What is seismic behavior?

Seismic performance is an execution of a building structure's ability to sustain its due functions, such as safety and serviceability, at and after a particular earthquake. A structure is, normally, considered safe if it does not endanger the lives and wellbeing of those in or around it by partially or completely collapsing. A structure may be considered serviceable if it is able to fulfill its operational functions for which it was designed.

Ancient builders believed that earthquakes were a result of wrath of gods (in Greek mythology, e.g., the main "Earth-Shaker" was Poseidon) and, therefore, could not be resisted by humans.

Nowadays, the people's attitude has changed dramatically though seismic loads, sometimes, exceed ability of a structure to resist them without being broken, partially or completely.[2]

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Seismic design is a vital process of structural analysis while designing a building, which is subjected to earthquake ground motions such that the facility continues to function and serve its purpose even after an Earthquake. The seismic behavior of buildings is studied during the design and initial calculation of the building, even before its construction. The evolution of normative requirements and restrictions, the development of new construction materials, and the development of new calculation methods require additional studies on the structural behavior of the building. This paper studies the seismic behavior of a building in its initial state and after reinforcement with composite trusses. The building studied is a common reinforced concrete building composed of a structure of columns, beams, ribbed slabs, and solid slabs. The foundations of the building are assimilated to be fixed to the ground. The material of the reinforcements is varied and studied. The vibratory behavior of the building is improved by increasing the modal frequencies. Higher natural frequency response reduces the amplitude of the building’s vibrations during a seismic event, making it more resistant to damage or collapse.

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