Investigation on combined failure mechanisms of RC structures after the last earthquake in Durres

The Mw 6.4 earthquake that occurred a few kilometers north of Durres, November 26, 2019, located in the western part of Albania, can be considered the strongest in the last 40 years. It also caused significant damage to buildings (structural and non-structural). Approximately 3,500 were injured during the event and 52 people lost their lives. In Durres region, in the last 20 years, building stock is formed from reinforced concrete frame structures and during last earthquakes, some of these buildings in the epicenter regions were collapsed leading to widespread destruction and loss of life. In this paper combined failure mechanisms of reinforced concrete structures will be investigated and construction rules will be suggested. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief overview of damage as observed following the earthquakes. The failure modes consist of soft stories, strong beams and weak columns, lack of column confinement, poor detailing practice and non-structural damages. To limit the failure of RC frame systems, design and construction requirements should be included in the Albanian seismic code by adopting suitable solutions. Regarding the methodology, nonlinear static analysis will be performed to obtain the collapse mechanisms and their seismic performance. Here we will try to elaborate on some of the causes that lead to damage these structures. Also, the architectural point of view of structural configuration will be considered on this paper. This study will be a reference for future studies that investigate RC frame structures damage. Also, our findings will be used to provide practical solutions for interventions in damaged objects.