Abstract:Recently based in the performance of tunnels under seismic movements a good progress is made in the seismic design of tunnels. The majority of problems in the tunnel structures take place in near fault conditions and in the case of great variation of rock properties. Not having a previous experience in the seismic design of the tunnels that pass through tectonic zones with very large heterogeneity (strong rock-soil or very poor rock that behaves like soil) this article presents the general aspects of seismic calculation of tunnels and application in a specific example. The article presents the methods of seismic input modeling, design and particularities of numerical calculations. The geological conditions in which the case study tunnel will be constructed are very common in Albanian territory and represent one of the most difficult cases for the construction of road tunnels. The applied approach for using the longitudinal models for generating time histories of acceleration that can be used as input for transversal models is very simple and will help the designers for the seismic analysis of other tunnels that will be constructed in Albania.

Many buildings in Albania continue to be designed with the old national standards which are not renewed for more than 30 years. So even the buildings are designed and constructed in recent years. If they are designed according to European Codes for design on earthquake areas, they will be heavily damaged or collapsed. The article gives the analysis and design for adopting a reinforced concrete structure built several years ago with new European Codes that in the near future will become effective even in our country. Initially the article describes the conditions of the existing structure and after that gives the performed nonlinear analysis (adaptive pushover) and structural measures suitable for this type of structure. The analyzed structure is very common in Albania and this study gives recommendations for the methodology of design and the most appropriate strategy of retrofitting these kinds of structures in order to achieve the required level of performance and increase their level of security based on European Codes.

Architectural form is often used but less frequently defined. Architectural form is an inclusive term that refers primarily to a building's external outline or shape, and to a lesser degree references its internal organization and unifying principles. Shape encompasses various visual and relational properties; namely size, color and texture, position, orientation and visual inertia. Form is therefore generally and primarily understood as the shape or three dimensional massing, but also encompasses additional architectural aspects including structural configuration and form, in so far as they may organize and unify an architectural design.