A review of conceptual transparency in US and Colombian seismic design building codes

The goal of re-examinination of seismic design codes is aimed at making their provisions as transparent as possible for users so that the design would be clear and enriching for structural engineers. This paper presents a transparency evaluation of the codes currently being used in the USA and Colom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ingeniería e investigación 2013-05, Vol.33 (2), p.24-29
Main Authors: Carrillo, Julian, Blandón Valencia, John, Rubiano, Astrid
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
displacement amplification
drift limit
ductility
ENGINEERING, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
over-strength
seismic design
strength reduction
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Summary:The goal of re-examinination of seismic design codes is aimed at making their provisions as transparent as possible for users so that the design would be clear and enriching for structural engineers. This paper presents a transparency evaluation of the codes currently being used in the USA and Colombia for seismic design of buildings. It is demonstrated that the procedures used in most codes do not offer a clear view of buildings' seismic response assessment. The Colombian code should become as conceptually transparent as possible when defining strength modification factors and assessing maximum lateral displacement. In addition, at least two limit states (service and life safety) should be clearly defined, along with allowable story drift thereby better reflect expected structural performance. Otherwise, using current procedures could lead not only to interpretation errors but also inadequate estimation of seismic strength and deformation demands.
ISSN:0120-5609
2248-8723
DOI:10.15446/ing.investig.v33n2.39506