Sustainable Seismic Design

Traditional design of a seismic resistant system for a building structure has often relied on structural damage as the intended response of the structure to limit the increase in lateral force and to dissipate energy. The goal of this traditional design approach was life-safety, i.e. to prevent building collapse. Following this approach, a major seismic event can cause significant damage to the structure. This in turn requires extensive repair, or if the damage is severe enough, for the structure to be demolished. More recently, an alternative design approach has emerged that is intended to provide structures that remain damage free and self-center (i.e. exhibit no residual drift) after the earthquake. This paper describes this alternative approach, and discusses opportunities for improved sustainability through damage-resistant seismic design and renewable materials.