Evaluating the vulnerabilities of reinforced concrete frame buildings to seismic actions in a case study

Reinforced concrete buildings, even more than masonry structures, can exhibit evident structural vulnerabilities in the presence of seismic excitation. These vulnerabilities can significantly compromise the stability and load-bearing capacity of existing reinforced concrete buildings, especially those constructed in earlier periods. The minimum performance requirements of the structural system components, mandated at the time of construction, were indeed different from the current building codes and regulations.