Southern and southeastern Kazakhstan is a region of intraplate seismicity characterized by several destructive earthquakes. Almaty, the largest metropolis in this region, has many structures with different construction materials and seismic-resistant systems. Among them, residential buildings constructed in the Soviet Union era (before the 1990s) may possess low seismic resisting capacities due to limited seismic design and detailing provisions. Therefore, it is essential to assess seismic risks for these buildings. This paper collected information from a government agency (i.e., KazNIISA), including construction materials, lateral force-resisting systems, and structural ductility capacities for residential buildings constructed in this era. These buildings were then categorized in terms of their seismic vulnerabilities following the European Macro-seismic Scale (EMS-98). Vulnerability curves and probability of damages were developed under different earthquake intensities and peak ground accelerations. The likelihood of varying levels of damage was established for the design basis and maximum considered earthquakes in the Almaty region. It was found that unreinforced masonry and wood buildings tend to be very heavily damaged and even collapse under the maximum considered earthquake. The reinforced and precast concrete buildings have a high probability of heavy to very heavy damage, which may require further analytical assessment since the structure at this damage level will undergo a significant nonlinear response and has a high uncertainty in the seismic performance.

Since 2015 the transition from the traditional seismic design regulation to the newly developed code of practice has been initiated in Kazakhstan. The introduced regulatory system involves the application of the European approach for the seismic design of buildings and structures on the territory of Kazakhstan. This study aims to present a comparative analysis of seismic design codes applied in Kazakhstan (i.e., SP RK 5.01-102-2013* Foundations of Buildings and Structures and SP RK 2.03-30-2017* Construction in Seismic Regions) and SP RK EN 1998-5:2004/2012 Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance, identical to Eurocode 8 (EC8). One of the critical aspects of the research investigates the difficulties of integrating European design standards into the local regulatory system. The necessity of applying the European approach considering the geotechnical features of the country provided in the National Annex (NA) is defined and proved. The designed codes of practice are also compared in terms of conservativeness, when considering a design problem verifying the seismic bearing capacity of a shallow foundation in Almaty city.

Kazakhstan has implemented the transition to new building design standards SR RK EN, identical to the Eurocodes, with National Appendices. At the moment, in Kazakhstan, in the field of seismic design, two regulatory documents coexist in parallel. These are SP RK 2.03-30-2017* "Construction in seismic zones" and SP RK EN 1998-1:2004/2012 "Design of earthquake-resistant structures. Part 1. General rules, seismic effects and rules for buildings" and scientific and technical manuals for them. According to 1.4(5) SP RK EN 1990:2002+A1:2005/2011 (the main fundamental document of the Eurocodes), alternative design rules that differ from the EN 1990 rules, may be used if the alternative rules are consistent with the fundamental principles and ensure structural safety, serviceability and durability at least equivalent to those provided for in the Eurocodes. This paper compares the results of calculations of moment reinforced concrete frames of frame buildings obtained according to the design standards SP RK 2.03-30-2017* and SP RK EN 1998-1 to verify the compliance of SP RK 2.03-30-2017* with clause 1.4(5) of SP RK EN 1990. The objective of this study is to compare the results of three-dimensional structural analyses performed in accordance with the provisions of SP RK 2.03-30-2017* with the requirements of Clause 1.4(5) of SP RK EN 1990, based on a comparative assessment of the calculation results for reinforced concrete moment-resisting frame buildings designed according to the current and the new regulatory frameworks. The calculation methodology is based on the numerical modeling of a three-dimensional reinforced concrete frame structure, followed by a comparative analysis of stiffness characteristics, displacements, internal forces, and design parameters of structural elements obtained in accordance with SP RK 2.03-30-2017* and SP RK EN 1998-1. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive evaluation of the equivalence of the current and the newly adopted seismic design codes as applied to reinforced concrete frame buildings. The findings contribute to the assessment of the consistency between the existing national seismic design provisions and the Eurocode-based regulatory framework and provide a basis for the further improvement and harmonization of seismic design standards in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In the Republic of Kazakhstan, a transition has been implemented to new structural design standards, SP RK EN, which are harmonized with the Eurocodes and include National Annexes. At present, in the field of seismic design in Kazakhstan, two regulatory documents coexist in parallel: SP RK 2.03-30-2017* “Construction in Seismic Regions” and SP RK EN 1998-1:2004/2012 “Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance. Part 1: General Rules, Seismic Actions and Rules for Buildings,” along with their respective Scientific and Technical Guidelines (STGs). According to Clause 1.4(5) of SP RK EN 1990:2002+A1:2005/2011 (the fundamental basis of the Eurocode system), alternative design rules differing from those specified in EN 1990 may be applied, provided that such alternative rules comply with the fundamental principles and ensure structural safety, serviceability, and durability at least equivalent to those required by the Eurocodes. This study compares the results of analyses of reinforced steel moment-resisting frames of frame-type buildings, obtained using the design provisions of SP RK 2.03-30-2017* and SP RK EN 1998-1, in order to verify the compliance of SP RK 2.03-30-2017* with Clause 1.4(5) of SP RK EN 1990. The objective of this study is to assess the compliance of the requirements of SP RK 2.03-30-2017* with the provisions of Clause 1.4(5) of SP RK EN 1990 through a comparative analysis of the results of three-dimensional structural analysis of steel moment-resisting frame buildings performed in accordance with the current national design code and the new Eurocode-based regulatory documents. The study is based on the numerical modeling of a three-dimensional steel frame using two design approaches, namely the current national code and the newly adopted Eurocode-based standards. A comparative evaluation of structural displacements, internal forces, stiffness characteristics, and the principal design parameters of the load-bearing frame elements was carried out. The obtained results make it possible to determine the degree of agreement between the structural response predicted by SP RK 2.03-30-2017* and SP RK EN 1998-1, as well as to evaluate the applicability of the national code as an alternative design approach for buildings located in seismic regions. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive comparative assessment of the equivalence of the new regulatory framework for the three-dimensional analysis of steel frame buildings subjected to seismic loading. The findings provide a scientific basis for the further harmonization and updating of Kazakhstan's national seismic design standards in accordance with the Eurocodes and contribute to the improvement of engineering practices for earthquake-resistant structural design.