Title : Seismic isolator for masonry infills to reduce dynamic interaction with RC frames and steps towards a more environmental friendly design
Abstract:
In seismic design, conventional enclosures and partitions are usually treated as non-structural elements. Many seismic experiences around the World, such as the one that occurred in Lorca (Spain) in 2011, among others, emphasize the importance of considering all the elements taking part in the dynamic response of a building, as claimed by many Standards.
Most of the seismic Standard around the World, and particularly the Spanish seismic standard NCSE-02 (in 4.2.4) and the European EC-8 (in 4.3.6.2 and 4.3.6.4) indicate that non-structural elements that can alter the conditions of the structure should be taken into account for the preparation of the structural analysis model, and checked; or, alternatively, constructive solutions which guarantee the non-participation of these elements could be adopted.
A seismic isolator has been developed to isolate the response of the structural skeleton of buildings from the interior/exterior partitions response, with the aim of avoiding dynamic interactions that could lead to beam/column failures or heavy damage in walls. This seismic isolator made with conventional materials is currently being redesigned, blending different materials mainly from demolition waste to get a more environmental-friendly isolator.
The aim of this communication is to present results obtained from a laboratory campaign that makes clear the changes in stiffness when infills are considered in the calculations. It is shown the important changes in the response of the frames that should be addressed in the designing phase, either taking the walls into consideration in the calculations or adopting isolation measures. Furthermore, the advances in getting a seismic isolator with a mix of materials more friendly from an environmental point of view are also reported.
Audience take away:
- The audience will be aware of the interaction between masonry infills and RC frames in buildings.
- It will help the audience in the design of more resilient seismic buildings.
- This research could be used by other faculty to expand their research or teaching.
- It is a practical solution to the problem of seismic interaction between masonry infills and RC frames in buildings.
- This solution improves the design of buildings from a seismic point of view when masonry partitions take a role in the construction.
- Steps on the design towards an eco-friendlier material using construction demolition waste could be interesting for the audience.
