in the longer run.
Strategies that promotes seismic protection is not limited to just one detail. There are various ways on how it could be done on a building. One is called strengthening, this basically adding cross braces and structural walls within the infrastructure to increase its capacity.
The brace serves as grip on parts that are weakest, holding it tight so it would not sway that much when movements on the ground are present. In Japan, this is called steel tendons, this are present to most of the buildings. It is actually one of the few method that started the retrofitting. In California, one bridge was built using the same protection.
Next technique is known, supplementary damping. This uses a base isolation system which means it is the soil that serves as base that is made capable of supporting the entire infrastructure. The protection is down below and not on the actual apartment. The vibration is absorbed by the ground so that the shaking on the higher parts is reduced.
Dampers convert the energy it absorbs into heat lessening the acceleration on top parts of an infrastructure. The displacement is also reduced, due to that damages are lesser when using damping method. Dampers are somewhat like shock absorbers.
Few method would depend on the individual material used. If high capacity components are present then the stiffness of which would probably help in protecting the building as a whole. Old apartments that are improved through retrofitting does not have to be fully renovated though, some parts are just strengthen.
Apartment buildings seismic retrofit is a method that protect an infrastructure from such kind of damages. There have been lots of studies made on structures especially apartment to have it more resistant to hazards. This is not only used to protect from earthquake but as well as cyclones, tornadoes and more.
There are several countries that are surrounded with tectonic plates, an example would be Japan. Usually homes and apartments that is built around there are prone to damages when the constant shaking occurs. Annually, the numbers of homes that are destroyed due to seismic activities are growing rapid.
This retrofitting method actually started during the late nineties in few countries like USA and Japan. But, during that period it was not yet well developed and modified. The details were just so basic and often does not promote over all protection. But lot of architects and engineers thought of how improving such method in the longer run.
Strategies that promotes seismic protection is not limited to just one detail. There are various ways on how it could be done on a building. One is called strengthening, this basically adding cross braces and structural walls within the infrastructure to increase its capacity.
The brace serves as grip on parts that are weakest, holding it tight so it would not sway that much when movements on the ground are present. In Japan, this is called steel tendons, this are present to most of the buildings. It is actually one of the few method that started the retrofitting. In California, one bridge was built using the same protection.
Next technique is known, supplementary damping. This uses a base isolation system which means it is the soil that serves as base that is made capable of supporting the entire infrastructure. The protection is down below and not on the actual apartment. The vibration is absorbed by the ground so that the shaking on the higher parts is reduced.
Dampers convert the energy it absorbs into heat lessening the acceleration on top parts of an infrastructure. The displacement is also reduced, due to that damages are lesser when using damping method. Dampers are somewhat like shock absorbers.
Few method would depend on the individual material used. If high capacity components are present then the stiffness of which would probably help in protecting the building as a whole. Old apartments that are improved through retrofitting does not have to be fully renovated though, some parts are just strengthen.
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