REPUBLIC OF IRAQ I CODE 2/19971

IRAQI SEISMIC CODE REQUIREMENTS

FOR BUILDINGS

BUILDING RESEARCH CENTRE

General Commission for Industrial Research and Development
Ministry of Industry and Minerals

APPROVED BY CENTRAL ORGANIZATION FOR

STANDARDIZATION AND QUALITY CONTROL
 IRAQI SEISMIC CODE REQUIREMENTS
FOR BUILDINGS

1 BUILDING RESEARCH CENTRE

General Commission for Industrial Research and Development
Ministry of Industry and Minerals

APROVED BY CENTRAL ORGANIZATION FOR

STANDARDIZATION AND QUALITY CONTROL
Sn!~aarr!Su3jo a%al[03/iC)!s1aa!rrnr u e p p e ~ NISVA V!\HV;C NIS\',\ '-la
 CONTENTS

I'age No.

C:I.IAP'TER1 - SCOPE AND PURI'OSE .................................................... 1

CI-IAP'TER2 - I'RINCIPLES OF EARTI-IQUAICE - RESISTANT ............ 2

DESIGN

2.1- Basic Concept

2.2- Stl-uctural Layout
2.3- SII-ucrural Systenl
2.4- Ductilit))
2.5- Dcfo~lnations
'.6- Sire Selection
2.7- Seismic Joints
2.8- Floor Structures

CI-IAP'TER3 - EVALUA'l'lON OF SEISRlIC AC'I'IONS ...................... 5

3.1- General
3.2- Evaluation of Seismic Design Forces for Equivalent Static Analysis
3.2.1- Seismic Hazard and Zoning Coefficient - Z
3.2.2- hnportance Factor - 1
3.2.3- Dynamic Coefficient - S
System Coefficient- K
3.2.4- S~I-uctural
3.2.5- Total Weiglit of Buildings and Structures - \'I'
3.2.6- influence of Soil and Foundation Conditions
3.3- Dish-ibution of Seismic Forces
3.4- Mcthoti of lly~iamicTinie History Analysis

C IlAPTEIt 4 - VERIFICA'I'ION OF STRUCTURAL BEIIAVIOUR, ...... IS

STRESS CONDITIONS AND DEFORMATIONS

CIIAIST1~R5 - CONS'I'RUCI'ION OF EAR'TI-IQUAICERESlSI'ANI' ...... 21

STIIIICTURES

5.1-Reinforced Concrete Sbuctuires

5. I . I -General, Ductility a ~ i dStl-cngl1112eq~1iserlients
5.1.2-General Classification
5.1.3-lra~neSystems
5. I .?-Wall Syste~ns
5.15-llual Systems
 Page No.
5 .2-Prestressed Concrete Structures
5.3-Steel Structures
5.4-Prefabricated Structures
5.5-Masoury Struct11res
5. 6-Foundations
5.6. !-General
5.6.2-Soil Capacities
5.6.3-Superstructure-F oundation Connection
5.6.4-Foundation - Soil Inte1face
5.6.5-Special Requirements for Piles and Caissons

APPENDIX A List of reports ofinvestigations for elaboration of preliminary ... 37

seismic design code of Iraq

APPENDEX B Seismic Zoning Map of Iraq ... 39

REFERNCES ... 40

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 CHAPTER 1 - SCOPE AND PURPOSE

l.l- This code provides design and constrnction reqmrements for an eaithqnake
resistant buildings, lowers, chimneys and similar slrnctures.

The method specified do not cover nuclear power plants, large dams, and sim.ilai·
installations which require special site and structural investigations.

1.2- The purpose of an earlbquake resistant design is :

- to prevent Joss of life and human i..njmy.
- to ensure continuity of vital services.
- to minimize damage to prope1ty.

-1-
CHAPTER 2 - PRINCIPLES OF EARTHQliAKE- RESISTANT DESIGN

2.1- Basic Concept

1l1e basic concept of the requirements provided in this code is that complete
protection against total damage is not economically feasible for all types of buildings
and structures. This concept is fulfilled by the following criteria:

a) 1l1e structure should withstand, without any structural and non-structural damage,
the effects of slight seismic motion.

b) The structure should withstand, with limited non-structural damage and limited
non-linear behaviour of stn1ctural members, the effects of moderate seismic motion
(design eruthquake).

·c) The stiucture should not collapse under sever or maximum expected earthquake.

2.2- Structural Layout

For better earthquake resistance, it is necessaiy that buildings and structures have
simple fo1ms, in both pla11 and elevation, and of structural clements which resist
horizontal seismic actions be ananged in such a way that torsional effects are
minimized. Non symmeu-ical distribution of volumes, masses and stiffnesses in
buildings should be avoided in order to control torsional effects.

Generally, the design and construction of buildings and structures with in-egular or
complicated layout shall be avoided due to the potential occurrence of c1itical
additional stresses in the regions of discontinuities. \Vhen these requirements cannot
be met, the structure shall be separated by seismic joints, each part having an adequate
shape and a proper distribution of volumes, masses and rigidities. Otherwise proper
considerations of inegnlarities should be taken, such as by pe1forrmng appropriate
dynamic analysis.

2.3- Structural System

The sti·uctural system should be clearly defined so that rational analysis can be
applied. In computing earthquake response of a bnilding, the influence of not only
structural systems, but also non-structural elements (infill walls, partitions, windows_
etc.) should be considered as well.
2.4- Ductility

TI1c strnctmal system and its structural elements should have adequate strength a11d
ductility for the applied seismic actions. Structural elements which have sufficient
ductility are capable of absorbing energy. Special attention should be given to the
brittleness of structural elements such as shear failure, joint fracture, buckling, bond
failure and anchorage failure.

2.5- Deformations

The defmmations of the structure under seismic actions should be limited.

Generally, there are two kinds of defonnations to be controlled: tl1e inter-storey drift
(ric!Htive lateral displacement within a storey) and the absolute lateral displacement
relative to the base.

2.6- Site Selection

The construction sites should be properly selected in accordance with the

microzonation criterion. \\Then available sites with active faults, sloping soil profiles,
undesirn ble settlement prnperties and possible liquefaction, etc. should be carefully
evaluated.

2.7- Seismic Joints

Seismic joints should be provided to separate various parts of buildings and

structures, in p a rticular witli different dynamic characteristics, in order to allow them
to vibrate independently. Seismic joints are provided for buildings with inegular plans
and for buildings of non-unifom1 heights. The width of the joints is determined m such
a way that duri11g the earthquake the parts of the building separated by the joints do not
affect each other by collision. For rigid buildings with height up to l 5m, the minimum
width of the seismic joints is 25mrn in seismic zones I and 11and 40mm in seismic
zone Ill. For buildings and structu res over l 5m in height, and for flexible structures.
the joint's width is dctcnnined by the following fonnula:

d ??: (81 + 82 + 15) ................................. (2-])

But not less than :

25mm for seismic zones 1, II

and 40mm for seismic zone Ill
\Vhen,:

d width of joint (mm).

8 1 , 82 - total lateral displacements of the two parts of the building under the
seismic action (see clause 4.8). For buildings of Class l, they should be
detennined by dynamic response analysis.

2.8 .. Floor Structures

Floor SITuctures should be designed in such a way to behave as rigid h01izontal

diaphragms monolithically joined in a structural system, which should transmit lateral
effects to the vertical sh·uctural system. For strnctures not meeting the above
requirement, they shall be h·eated as deformable strnctural elements in the analysis.

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 CHAPTER 3 - EVALUATION OF SEISl\1IC ACT! ONS

3.1- General
1e
)e 3.1.1- The seismic analysis of structures shall take the dynamic properties of the
structure into consideration either by dynamic analysis or by equivalent static
analysis. A dynamic analysis is highly recommended for specific stTuc11ires such
as slender high-rise buildings and structures with inegularities of geometry or
mass distribution or rigidity dist1ibution.

al Ordinary structures may be designed by the equivalent static method using

,' conventional linear elastic analysis. Appropriate post-elastic performance shall be
'e provided by adequate choice of sn·uctural system and ductile detailing. Non-lineru
methods of analysis should be employed to verify the sequence of inelastic behavior
and the formation of collapse mechanism.

Note: If it is essential that services, e.g. mechanical and electTical equipment md

pipings, retain their functions during and after a severe earthquake, the design of
these services should preferably be done using dynamic ruialysis procedures
based on the eru1hquake response of the structure which suppo11s them.

3.1.2- Seismic design forces shall be applied at points where masses me assumed to be
concentrated.

The actual mass dist ribution may be substituted by a dishibution which simplifies
the analysis without affecting appreciably the final results (mass concentration at floor
levels in multistorey buildings; mass concentrations at an adequate number of
equidistant levels in tall constructions like chimneys, towers, etc.)

For structural desi f:,'11, the directions of seismic actions in horizontal plane should be
taken at least in two 011hogonal directions

Cantilevers and structures in which vertical seismic effects are significant, should
be analyzed in the ve11ical d irection taking into account these effects .

.U.3- The masses used for analysis have to correspond to the dead .ind probable live
loads.

For different Classes of buildings as defined in 3.2.2, the probable live load shall be
taken as 50% for sn·uctures of Class II and 25 °/o for stn1ctures of Class 111and Cl ass
IV, of floor live loads determined by the existing regulations,

For structures with significant live load such as (\Varehouses, Silos, Libraries.
Storage rooms and similar structures), the seismic design forces should be determined
for the most unfavorable combination of maximum, and I or minimum nctuil i loading.
 Live loads of cranes should not be considered for detenninatio:n of seismic desi1,ri1
forces.

Total weight of pennanent equipments should be included. Snow loads may be

considered in the calculations at 50% of its normal value.

Wind load should not be considered in combination with seismic act10ns.

3 .. 2- Evaluation of Seismic Design Forces for Equivalent Static Analysis

The total horizontal seismic design force acting on buildings and strnctures shall be
detennined according to the following fonnula., but shall not be less than (0.02W).
v = z.r.s.K.w ................................ . (3-1)

\Vb ere:

V - Total unfactored horizontal seismic design force.

Z Seismic hazard zoning coefficient (clause 3.2.1).
J - Importance factor related to the use of structure (clause 3.2.2).
S - Dynamic coefficient related lo soil category (clause 3.2.3).
K Structui:al system coefficient, specified for various types of structures (clause 3.2.4).
W- Total weight of the structure including permanent and probable live load
(clause 3. J.3 and clause 3.2.5).

3 .. 2.1- Seismic Hazard and Zoning Coefficient - Z

The evaluation of seismic hazal'd in different seismic areas for the design of
buildings and structures shall be perfonned according to the seismic zoning map of
Iraq (Appendix A).

The value of coefficient Z is as follows:

Table 3.1 - Zoning Coefficient Z

Zone z
r 0.05
]] 0.07
---
Ill 0.09
\\