BUILDINGS IN ARMENIA NEED SEISMIC PROTECTION

Panorama.am
15:17 13/06/06

Eight buildings of Yerevan, Giumry and Stepanakert (NKR) are equipped
with a new system of seismic protection, Michael Melkumyan, chairman of
Association of seismic resistant constructions who is the author of the
technology, told a press conference today. In the words of the expert,
seismic insulators are made of stratiform rubber-metallic supports
which “absorb” the energy of underground shocks. This technology can
damp horizontal shocks and, to some extent, vertical shocks as well
since the rubber insulators can shrink up to 6 mm. At the moment a
program of three-dimensional seismic insulation is being developed,
costing $100 000.

According to M. Melkumyan, strengthening of seismic resistance of
buildings in Armenia is a priority problem. About 80% of buildings in
Yerevan will be endangered in a case of an earthquake, he said. About
70 seismic insulators are needed for consolidation of one building. In
the words of the author, this method is 2.5 times cheaper of
traditional methods of strengthening the buildings.