Comparativa de los Sistemas Estructurales Empleados en Edificaciones de Colombia y República Dominicana

Abstract

The Dominican Republic is an island nation in the Caribbean that occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, sharing the western portion with Haiti. Due to its geographical location, the country is characterized by high seismic activity; additionally, wind loads must be considered, as hurricanes and tropical storms are prevalent, requiring designs to account for both seismic and wind loads simultaneously. In contrast, Colombia—with its diverse geography comprising Andean, coastal, and foothill regions—categorizes areas based on low, intermediate, and high seismic hazard levels, as mapped in Figure A.2.3-1 of the NSR-10 code.

The academic mission to the Dominican Republic—specifically to Santo Domingo—focused on visits to iconic sites of structural significance. These visits enabled the identification of the various structural systems employed in the country. Furthermore, as part of the scheduled activities, a presentation was held at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) with faculty members and structural engineering experts, covering structural typologies and the regulations used in the country.

The project methodology is strictly observational and descriptive, as no modeling or functional analysis of the structures found in the Dominican Republic was performed. The study involves a review of Colombia’s NSR-10 standards and the Dominican Republic’s R-001 code. The expected outcome is a comparative matrix highlighting differences in construction typologies. The project’s relevance lies in examining how two countries located in high seismic hazard zones respond with distinct structural solutions tailored to local conditions. The literature review and comparison will provide a starting point for students or professionals interested in studying and implementing practices appropriate to each country, thereby contributing to improvements in addressing the natural phenomenon of earthquakes.