Ariel R.

Garces

201512572

REACTION PAPER

I am really amaze on the study that we have found it is retrofitting a very old building using a
seemingly impossible retrofit.

The project focuses on the renovation and improving the building's resistance to
earthquake damage. The process are as follows: base isolation system was installed
under the building to provide this protection. The building's isolation system is
composed of a network of 280 base isolators, each 20 inches (51 cm) high, and
between 36 inches (91 cm) and 44 inches (110 cm) in diameter. Installing the isolators
required excavating the dirt around and beneath the capitol, exposing the foundation
and footings. The original concrete support columns were then attached to a network of
new load transfer beams, which extended horizontally from under the building, and were
supported by pile caps under and along the perimeter of the capitol. The support
columns were then detached from the original footings, leaving the building sitting on
the load transfer beams and pile caps. A new concrete mat was poured around and on
top of the original footings, leaving a space between the new load transfer beams and
the concrete mat. The base isolators were then installed on top of the concrete mat,
directly above the covered footings. Once all the isolators had been installed the
temporary supports between the pile caps and load transfer beams were removed,
leaving the beams to sit directly on the isolators, which sit on the concrete mat
foundation. The isolators are made of layers of laminated rubber, and are very strong
vertically but not horizontally, which allows the building to rock gently back and forth as
the ground underneath moves during an earthquake.

Given the circumstances on why not the project can be carried out the people incharge of the of the
project are still able to finish it making it the most costly renovation of a city hall in their place.