Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Frames Designed Based on Previous Iranian Seismic Codes

Four editions of the Iranian Code of Practice for Seismic Resistant Design of Buildings have been published. Obvious changes have been made between the second and third editions regarding the seismic design of reinforced concrete buildings. This research focuses on evaluating the design reliability and seismic performance factors provided in the Standard No. 2800-99 (second edition) and Standard No. 2800-05 (third edition). The performance and seismic characteristics of the seismic design codes were evaluated by using the FEMA P695 methodology. A set of 48 reinforced concrete structural systems and 2112 incremental dynamic analyses were conducted, according to the FEMA P695 methodology. Etabs software was used for preliminary design of the structures, and SeismoStruct software was applied for the sake of nonlinear analyses. The results reveal the vulnerability of certain building stocks designed based on the second edition. Furthermore, the life safety performance level, which is an essential factor according to Standard No. 2800-99, is challenged. In contrast, the structural systems designed based on the Standard No. 2800-05 fulfill the requirements for moderately intense earthquakes.