Earthquake protection: how to choose reliable property

The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February 2023 shocked the entire world. Many experts began to criticize the quality of housing being built in Turkey, which folded like cardboard during strong tremors. Particular attention to the quality of construction began to be paid in Georgia, neighboring Turkey, where construction has been developing very strongly in recent years.

Seismic resistance of Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio. Aqua

Many facilities under construction undergo expert testing for seismic stability. The 20-storey Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio hotel Aqua also passed such a test. The unique object will be only one of four in the Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio hotel complex. Also, family residences and townhouses with stunning views of the Black Sea and mountains will be built on the territory of the complex.

Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio. Aqua is designed in accordance with the norms and requirements for the development of high-rise residential buildings, which creates high protection against earthquakes with an average of 8 points. It should be noted that in Adjara, where the complex is located, the average seismic activity does not exceed 4.5 points.

Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio. Aqua passed an expert assessment and received a positive opinion from the mayor’s office of the Batumi municipality, which checked the project for compliance with building codes.

Who carried out the review

• Member of the Engineering Academy, Doctor of Geological Sciences Tariel Tuskia.
• Doctor of Technical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Georgian Engineering Academy, Member of the Japan Geotechnical Association, Professor Teimuraz Kikava.
• Candidate of Sciences of the Technical University of Georgia, architect-expert Beka Toidze.
• Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Revaz Kakhidze.

Technical requirements the building meets

• The use of space-planning solutions that ensure symmetry in terms of and height of the structure: uniform distribution of its mass and stiffeners.

• The building has been designed taking into account the allowable ratios of width and height.

• The foundation of the building is made in the form of a solid slab 1.5 m thick on a compacted base with a depth of 4.5 m relative to the ground level.

• Stiffness cores are designed that perceive seismic and dynamic loads.

What is a stiffness core

What is a stiffness core and why should it be installed? This one of the main elements of the building creates its stability and maintains the safety of the entire structure. Such a “spine” of the building protects from external influences of strong winds, earthquakes, etc.

In the construction of skyscrapers, the creation of a stiffening core is especially important, because each new floor can only be built after the entire building has been strengthened.

In monolithic and frame buildings, the core of stiffness includes load-bearing wall structures, stairwells and elevator shafts. In this case, the flights of stairs are closed and symmetrical. All vertical supporting structures that are subject to horizontal loads: stiffening cores, diaphragm walls and columns – are designed to be continuous from the foundation to the top of the building. The vertical reinforcement of the walls is securely anchored in the foundation slab.

The floors of the building are made in the form of rigid horizontal disks connected to the vertical structures of the building. They can redistribute the horizontal seismic load between them. Partitions are made of ceramic blocks and are reinforced every 4 rows to ensure rigidity, and are also anchored to the supporting structures of the building.

Review results

Therefore, the hotel under construction in Gonio complies with all modern building safety standards in a seismically active zone. Experienced experts confirmed the reliability and strength of the structures under construction, the high quality of materials, and the effectiveness of the engineering solution.