The retrofitting of existing buildings for seismic criteria

Abstract

This thesis describes the process for retrofitting a building for seismic criteria. It explains the need for a new, performance-based design code to provide a range of acceptable building behavior. It then outlines the procedure for retrofitting a building. This procedure begins with acquiring information about the existing building and its surroundings. The building owner or client then needs to work with the design professional to establish an acceptable performance level, or rehabilitation objective. A rehabilitation method must then be selected that determines how the building should be analyzed. The analysis of the building, including suggested rehabilitation strategies, must then be performed. Once the analysis indicates that the building will perform to its prescribed performance level, the rehabilitation strategies must then be implemented. The thesis ends with a description of two buildings that have recently been retrofitted, or are in the processes of being retrofitted. It gives an overview of the selected rehabilitation strategies and the reasoning behind their selection.