Report #: 1

Report Date:

Country: ARGENTINA

Housing Type:

Housing Sub-Type:

Author(s): Virginia I Rodriguez, Maria I Yacante, Sergio Reiloba

Last Updated:

Regions Where Found: Buildings of this construction type can be found in San Juan Capital City and the surroundings. This type of housing construction is commonly found in urban areas.

Summary: This is typically a one-or-two-story residential building, of detached or semi-detached construction, generally found in the urban areas of San Juan and Mendoza and less frequently in the rural areas. The walls are made of concrete block masonry with reinforced concrete columns and beams that tie the walls together and provide the strength for the building. One of the main structural deficiencies for this construction type lies in the widely different wall densities in the two orthogonal directions. This deficiency may be eliminated with appropriate architectural design. This construction type is otherwise expected to demonstrate good seismic performance.

Length of time practiced: 25-60 years

Still Practiced: Yes

In practice as of:

Building Occupancy: Single dwelling

Typical number of stories: 1 or 2

Terrain-Flat: Typically

Terrain-Sloped: 3

Comments:

This construction practice has been followed for 30 years.

Plan Shape: Rectangular, solid

Additional comments on plan shape: The typical shape of a building plan for this housing type is rectangular.

Typical plan length (meters): 10

Typical plan width (meters): 6.5

Typical story height (meters): 3.3

Type of Structural System: Other

Additional comments on structural system: The vertical load-resisting system is confined masonry wall system. It consists of concrete block masonry walls with reinforced concrete beams and columns. In some cases, concrete beams and columns are provided without the masonry walls, in which case this system behaves as a frame; this depends on the architectural design.

The lateral load-resisting system is confined masonry wall system. It consists of concrete block masonry walls with reinforced concrete beams and columns.

Gravity load-bearing & lateral load-resisting systems: Masonry: Clay/concrete: confined brick/block masonry with concrete posts/tie columns and beams

Typical wall densities in direction 1: 1-2%

Typical wall densities in direction 2: 5-10%

Additional comments on typical wall densities: The typical structural wall density is up to 10 %. The total wall density is 0.116; it is 0.03 in the X-direction, and 0.08 in the Y-direction.

Wall Openings: The typical house has approximately seven openings, with an average area of 2.50 m2. The position of the openings differs from building to building, however generally there is a front door and a back or side door. There are windows in the family room, in every bedroom and the bathroom. The opening area is about 13% of the overall wall area.

Is it typical for buildings of this type to have common walls with adjacent buildings?: No

Modifications of buildings: This building type hasn't many modifications else.

Type of Foundation: Shallow Foundation: Reinforced concrete strip footing

Additional comments on foundation:

Type of Floor System: Other floor system

Additional comments on floor system: The flooring system is a nervure slab made of concrete with hollow clay blocks and fill-in elements.

Type of Roof System: Roof system, other

Additional comments on roof system: The roofing system is nervure slab made of concrete with hollow clay blocks and fill-in elements. It is considered to be a rigid diaphragm.

Additional comments section 2: When separated from adjacent buildings, the typical distance from a neighboring building is 5 meters.

Who is involved with the design process?: EngineerArchitect

Roles of those involved in the design process: Architects are in charge of the architectural design of the building and sometimes, the construction process. Engineers are in charge of the structural design and of the construction process in general.

Expertise of those involved in the design process: The professionals involved in the design and construction process -architects and engineers- have a good level of expertise and great experience in this type of construction, typical in San Juan.

Who typically builds this construction type?: Other

Roles of those involved in the building process: The builder usually does not live in this construction type. It is designed and built by professionals and used in housing plans developed and financed by the state.

Expertise of those involved in building process:

Construction process and phasing: The construction process is usually carried out by a construction company. It begins with the filling in of foundations, the assembling of the bottom reinforced concrete beams and columns and the casting of these beams. Then the block masonry walls are being built and the concrete columns are being cast. Subsequently, the top reinforced concrete beams are assembled and the slab concrete is poured. The tools and equipment typically used are. spatulas, shovels, hoes, baskets, saws, pliers, levels, cement mixers, etc. This type of construction is generally designed for its final constructed size, but usually the final size is fulfilled in a later stage, as an extension of the original construction. Sometimes the owner also builds additional parts, generally without any professional input.

Construction issues

Is this construction type address by codes/standards?: Yes

Applicable codes or standards: Yes, the 1951 Building Code of the Province of San Juan, Earthquake-proof Norms Concar 70, Argentinean Earthquake-proof Norms 80 and 1990 INPRES CIRSOC Norms.

Process for building code enforcement: The provincial authorities approve the design and controls the construction process. To start the process of construction it is necessary to have the approval of the general and structure plans, the electrical wiring plans, plumbing, and gas plans. This approval is provided by the Provincial Authorities. A construction license provided by the Municipal Authorities is also required.

Are building permits required?: Yes

Is this typically informal construction?: Yes

Is this construction typically authorized as per development control rules?: Yes

Additional comments on building permits and development control rules:

Typical problems associated with this type of construction: The only problems associated with this type of construction are the considerable dispersion in the quality of the concrete blocks used and the common lack of maintenance in this type of construction. The quality of the blocks is controlled by means of standardized trials.

Who typically maintains buildings of this type?: Owner(s)

Additional comments on maintenance and building condition: Usually, it is the owner who maintains the building, but little or no maintenance is done.

Unit construction cost: Unit construction cost per m2 of built-up area is approx. US$ 250. This price includes the entire needs of the construction.

Labor requirements: To start the process of construction it is necessary to have the approval of the general and structure plans, the electrical wiring plans, plumbing, and gas plans. This approval is provided by the Provincial Authorities. A construction license provided by the Municipal Authorities is also required. This type of building will need approx. 4 months to complete the construction.

This type of building will need approx. 4 months to complete the construction. Workmen must satisfy minimum requirements like some expertise in the making of concrete, bond-beams, tie-columns, slabs cement mortars, and joists as well as in the construction of block masonry walls.

Additional comments section 3:

Damage patterns observed in past earthquakes for this construction type: In the Capital city of San Juan, located about 100 km from the epicenter, the intensity was between VII and VIII. The buildings of this construction type sustained the earthquake without serious damage.

Additional comments on earthquake damage patterns: During the earthquake of 1977 in Caucete, in the capital city of San Juan, located about 100 km from the epicenter, the intensity was between VII and VIII. The buildings of this construction type sustained no serious damage.

The main reference publication used in developing the statements used in this table is FEMA 310 Handbook for the Seismic Evaluation of Buildings-A Pre-standard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, D.C., 1998.

The total width of door and window openings in a wall is: For brick masonry construction in cement mortar : less than ½ of the distance between the adjacent cross walls; For adobe masonry, stone masonry and brick masonry in mud mortar: less than 1/3 of the distance between the adjacent cross walls; For precast concrete wall structures: less than 3/4 of the length of a perimeter wall.

Vertical irregularities typically found in this construction type: Other

Horizontal irregularities typically found in this construction type: Other

Seismic deficiency in walls: In general, this type of building has no seismic deficiencies, except when the construction is not controlled by an official organization.

Seismic deficiency in frames: Generally without seismic deficiencies.

Seismic deficiency in roof and floors: No seismic deficiencies.

For information about how seismic vulnerability ratings were selected see the Seismic Vulnerability Guidelines

The 1951 Building Code of the Province of San Juan

Inter-relations between Architectural Design and Structural Design in High Seismic Risk Areas : Building Level - San Juan San Juan, Argentina 1989

Earthquake-proof Norms Concar 70