6. General design of earthquake-resistant steel-frame buildings

6.1 Stiffness and weight

The design of a steel project must take advantage of the flexibility and reduced mass of this type of framework.

Because of the material's high mechanical properties, steel projects are comparatively the most flexible and lightweight structures. More flexible structures require less effort when shaken by an earthquake. Lighter structures also require less effort, as the forces generated by an earthquake are inertial forces, a function of the structure's mass