Seismic Design Fundamentals

This lecture covers the fundamental concepts of seismic design, including typical failure modes of structures during earthquakes, design of new buildings with reinforced concrete walls, estimation of peak forces and displacements, and elements of displacement-based evaluation of existing structures. It explains the differences between conventional design and capacity design, the objectives of seismic design, and the hierarchy of strengths in a structure. The capacity design approach, the choice of plastic mechanisms, and the behaviour of steel and concrete elements are discussed. The lecture also delves into the details of capacity design for steel and reinforced concrete wall buildings, emphasizing the importance of ductile behaviour and proper detailing to ensure structural safety.