Análisis comparativo del sistema estructural sismorresistente empleado en Ecuador vs. el empleado en Estados Unidos

Abstract

Ensuring safety in buildings is the main objective of structural design. However, lack of control by authorities and ignorance, negligence, and saving by people allow the omission of a seismic design in many Ecuadorian buildings. The main objective of this bachelor graduation work is to compare between the seismic design using the methodology regularly employed in Ecuador (MEE), the methodology regularly employed in the U.S. (MEEU) and a gravity loads design, using the same concrete building. By modeling the structure using ETABS, according to capacity method, seismic element sections were defined using with modal response spectrum analysis, as stablished in Ecuadorian construction code (NEC). Then, element forces were obtained and reinforcement was calculated using NEC and ACI codes. As a result, MEEU required 13% less concrete and 18% less steel than MEE while gravity loads design required about half of the amount of materials needed in MEEU and MEE. Nevertheless, MEEU used more time for the design than the other two methods because of the modeling parameters needed. Due to country's seismic condition, a building’s seismic design investment is justified. It will provide safety to its occupants and reduce repair costs after an earthquake.