PROGETTO DI COSTRUZIONI IN ZONA SISMICA

The course of Design of constructions in seismic areas is the natural extension of the course of Design of steel and RC construction and Laboratory. It faces the design for seismic resistance of the building seen as a unitary structural organism and no longer as a set of single structural elements. The program provides the notions of the seismic hazard and dynamics of the structures and then deals with conceptual design of the seismic-resistant structure, capacity design criteria, design of steel reinforcements, and preparation of the structural drawings. The professional aspects will be preferred while facing the theoretical aspects with due rigor. At the end of the course the student will be able to carry out the design of a building for seismic resistance. The student will also acquire the skills necessary to use professional computer codes.

Part of the lessons provides theoretical basis and applicative indication about design of buildings in seismic zone. Another part is dedicated to the development of a structural design of a building in
seismic zone.

Concept of the structure. Estimate of seismic action and internal actions on structure. Sizing of structural elements. Model of structure. Basic and combined load conditions. Critical discussion of results of numerical analysis. Design of reinforcement, according to capacity design criterion.

Aurelio Ghersi, Pietro Lenza. Edifici antisismici in cemento armato. Dario Flaccovio Editore, Palermo, 2017. (in Italian)

Verification of learning will take place during the semester through discussion with the teacher on the development of the project. At the end of the course there will be a single oral exam. The exam will consist of the general presentation / discussion of the project carried out and in-depth study of an aspect of the anti-seismic design of the structures covered in the course and previously communicated to the student.

Booking for the exam session is mandatory and must be made exclusively via the internet through the student portal http://portalestudente.unict.it/portalestudente, within the prescribed period.

The student will illustrate the project carried out focusing on: description of the building, definition of the design seismic force, criteria used to define the structural layout, preliminary sizing of the structure and detailed design of the assigned structural members.
An explanation of an aspect of the seismic design of structures treated in the course and previously communicated to the student will also be required. Some expamples are listed in the following:
1. The design of the longitudinal rebars of of seismic-resistant RC buildings: capacity design criteria, minimum reinforcement, physical reasons.
2. The design of the shear reinforcement of the beams of seismic-resistant RC buildings: capacity design criteria, minimum reinforcement, physical reasons.
3. The behavior factor: use in design for seismic resistance, determination, values for RC structures.
4. Accidental eccentricity: physical meaning, effects on the response of the structure and implications on the seismic deign (during the preliminary sizing of the cross-sections and design of the reinforcements).
5. The elastic response spectrum: physical meaning, spectrum of NTC in acceleration and use for the evaluation of the maximum response of buildings.