A basis for developing sustainable earthquake-resisting structures

Sustainable seismic design (SSD) is a relatively new field of study that promises improved human welfare and innovative developments in structural engineering worldwide. In the present context, SSD refers to structural operability with a view to post-earthquake realignment and repair (PERR). The difference between conventional seismic design and SSD is the expected behaviour during and after earthquakes. In conventional earthquake-resistant systems, attention is focused on the response of the structure to code-level seismic demand whereas, in SSD, the post-earthquake attributes of the system are as important as those during the event. SSD is neither part of contemporary curricula nor codes of practice. This article promotes the notion that a structure can be seismically sustainable if it is able to prevent actual collapse, overcome residual effects and lend itself well to PERR. In order to gain insight into the inner workings of SSD, resort has been made to adaptive design, bioinspiration and the study of structural differences between conventional and seismically sustainable structures. It is shown that conventional seismic design can be upgraded to SSD without resorting to untenable costs and technologies.