Most reinforced concrete (RC) school buildings constructed in the 1980s have seismic vulnerabilities due to low transverse reinforcement ratios in columns and beam-column joints. In addition, the building structures designed for only gravity loads have the weak-columnstrong- beam (WCSB) system, resulting in low lateral resistance capacity. This study aims to investigate the lateral resistance capacities of a two-story, full-scale school building specimen through cyclic loading tests. Based on the experimental responses, load-displacement hysteresis behavior and story drift-strain relationship were mainly investigated by comparing the responses to code-defined story drift limits. The test specimen experienced stress concentration at the bottom of the first story columns and shear failure at the beam-column joints with strength degradation and bond failure observed at the life safety level specified in the code-defined drift limits for RC moment frames with seismic details. This indicates that the seismically vulnerable school building test specimen does not meet the minimum performance requirements under a 1,400-year return period earthquake, suggesting that seismic retrofitting is necessary.

Due to seismically deficient details, existing reinforced concrete structures have low lateral resistance capacities. Since these building structures suffer an increase in axial loads to the main structural element due to the green retrofit (e.g., energy equipment/device, roof garden) for CO2 reduction and vertical extension, building capacities are reduced. This paper proposes a machine-learning-based methodology for allowable ranges of axial loading ratio to reinforced concrete columns using simple structural details. The methodology consists of a two-step procedure: (1) a machine-learning-based failure detection model and (2) column damage limits proposed by previous researchers. To demonstrate this proposed method, the existing building structure built in the 1990s was selected, and the allowable range for the target structure was computed for exterior and interior columns.

Existing reinforced concrete buildings with seismically deficient details have premature failure under earthquake loads. The fiber-reinforced polymer column jacket enhances the lateral resisting capacities with additional confining pressures. This paper aims to quantify the retrofit effect varying the confinement and stiffness-related parameters under three earthquake scenarios and establish the retrofit strategy. The retrofit effects were estimated by comparing energy demands between non-retrofitted and retrofitted conditions. The retrofit design parameters are determined considering seismic hazard levels to maximize the retrofit effects. The critical parameters of the retrofit system were determined by the confinement-related parameters at moderate and high seismic levels and the stiffness-related parameters at low seismic levels.