SEISMIC RETROFITTING

TECHNIQUES &
TECHNOLOGIES
WHAT IS ‘SEISMIC
RETROFITTING’?

▪ Improving the probable seismic

performance of the building or to
otherwise reduce the risk to an
acceptable level.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

❑Retrofit ❑ Retrofit
Techniques Technologies
✓Schemes, ✓Devices,
approaches to equipment that
improve the improve the
seismic seismic
performance of the performance of the
structure. structure
RETROFITTING OBJECTIVES

▪ Ductility enhancement
RETROFITTING OBJECTIVES

▪ Stiffness and strength

enhancement
RETROFITTING OBJECTIVES

▪ Stiffness, strength, and ductility

enhancement
STRENGTHENING METHODS
CLASSIFYING SEISMIC
RETROFITTING TECHNIQUES

❑Local intervention ❑ Global

✓Member-level intervention
retrofit ✓Structure-level
retrofit
LOCAL INTERVENTION

• The local modification of isolated

components of the structural and non-
structural system.

• Aims to increase the deformation

capacity of deficient component so that
they will not reach their limit state as the
building responds at the required level.
LOCAL INTERVENTION

• Applied to a group of members that

suffer from structural deficiencies

• More cost-effective than global

intervention
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• CRACK
INJECTION
▪ Injection of
adhesive material
into fine cracks in
concrete
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• CRACK
INJECTION
▪ Economical and
versatile
✓No space
reduction
✓No architectural
impact
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• CRACK
INJECTION
▪ Not only
removes
unsightly
cracks but
also restores
flexural
strength and
stiffness
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• CRACK
INJECTION
▪ Flexural and shear
cracks are
continuous and
easier to repair
compared to
longitudinal cracks
which are
discontinuous and
narrow.
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• CRACK
INJECTION
▪ Cracks up to 6mm
wide can be
epoxy
repaired by
epoxies.
▪ Larger cracks up to
20 mm are better
repaired with cement
grout
cement grout.
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• JACKETING
▪ Used for
confinement
✓Reduces bond
degradation of
steel
reinforcement
✓Limits concrete
damage
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• JACKETING
▪ Used for
confinement
✓Increases energy
absorption
capacity
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• STEEL JACKETING
▪ Encasement of column
with steel pipes
▪ Non-shrink grout is placed
at the gap between the
existing column and the
steel pipe
▪ Effect: Increased strength,
stiffness, and ductility
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• STEEL
JACKETING
▪ Steel cages and
steel plates can be
used as an
alternative to a
complete steel
jacket
Steel cages Steel plates
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• RC JACKETING
▪ Advantage: Lateral load
capacity is uniformly
distributed throughout
the structure
▪ Challenge: Bond
between the existing
member and the new
jacket
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• RC JACKETING
▪ May be considered a global intervention
if the longitudinal reinforcement of the
jacket passes through the holes drilled in
the slab and new concrete is placed in
the beam-column joint.
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• RC JACKETING
▪ Effect: Increased strength, stiffness and
ductility
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• RC JACKETING
▪ Minimum
working space:
15 cm in each
side, in each
direction.
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• FRP JACKETING
▪ Easier to apply
compared to steel
and RC jackets
▪ No space
reduction nor
architectural
impact
Super Laminate Fiber
Reinforced Polymer (FRP)
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• FRP JACKETING
▪ Does not increase
member stiffness
▪ Inhibits spalling of
concrete cover and
prevents reinforcement
bars from compression
buckling
▪ Immune to corrosion
LOCAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• FRP JACKETING
▪ How FRP improves bond strength in lap-
spliced reinforcement?

Unconfined 1 Layer of CFRP 2 Layers of CFRP

GLOBAL INTERVENTION

• In case of systems with high flexibility

(additional stiffness is needed)

• When no uninterrupted transverse load

path is available
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS Berkeley Art Museum
▪ Columns
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF
NEW ELEMENTS
▪ Typical effects:
✓Strength
increases
✓Demand also
increases due to
added weight
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Wing walls
✓Directly increases the strength of
the structure
✓Locations of RC wing walls must
be chosen such that plan symmetry
is achieved
✓Increases strength and ductility
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS
▪ Wing walls
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS
▪ Shear walls
✓Effective in controlling
lateral drift
✓Can reduce damage to
frame member
✓Will increase strength and
stiffness
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Challenge: The wall must be integrated
into the whole structure
▪ Locations of shear walls should also be
chosen such that plan symmetry is
achieved
▪ Foundation must be adequate to resist
additional overturning moment
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Steel bracing
✓Very effective in global strengthening
✓Advantages:
• Can accommodate openings
• Minimal added weight
✓Challenge: Connections between
existing members and bracing must be
treated carefully
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Steel Bracing Systems
✓Concentric Braced Frame
(CBF) –the line of action of the
force in the member passes
through the centroid of the
member
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Steel Bracing Systems
✓ Eccentric Braced Frame (EBF)
–combine the stiffness of
moment frames in the elastic
range and ductility of braced
frames using eccentric
connections
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTS

▪ Steel Bracing Systems
✓Knee Braced Frame (KBF) –
uses diagonal brace for lateral
stiffness and anchor brace for
ductility
 GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS

Before retrofit

After retrofit
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• ADDITION OF NEW
ELEMENTS
▪ Steel frame
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• SEISMIC GAPS
▪ Irregular or asymmetric
floor plans will cause
torsion
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• MASS REDUCTION
▪ Reduce the mass of the structure in
order to reduce demand
✓Removal of water tanks and
swimming pools
✓Storey removal
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING SYSTEM
▪ Purposes:
✓Supplemental energy
dissipation or damping to
reduce demand, therefore
enhancing structural
response
✓Reduce structural
vibrations
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING SYSTEM
▪ Kinds of control devices:
✓Passive control
devices do not require
external power
✓Active control
devices rely on
external power to
operate
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING SYSTEM
▪ Kinds of control devices:
✓Semi-active control
devices combine
passive and active
control devices
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING SYSTEM
▪ Dependent on the deformation
capacity of the structure
▪ Other retrofitting techniques may
also be employed if needed
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING SYSTEM
▪ Typical effects:
✓Capacity
increases due to
added members
✓Demand
decreases
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING
SYSTEM

Energy
Dissipating
Devices
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• DAMPING
SYSTEM

Fluid Viscous Dampers

GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Objective: To isolate the structure from
ground motion during an earthquake
▪ Greatly reduces seismic impact
▪ Mostly adopted for essential facilities
due to significantly high costs
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Typical effects:
✓Less structure
deformation
(relative to the
isolators)
✓Demand
decreases
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Isolators (e.g. lead rubber bearings) are
installed between the building and its
foundation.

High Damping Rubber (HDR)

GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Isolators (e.g. lead rubber bearings) are
installed between the building and its
foundation.

Lead Rubber (LR) Friction Pendulum (FP)

GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪Isolators (e.g. lea d rubber bearings) are
installed between the building and its
foundation.
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Columns are cut and the structure is
temporarily lifted in order to install the
isolators
▪ Additional floors may be installed
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ The bearing is very stiff in the vertical
direction...
✓ Must support the weight of the building
✓ But very flexible in the horizontal direction
▪ Must also be able to
restore the building to
its original position
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
▪ Challenges:
✓The structure must be lifted before
installation
✓Structural integrity must be ensured
before lifting
✓The structure must withstand lifting!
✓Other retrofitting techniques may be
employed
GLOBAL INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES & TECHNOLOGIES

• BASE ISOLATION
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