How to build safely in a seismic area?

To answer this question, it is necessary to define the meaning of the word "safe". In this context it means to protect life.

Over the past two decades it has become evident that this is not enough. The meaning of "safe" also extends to limiting overall losses. This view involves a revision of design logic, with two key aspects to be considered:

- The limitation of damage to nonstructural elements especially for relatively usual seismic actions, but also in the case of few actions when it comes to buildings whose functioning is essential in the event of a disaster.

- The idea of structures that promote damage containment for habitual actions and that allow fast, concentrated repairs in areas of easy access and intervention for strong actions.

Mixed steel-concrete frame structures lend themselves very well to structural damage reduction. The solution to be pursued is to combine mixed frames with bracing structures, in walls that are also mixed or braced frame.