Ali Ranjbar۱ - Civil Engineer, Reinforcement Project of Azadi Grand Hotel, Tehran

Old high rise buildings such as hotels lack a continuous resistance system against lateral forces due to architectural limitations. This usually results in forming a soft story in the ground floor, which is not safe according to the latest version of earthquake design code. The importance of these buildings and also being located in a high risk earthquake zone in Iran necessitate strengthening of these soft stories against earthquake. In this paper different methods such as reinforcement of columns and shear walls by carbon fibers, and adding coupled steel bracings with viscose dampers are discussed. The design criteria and construction techniques of an actual case which has been applied in a hotel in Tehran for the first time is also presented

Soft story, Strengthening, Viscose damper, Carbon fiber