A Comprehensive Performance Improvement Design Method for a Steel Structure Kindergarten’s Seismic Resistance and Ultra-Low Energy Consumption

Given the critical requirements for both safety and comfort in kindergarten buildings, the seismic performance has been enhanced to ensure the structure remains undamaged under a moderate earthquake, while also incorporating design features for easier repair following a major seismic event. Based on a steel-structural ultra-low energy consumption kindergarten project in Beijing, a high-performance concrete steel bar truss floor system was adopted to enhance structural strength, thermal insulation, waterproofing, and durability. For seismic design, viscous dampers were incorporated. Through optimized layout of energy dissipation components, the stiffness and additional damping ratios were similar in both principal directions. The main structure achieved the performance objective of remaining undamaged under moderate earthquakes and being repairable following major earthquakes. As an ultra-low energy consumption building, the project required that the design method for its conventional envelope system be compatible with the required deformation capacity. To address this, basalt composite fiberintegrated exterior wall panels were employed. They offered a mere 30% of the weight of conventional systems with a compressive strength ranging from 200 to 400 MPa. They accommodated an inter-story drift ratio of 1/100, matching the seismic performance requirements of the building. Their thermal insulation performance also met the requirements of ultra-low energy consumption buildings, enabling the structure to remain functional and undamaged under moderate earthquakes. This paper investigates a dual-objective integrated design approach where the enhancement of seismic performance serves as the primary driver, aligned with the improvement of comfort performance.