GUNO, LEA H.

DECEMBER 10, 2020

1700982 5 CE 1

SEISMIC DETAILING OF RC STRUCTURES

The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering has conducted a second Webinar lecture series via
zoom meeting cloud application with the topic Seismic Detailing of Reinforced Concrete
Buildings. The resource speaker Engr. Ronaldo Ison, started from showing photos of damages of
different structures.
In Philippines 16th of July 1990 in North Luzon has suffered from earthquake and caused of
collapse of buildings. The reasons are the columns tied reinforcement are widely spaced apart and
columns are buckled due to axial load.
In turkey 1999 earthquake, the buildings collapsed due to compression force. The damages are
caused from joints and the number of tied reinforcements is also spaced widely apart. If the ties
are spaced adequately the compression capacity will help improve the building.
In Taiwan 6th of February 2016, the Meinong Earthquake. The building collapsed up to 5th floor.
The damages are in columns, do not have adequate confinements, ties are spaced apart and missing
spirals due to compression failures of column.
In Philippines of February 2012 in Negros Oriental 6.8 Earthquake. A new structure has collapsed,
2nd floor is quite heavy, ground floor has few columns. Column has widely space ties, not designed
for earthquake and very wide shear forces in 2nd floor. The column bucked and subjected to large
shear forces. Nowadays some are not used in following the principles in NSCP. Detailing is basic
part of structural engineering.
Bohol Earthquake, 15th of October 2013 with magnitude of 7.2. large mass and small columns,
tiled roof is heavy.
The Philippine is prone earthquake country, the Philippines is divided into two seismic zones. The
seismic Zone 2 (Z=0.2) Islands of Palawan, Tawi-Tawi and Suli, and thee Seismic Zone 4 (Z=0.4)
Rest of the Philippine Islands.
Engr. Ison Emphasizes the basis and requirements of the NSCP 2015 404.4.6 Seismic Force
Resisting System:
404.4.6.1 Every structure shall be assigned to a seismic zone 4, or 2, in accordance with the
general building code or as determined by the authority having jurisdiction in areas without a
legally adopted building code.
404.4.6.4 Structural systems assigned to a seismic zone 4 shall satisfy the requirements of Section
418 in addition to applicable requirements of other sections of this code.
404.40.1.1 Reinforcement and connections shall be detailed to tie the structure together effectively
and to improve overall structure integrity.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY is an ability of a structure through strength, redundancy, ductility,
and detailing of reinforcement to redistribute stresses and maintain overall stability if localized
damage or significant overstress occurs.
418.1.1 This section shall apply to the design of non-prestressed and prestressed concrete
structures assigned to seismic zone 4, including, where applicable:
a. Structural systems designated as part of the seismic-force-resisting systems, including
diaphragms, moment frames, structural walls, and foundations;
b. Members not designated as part of the seismic-force-resisting system but required to support
other loads while undergoing deformations associated with earthquake effects.
418.1.2 Structures designated according to the provisions of this chapter are intended to resist
earthquake motions through ductile inelastic response of selected members.

Engr. Ison also shows us a tabulation of different structural component resisting earthquake
effects and different provisions of the code in NSCP with providing zones, for us to follow the
correct code and I noted it for future use.
He also quoted that “It is better to design with proper detailing than not at all”. It is important to
construct it properly using the requirement from Flexural Members of Special Moment Frames
and Balanced and Maximum Reinforcement Ratio.