Seismic Architecture as an Essential Component of the Structural Integrity of Apartment Buildings in Israel

Abstract eng:
The purpose of this work is to highlight the architect of the need to be aware of seismic issues as part of the various design considerations and constraints. The research in that field is important for architects since some of the buildings are designed for seismically prone areas. Israel for example is located in such an area. With its developed infrastructure and dense urban areas, Israel is highly vulnerable to earthquake events. Analysis of the relevant literature yields a number of aspects which should be taken into account by the architect. This study has focused on four of them: symmetry, continuity, distribution of mass and dimensions. Architectural decisions related to the construction materials are not within the scope of this work. A tool has been developed in order to enable a preliminary analysis of building drawings according to the general principles that were studied from the literature. This tool makes it possible to differentiate types of buildings according to the number of characteristics that have been found problematic from a seismic perspective. With this tool, Three representative designs of apartment buildings from the Israeli public sector have been analyzed. The architect can use this tool for having a qualitative picture about the characteristics of a building from a seismic perspective. No other data is necessary for this analysis but a ground story and typical floor plan and typical sections of the building. However, in order to conclude what the structural resilience of the building is, one cannot rely solely on this preliminary analysis. The common goal of the two professions- architecture and structural engineering- is to ensure the safety of the people inside a building. Seismic architecture will take into account seismic aspects together with other matters of concern in order to make sure the building will not only be functional but also will be able to structurally survive an event of an earthquake.

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