Seismic Retrofitting of Precast Frame Type Industrial Buildings with Innovative Methods: Case Studies from Türkiye

Prefabricated reinforced concrete (RC) buildings comprise the majority of industrial buildings in Türkiye. Over the past thirty years, many of these buildings have suffered severe damage or partial/total collapse during the devastating earthquakes due to inadequate design. Similar problems were highlighted again during the Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence (Mw 7.8 and 7.7) on 6 February 2023. This study examines the seismic performance and retrofitting of four single-story prefabricated RC industrial buildings located in Tekirdag/Türkiye (designed and implemented) through nonlinear static (pushover) analyses. The case study buildings were selected from structures with Atcost and Lambda frame systems and parallel roof girder systems, originally designed for low-seismicity regions and adopted from Northern European countries without seismic detailing or modification. The buildings were investigated in detail through on-site surveys and material testing, which revealed critical deficiencies. In addition, a hybrid retrofitting strategy was adopted. This strategy combined the use of CFRP wrapping to enhance ductility at column–beam joints, with vertical and roof-level steel braces and frames to improve lateral stiffness. The findings show that the hybrid retrofitting approach offers an effective solution for prefabricated RC industrial buildings by simultaneously enhancing ductility and stiffness while meeting required performance targets without disrupting operations.