It is historically a fact that Turkey experiences frequent earthquakes, on the order of one damaging earthquake of magnitude 6–7 approximately every 2 years, causing extensive losses to economy, life and limb. Every strong earthquake leaves behind poverty and tens of thousands of homeless people. In order to mitigate especially the losses of life due to earthquakes, a rapid scoring technique called the P25 – Preliminary Assessment Method is proposed herein. The purpose of the method is to determine, for a reinforced concrete-framed building, whether there is any vulnerability to collapse during a strong earthquake. By identifying those buildings, which are most likely susceptible to collapse inside a particular building stock, and consequently strengthening or demolishing them, practically no loss of life will occur. In this presentation, details of P25 – Preliminary Assessment Method are discussed and the high degree of prediction reliability of the method is demonstrated on 323 case study buildings, which experienced wide ranges of damage during past earthquakes.
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Dealing with and maintaining high-quality standards in the design and construction phases is challenging, especially for on-site construction. Issues like improper implementation of building components and poor communication can widen the gap between design specifications and actual conditions. To prevent this, particularly for energy-efficient buildings, it is vital to develop resilient, sustainable strategies. These should optimize resource use, minimize environmental impact, and enhance livability, contributing to carbon neutrality by 2050 and climate change mitigation. Traditional post-occupancy evaluations, which identify defects after construction, are impractical for addressing energy performance gaps. A new, real-time inspection approach is necessary throughout the construction process. This paper suggests an innovative guideline for prefabricated buildings, emphasizing digital ‘self-instruction’ and ‘self-inspection’. These procedures ensure activities impacting quality adhere to specific instructions, drawings, and 3D models, incorporating the relevant acceptance criteria to verify completion. This methodology, promoting alignment with planned energy-efficient features, is supported by BIM-based software and Augmented Reality (AR) tools, embodying Industry 4.0 principles. BIM (Building Information Modeling) and AR bridge the gap between virtual design and actual construction, improving stakeholder communication and enabling real-time monitoring and adjustments. This integration fosters accuracy and efficiency, which are key for energy-efficient and nearly zero-energy buildings, marking a shift towards a more precise, collaborative, and environmentally sensible construction industry.
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Coupling beams between shear walls are one of the key elements for energy dissipation in tall buildings. A representative mathematical model of coupling beam should represent flexure, shear and interface slip/extension mechanisms simultaneously. This goal can be achieved by using either detailed finite element models or by using macro models. This paper presents a review of various macro model alternatives for diagonally reinforced coupling beams in the literature. Three distinct methods have been reviewed in terms of their modeling techniques, the cyclic response overlap and the amount of cumulative plastic energy dissipated based on the results of previously performed tests. Through an analytical study, adequately accurate results can be captured by using macro models, although they are simpler in practice compared to sophisticated micro models. This study shows that, by modifying ultimate shear capacities where concrete material between diagonal bundles is adequately confined, it is possible to capture a more realistic result and a better approximation to the actual responses. It is also concluded that a simpler numerical model for diagonally reinforced coupling beams can be achieved by introducing linear part of slip/extension behavior into elastic part of the beam. It is observed, as a result of this study, that the ratio of effective stiffness to that of the gross cross-sectional one ranges from 0.04 to 0.14 in diagonally reinforced coupling beams depending on the aspect ratio and the beam strength parameters.
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