Seismic performance comparison between structure-improvement techniques and ground-improvement techniques: Application to a reinforced concrete school building

The seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings has been widely analysed. Most of the solutions proposed are focused on the building’s structure improvement. However, the effects of ground-improvement techniques combined with the building’s structure-improvement techniques have not been usually analysed. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the seismic performance of a building by adding different seismic retrofitting techniques in the structure and the ground. A RC school building is proposed in this work. This has been selected because it was constructed prior to the current seismic code. Schools are some of the buildings most vulnerable to earthquakes. This is due to the low adult/child ratio. This paper is framed within the PERSITAH project (Projetos de Escolas Resilientes aos SISmos no Território do Algarve e de Huelva, in Portuguese). The main goal of the project is to analyse the seismic vulnerability of schools’ buildings located in the Algarve-Huelva region. This area is characterized by earthquakes of long-return period and large magnitude. Therefore, the population is not aware of the seismic hazard of the area. Different seismic retrofitting techniques have been added to the building and they have been compared and analysed. The techniques have consisted of the addition of X-bracings within the buildings’ bays, steel jackets in columns and soil injection grouting. These solutions have been added both individually and combined to generate hybrid models. Nonlinear static analyses have been carried out to determine the seismic performance of the building including each technique. The N2-method has been considered to obtain the performance displacement. Moreover, the damage level probability and the mean damage index have been determined for each retrofitting technique. Results have shown that the addition of X-bracings is the most efficient solution. However, this solution causes a great architectural impact. Therefore, the solution of steel jackets and/or injection grouting emerges as an interesting alternative

Cessação Tabágica após o Diagnóstico de Cancro da Bexiga

Smoking is an important risk factor for the development, recurrence and progression of bladder cancer. Our aim was to analyze smoking habits after diagnosis in bladder cancer patients. Additionally, we evaluated patient knowledge about smoking as a risk factor and the urologist role in promoting abstinence.INTRODUCTION: Smoking is an important risk factor for the development, recurrence and progression of bladder cancer. Our aim was to analyze smoking habits after diagnosis in bladder cancer patients. Additionally, we evaluated patient knowledge about smoking as a risk factor and the urologist role in promoting abstinence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study was performed in bladder cancer patients, diagnosed between January 2013 and September 2015 (n = 160) in Braga Hospital, in Portugal. RESULTS: Smoking history was present in 71.9% of the sample, with 21.9% current smokers, (40.7% of abstinence after diagnosis). Smoking was acknowledged as a risk factor by 74.4% of the sample, with only 51.3% of ever smokers and 24.4% of non-smokers recognizing smoking as the leading risk factor (p = 0.008). The presence of other household smokers were significantly higher in patients who continued smoking (40%) than in ex-smokers after diagnosis (4.2%) (p = 0.005). The majority of smokers at diagnosis (83.1%) were advised to quit by their urologist, but only one smoker (1.7%) was offered any specific intervention to aid in cessation. DISCUSSION: Smoking is not recognized as the leading risk factor for bladder cancer. This limited awareness, associated with the known difficulties in quitting smoking and the observed lack of smoking cessation interventions, may account for the high current smoking prevalence, albeit in line with other studies. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for efficient smoking cessation programs directed to bladder cancer patients.Introdução: O tabagismo é um importante fator de risco para o desenvolvimento, recorrência e progressão do cancro da bexiga. Este estudo pretendia analisar os hábitos tabágicos após o diagnóstico em doentes com cancro da bexiga. Adicionalmente, foi avaliado o reconhecimento do tabagismo como fator de risco e a atuação médica na promoção da cessação tabágica. Material e Métodos: Estudo transversal, observacional e descritivo realizado em doentes com cancro da bexiga, diagnosticados entre janeiro de 2013 e setembro de 2015 (n = 160) no Hospital de Braga. Resultados: História tabágica estava presente em 71,9% da amostra, com 21,9% de tabagismo atual (40,7% de abstinência após o diagnóstico). O tabagismo foi reconhecido como fator de risco por 74,4% dos doentes, mas apenas 51,3% dos doentes com história tabágica e 24,4% dos não fumadores referem o tabagismo como a principal causa etiológica (p = 0,008). A presença de outros fumadores em casa foi significativamente maior em doentes que mantiveram tabagismo (40%) do que em ex-fumadores após o diagnóstico (4,2%) (p = 0,005). A maioria dos fumadores (83,1%) refere ter sido aconselhada a deixar de fumar, mas apenas um (1,7%) recebeu apoio específico para a cessação. Discussão: O tabagismo não é adequadamente reconhecido como a principal etiologia de cancro da bexiga. Este desconhecimento, aliado à reconhecida dificuldade na abstinência tabágica e ao défice de estratégias promotoras de cessação tabágica observados, poderá justificar a elevada prevalência de fumadores atuais, todavia, em linha com outros estudos. Conclusão: Este estudo evidencia a necessidade de programas de cessação tabágica eficientes dirigidos a pacientes com cancro da bexiga.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seismic vulnerability assessment of historical urban centres: case study of the old city centre of Faro, Portugal

The necessity of implementing seismic vulnerability assessment procedures to the Portuguese building stock has become urgent as recent predictions indicate the possibility of the occurrence of an earthquake similar to the well-known 1755 Lisbon earthquake within the next 50 years. Obviously, at first instance, large-scale procedures should be used rather than more extensive and accurate methodologies suited for individual buildings assessment. Moreover, it is fundamental to operate in the most vulnerable areas in our built environment, typically, the historical urban centres. As it is recognised, it is within these areas, that old masonry buildings are generally concentrated, being both the most representative and vulnerable constructive typology. Comprising 354 buildings, the case study of the old city centre of Faro is herein presented aiming at analysing and evaluating the seismic vulnerability of its old masonry building stock. In order to achieve these objectives, a vulnerability-index-based methodology was used for the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the old masonry buildings belonging to the historical centre of Faro (Ribeirinha area) carried out through detailed inspection and survey. The results obtained were analysed using a geographical information system tool. The integration of such vulnerability and loss results represents a valuable tool for city councils and/or regional authorities to plan interventions, on the basis of a global view of the site under analysis, leading this way to more accurate and comprehensive risk mitigation strategies which comply with the requirements of safety and emergency planning. The application of this large-scale scoring methodology has confirmed moderate-to-high values for the vulnerability of this particular area, which combined with its high seismicity, may be quite alarming

The use of artificial neural networks to estimate seismic damage in traditional masonry buildings

The present paper aims to discuss alternative strategies to estimate earthquake damage inflicted to traditional masonry buildings through a comparative analysis of the results obtained resorting to two different approaches: a seismic vulnerability index scoring method and physical damage estimation, widely used in the past in numerous large-scale earthquake risk assessment studies, and an innovative approach based on the use of Artificial Neural Networks. The post-earthquake damage data collected in the aftermath of the magnitude VII earthquake that struck the Azores archipelago (in Portugal) on July 9, 1998, was used to generate real damage data for a set of traditional masonry buildings located in the island of Faial. This data was then compared to the analytical results obtained through the referred approaches for different macroseismic intensities, IEMS-98. Finally, the fitting of the mean damage grade values estimated by the scoring method and calculated through the artificial neural network are compared and critically discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A comparative analysis between the Spanish and Portuguese seismic codes: application to a border RC Primary School

The Iberian Peninsula is close to the Eurasia-Africa plate boundary resulting in a considerable seismic hazard. In fact, the southwestern Iberian Peninsula is affected by far away earthquakes of long-return period with large-very large magnitude. A project named PERSISTAH (Projetos de Escolas Resilientes aos SISmos no Território do Algarve e de Huelva, in Portuguese) aims to cooperatively assess the seismic vulnerability of primary schools located in the Algarve (Portugal) and Huelva (Spain). Primary schools have been selected due to the considerable amount of similar buildings and their seismic vulnerability. In Portugal, the Decreto Lei 235/83 (RSAEEP) is mandatory while in Spain, the mandatory code is the Seismic Building Code (NCSE-02). In both countries, the Eurocode-8 (EC-8) is recommended. Despite the fact that both regions would be equally affected by an earthquake, both seismic codes are significantly different. This research compares the seismic action of Ayamonte (Huelva) and Vila Real de Santo António (Portugal). Both towns are very close and located at both sides of the border. Moreover, they share the same geology. This analysis has been applied considering a reinforced concrete (RC) primary school building located in Huelva. To do so, the performance-based method has been used. The seismic action and the damage levels are compared and analysed. The results have shown considerable differences in the seismic actions designation, in the performance point values and in the damage levels. The values considered in the Portuguese code are significantly more unfavourable. An agreement between codes should be made for border regions