Immediate Occupancy Seismic Performance for School Buildings

Abstract

The National Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction of Argentina 2024-2030, developed by the National System for Comprehensive Risk Management (SINAGIR), requires educational buildings to achieve an immediate occupancy performance level for the design earthquake. However, most schools were designed under outdated codes that do not ensure this level of performance. This study focuses on a school building from the 1970s, assessing its performance based on the limits of the Model Seismic Code for Latin America and the Caribbean. The performance level is evaluated using a nonlinear dynamic analysis of the building model. The analysis is then repeated with additional damping (simulating a passive energy dissipation system) to achieve life safety and immediate occupancy performance levels. The conclusions highlight the required variations in damping needed to meet the different performance levels considered.