The effects of traditional and base insulated reinforced concrete structures on structural performance and material use

Seismic isolation systems, developed to enhance the safety of structures under earthquake effects, have become a crucial design option, particularly in regions with high seismic risk. In this study, a comparative evaluation is presented by analyzing two design alternatives—one with seismic isolators and one without—of a reinforced concrete building that has been officially approved and constructed. For structures with identical geometry, performance parameters such as modal analysis, displacements under seismic loads, interstory drift ratios, and base shear forces were assessed. Additionally, the required quantities of structural materials such as concrete and reinforcement were calculated, and the impact of isolator usage on the overall structural cost was examined. Structural modeling and analyses were conducted using licensed versions of ideCAD Statik v11 and ETABS 20 software. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of seismic isolators significantly improves the earthquake performance of the structure and reduces seismic demand on the superstructure. Although the initial cost of the isolated system is higher, the reduction in material requirements leads to potential long-term economic advantages. As one of the first case studies conducted on a real building, this research provides valuable technical and financial indicators for both engineering applications and investment decisions.