First application of the external frame method for seismic retrofitting of a school building in Türkiye

The active tectonic zones in Türkiye require enhancements in seismic safety for its building stock. Educational institutions must comply with seismic code design and detailing standards, as several school buildings were constructed prior to 2000. These projects are particularly susceptible to earthquakes because to material, structural, and reinforcement deficiencies. For ongoing training, efficient, economical, and readily available reinforcement solutions are favored. Conventional technologies such as reinforced concrete or steel jacketing, along with new shear walls, need extended construction durations, significant interior modifications, and temporary evacuations. This study investigates an initial external frame method to mitigate these constraints. Specialized anchoring techniques secure reinforced concrete frames to a building’s façade, enhancing its lateral load-bearing capacity. The preliminary Türkiye pilot application demonstrated that external frame technology enhances stiffness, interstory drifts, and seismic performance using both linear and nonlinear structural analysis. The external framework mitigated 24% of the shear demand in the X-direction and 20% in the Y-direction, enhancing structural performance. Retrofitting enhanced the building’s stiffness by 36.6% in the X direction and 21.59% in the Y direction. The 15% and 10% reductions in X and Y interstory drifts diminish deformation demands, hence enhancing seismic performance. This study assesses the design parameters, analytical outcomes, and implementation aspects of the external frame approach to demonstrate its efficacy in seismically strengthening educational buildings in Türkiye.