The cost of low damage design of buildings for a higher seismic demand

Presentation

When – 5:30pm – Tuesday 3rd August 2021//

Where – Building 401-401, 20 Symonds Street (University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering). Access from Symonds Street (Refer City Campus Map Link).

Agenda –
17:30 pre-presentation refreshments
18:00 presentation

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Abstract

Structural engineers, building owners/developers, and society have reservations about the seismic performance of buildings designed in accordance with current standards, many of which have been shown in recent severe earthquakes to be uneconomical to be repaired after a major earthquake event. The option of achieving increased performance levels by designing stronger and stiffer buildings is also perceived as an expensive solution, but there is no hard data to understand the cost difference between current practice and stronger, stiffer buildings. Enrique and his colleagues are testing the hypothesis that a step change in increasing the seismic resilience of the structural design of a building does not necessarily equate to a significant step change in the overall cost of designing and constructing the building. This research also has the potential to support cost/benefit analyses that may need to be undertaken if more formal consideration is given to changing building regulations, requiring more robust and resilient buildings. An additional objective is to develop a predictive tool for engineers, developers and policy makers to help in the decision-making process. Enrique will discuss the motivation, the existing body of research, the methodology to investigate the cost implications of designing to a higher seismic demand and the available results.

Biography

Enrique obtained a Master of Engineering on structural engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid in Spain, his hometown. He then joined the Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC) master programme to learn more about advanced structural design, seismic actions and the behaviour of existing heritage buildings. This master is co-jointly taught at two universities in Europe, which brought him to live in Czech Republic and Portugal. His experience with the research project within the master programme motivated him to enroll at the University of Auckland to complete a PhD in seismic strengthening of concrete structures with Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP).
Enrique is now a lecturer at the University of Auckland. He is dedicated to prepare the next generation of engineers to excel in reinforced concrete design and to further enhance the industry's knowledge and use of reinforced concrete. His main area of research is seismic performance, and the repair and strengthening of concrete structures, mainly with Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP). Other areas of research are sustainability of concrete, anchorage of structural and non-structural elements, behaviour and design of bridges, and automation in construction for infrastructure structural inspection.

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