Page 8 - Advanced Design Examples of Seismic Retrofit of Structures

Preface xv

For the study and design of seismic vulnerability and also construction of ret-
rofit projects for nearly 130,000 classrooms in Iran, more than 100 private-
sector consulting companies, two sets of national project management systems,
several elite university professors, and more than 400 contractors were
involved. Various common and innovative retrofit methods and procedures
were implemented in school buildings on the available structural systems
including unreinforced masonry (URM), steel, and reinforced concrete (RC)
frame buildings. In total, about $3 billion were dedicated and spent on recon-
struction and retrofit projects by DRES. Observations from recent major earth-
quakes indicate that the seismic performance of the retrofitted school buildings
was satisfactory and these buildings maintained the performance level of imme-
diate occupancy (IO), whereas many other buildings sustained major damages
or experienced collapse. In recognition of these actions, the United Nations
SASAKAWA prize for Disaster Risk Reduction was awarded to DRES in 2017.
I have been fortunate to be taught, advised, and mentored by several extraor-
dinary instructors and researchers with expertise in seismic retrofit of structures.
Many individuals have extended their help in one way or another in the prep-
aration of this book, and the support of such individuals is gratefully acknowl-
edged. Thanks are due to all the contributors for their careful preparation of the
contents of this book. I am grateful to Dr. Ali Bakhshi and Dr. Mohammad Ali
Ghannad, my supervisors during my MSc and PhD for their mentorship. I would
also like to thank my friend Mr. Alireza Mahdizadeh for his encouragement and
support.

Mohammad Yekrangnia