Steel Solutions for Seismic Retrofit and Upgrade of Existing Constructions (STEELRETRO)

 

Sponsor:

European Commission


Program:

RFSR-CT-2007-00050


Partners:

RIVA Acciaio SpA, Italy
CERI University of Rome, Italy
Technical University of Aachen, Germany
University of Thessaly, Greece
Arcelor Profil Luxembourg SA, Luxemburg
Shelter SA, Greece
ISQ, Portugal
University of Pisa, Italy
Polytechnic University of Timosoara, Romania
Region of Tuscany, Italy
VTT Technical Research Centre, Finland


Objective:

The majority of existing buildings require seismic retrofit. The main reasons are: the original design was not optimized with respect to the required safety level, poor construction quality, modifications or enlargements of buildings during their life and increase in the requirements of seismic design. Even if steel solutions can often be more efficient and economic, their possibilities are practically unknown and their application has been limited to a few particular cases. The aim of the research proposal is to set up steel solutions for the seismic retrofit of existing buildings, providing design and construction methodologies, tools for dimensioning of elements and connections as well as for cost estimation.


Principal Investigator for U.Th.:

Spyros A. Karamanos


Total Budget:

2,228,326 Euros


U.Th. Budget:

153,685 Euros

Duration:

36 months (2007 - 2010)


Figures:

Figure A7 1

Figure 1: Old masonry building requiring seismic retrofitting (Patras, Greece).

Figure A7 2
Figure 2: Finite element model of masonry building and its strengthening X-braced frame.