ABSTRACT
Performance, efficiency, and maximized life are important considerations for the design of structures in an environment that demands sustainability. Design and construction ideas that reach beyond prescriptive building code requirements can enhance structural performance, prolong the structure’s life, and mitigate impact on the environment. Considering service load conditions from wind and moderate seismic events, structures typically need to be fully interconnected: joints within frames, frames to the ground. However, in extreme events structures must move, controllably, and at times dissipate energy. The goal for this movement is to have systems behave elastically without inflicting permanent damage to the structure; enabling the continued use of the building after the event, without significant repairs. Advancement in seismic isolation enables superstructures to be de-coupled from strong ground motions with some systems even capable of resisting uplift. Other ideas include sophisticated joints within the structure that allow controlled rotations / displacements in extreme events.
