Determination of the earthquake safety of a specific structure and strengthening by reducing its weight

Increased knowledge and developments in earthquake engineering and performance design, the progress of computer technology, give chance to examine the earthquake behaviour of existing buildings in more detailed and realistic ways and earthquakeresistant building design emerged. In our country, the concept of performance design has emerged with the 2007 Earthquake Specifications and DBYBHY (Specification for Buildings to be Built in Seismic Zones) is used in determining the earthquake safety and strengthening of the existing buildings. According to this specification, specific performance targets are determined according to three different earthquake levels for earthquake-resistant building design and these performance targets require many conditions to be met in the building. For these targets, certain controls need to be made in the building, and non-linear methods are needed for these controls. For these requirements, computer programs are used commonly. In these computer programs, linear and nonlinear methods are used for analysis. In this study, the earthquake safety of the Istanbul Technical University Campus Civil Engineering Faculty, Structure and Earthquake Laboratory, L1 Block, was investigated and compared in terms of earthquake safety. The building was built in 1976 and has an structural design report and static drawings. Using this data, the mathematical model of the building was composed. Also on-site observations and experiments are done to verify the existing data. As well as observations, some assumptions are done for the inaccessible data and the model was formed. After the model formed, linear and nonlinear analyzes were performed for determination of earthquake safety. A number of preliminary studies have been done for the analysis. These preliminary studies were made on a frame of the model and then these analyzes were applied to the building model. As a result of the analyzes made, the existing earthquake condition and the need for strengthening of the building were determined. Then, two different models were prepared for the strengthening methods and two different types of strengthening were investigated. The studies and analyzes that are up to the strengthening stage were carried out in common with another thesis. After the strengthening methods were decided, the thesis continued by the method decided. With all of the factors considered and all analyzes made, the comparisons of the current situation and the strengthened situation of the building is done.