Analysis of the seismic resistance of a low-weight prefabricated structural system for home building

Abstract

Near of the 75% of the attributed deaths to earthquakes in Colombia, were caused by the collapse of heavy constructions. That’s why it is necessary to study new technological alternatives in structural systems for houses of one story, that are able to support the seismic forces. These new structural systems must be resistant, durable, light and with low costs. A Colombian enterprise has developed a prefabricated system conformed by self-supporting panels (foam and coworkers-laminae of steel) that has been used for non-structural elements. Nevertheless the low weight of the panels and the high resistance of its the coworkers-laminae of steel, have suggested that this system could be the structural system of one story houses. For the previous reasons, a research program was developed in Colombian universities to evaluate the seismic behavior of the prefabricated system. The experimental program included standard test for evaluate the strength and ductility of the system and its components. Additionally, a three dimensional finite element model of one story house was developed to study the stresses and displacements caused by the seismic loads established in the Colombian code for earthquake design and construction. This stresses and forces were compared with the ones determined experimentally. In agreement with the results, the structural system would have an excellent behavior to seismic loads due to his low weight and high resistance.