ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND EARTHQUAKE CONSEQUENCES IN BUILDINGS

Abstract

This paper focuses on earthquake consequences in buildings, analyzed in terms of architectural design choices. The Durrës earthquake of 11.26.2019 showed lot of damages of non-structural nature, in buildings of various ages, structural systems, and volumetric shapes. The object of the article is precisely the treatment of the variety of these "types of damages", which require to be carefully analyzed in order to understand the causes of which some of the consequences came from. The behavior of the building during the earthquake showed that the reasons for the damages were also related to the architect's choices and the corresponding conditions in the technical design codes. For example: the shape of the building, the regularity of the structure, seismic joints, cantilever volumes, parapets, stairs, doors etc. So, the purpose of the article is to highlight the damages that come as a result of those design factors, which directly involve the architect. The article does not undertake to limit the functional and aesthetic choices on buildings but emphasizes the importance of the early collaboration of the architect and structural engineer in seismic-prone areas, taking into account that construction works should be built at optimal cost, with the aim of minimizing such damages in the future.