In the city of Almaty, a complete certification of the housing stock of multi-apartment buildings was carried out for the first time. A total of over 10 thousand buildings were inspected. The structure of the housing stock was revealed, with groups of buildings identified based on design solutions and reliability assessment. Based on the certification results, quantitative assessments of the failure probability values for various types of buildings were obtained for the first time. Formulas for assessing the quantitative value of seismic risk were obtained. The results of seismic vulnerability assessment using the classification of buildings according to the European macroseismic scale EMS-98 and the seismic scale MSK-64(K) used in the Republic of Kazakhstan are presented. The obtained results are compared. The number of multi-story residential buildings of various design types located on tectonic faults was identified. Based on global statistical data, the number of people killed in a design earthquake was assessed. An integral assessment of the reliability (probability of failure-free operation) of the multi-story housing stock of Almaty was obtained. It was shown that the demolition of non-earthquake-resistant wooden buildings will increase the overall reliability of a group of multi-story residential buildings by almost 15%. It has been established that the most dangerous buildings are those with external load-bearing walls and an internal frame; buildings with load-bearing walls made of brickwork and precast reinforced concrete floors; buildings with a height of 2 or more floors with load-bearing walls made of brickwork and wooden floors; single-storey buildings with load-bearing walls made of brickwork. The results of the quantitative assessment of seismic risk values can be used to develop rational urban development schemes and economic assessment of the territory used.

The aim of this study is to determine the reliability level (the probability of failure-free operation) of a masonry building with load-bearing walls based on the conducted experimental investigations. The objective of the study is to compare the obtained reliability and failure risk values with the corresponding values calculated using the results of the structural certification. In 2017–2018, and subsequently in 2023–2024, a comprehensive structural certification of the multi-apartment residential building stock was carried out for the first time in the city of Almaty. A total of 1609 multi-story masonry buildings with heights of two to four stories were identified. Based on the certification results, quantitative estimates of the prior and posterior probabilities of failure and reliability for masonry buildings were obtained for the first time. The recurrence of earthquakes was taken into account. The novelty of the study lies in the experimental investigation of a three-story masonry building of series 308. The dynamic excitation was generated by an inertial vibration machine installed on the floor slab. As the inertial load increased, the resonant vibration period changed by a factor of three. This indicates that the building underwent significantly nonlinear deformation. The structure sustained substantial damage. Using statistical simulation methods based on the experimental data, the prior probabilities of failure for masonry buildings were calculated. In this case, the seismic action was modeled as a non-stationary random process with the deterministic envelope proposed by F. F. Aptikaev. Probabilistic estimates of the reliability of masonry buildings were obtained from the certification results both with and without taking into account the recurrence of earthquakes. The obtained estimates of reliability and failure probability can be used to develop practical recommendations aimed at reducing risk and expected losses in the event of possible earthquakes. It is recommended that masonry buildings with load-bearing brick walls either be structurally strengthened or be demolished.

The paper presents the results of vibro-dynamic testing of a 6-story residential building constructed in an area with a seismic intensity of 10 points. The novelty of the study lies in the full-scale testing of a six-story monolithic building and the subsequent use of the test results to calculate reliability as the probability of failure-free performance. The results obtained make it possible to predict the behavior of the building under seismic action. Structurally, the investigated building is a spatial cross-wall system. The basement and above-ground floors are made of monolithic reinforced concrete structures. The dynamic loading is generated by an inertial vibration machine. Vibration measurements were carried out using a digital instrumentation and measurement system. It is shown that the building deforms nonlinearly. The stiffness of the “test object–foundation” system decreased by a factor of 2.14 compared with its initial stiffness, while the stiffness of the object’s “structural system” decreased by a factor of 1.37. The dissipative forces of the building were studied. The logarithmic decrement of vibration was constant and equal to 0.46. The coefficient of nonlinearity changed approximately twofold. Based on experimental deformation diagrams, the reliability W (probability of failure-free operation) of the building was calculated. For this purpose, the statistical simulation method (Monte Carlo method) was applied. Reliability and failure values were obtained for three values of internal viscous friction. The accuracy of determining reliability and failure values was assessed by studying the convergence of the process with an increasing number of artificial accelerograms. The results allow the building to be considered seismically resistant at high acceleration values at the foundation.

The task is to determine the dynamic characteristics of a 35-storey monolithic building in the city of Almaty. Dynamic tests were performed using a V-3 inertial vibration machine installed on the building floor. Oscillations were recorded using a digital instrumentation system. The results of dynamic tests of a 35-storey building of a frame-wall structure (monolithic) were obtained. For the first time, vibration periods were obtained for the first three vibration forms of a high-rise building, respectively, 1.38 s; 0.38 s; 0.195 s. Values of accelerations are determined by 3 forms of oscillation of buildings, respectively, 0.016 g, 0.199 g, 0.240 g. Dissipative properties of a high-rise building were estimated (logarithmic decrement of oscillation by oscillation forms 0.08 – 0.22). Somewhat unexpected here was the relatively small magnitude of the logarithmic decrement of the first form – 0.08. The features of the building behavior under dynamic impacts and the assessment of the ability of floor disks to distribute horizontal seismic loads between vertical elements were studied. The RMS acceleration of the first three forms is 0.312 g. After vibration tests, no damage or cracks were noted in the bearing structures of the building. In some partitions, cracks with a small opening are noted, which are formed, as a rule, at the junction of non-bearing structures with bearing ones. Conclusions are drawn about the need to adjust regulatory documents in construction. The results of the work can be used in the design of high-rise monolithic buildings.

The 1960s to early 1990s marked a pivotal era in Kazakhstan’s mass housing history, particularly in Almaty, which was driven by a sector-wide policy shift toward apartment-based occupancy, regulated space standards, full utility provision, and organised residential courtyards. Large-panel buildings from this period still comprise over one-third of Almaty’s housing stock, yet their alignment with modern comfort standards remains understudied. This study establishes a historical periodisation of Almaty’s large-panel housing and assesses its comfort levels at apartment and built-environment scales. The two-part methodology combined a theoretical strand (comfort-level theory, literature review, historical retrospective, and periodisation) with an analytical strand (comparative graphical-analytical assessment of series 1Kz-464-AS, 1Kz-464-DS, 69, E-147 and 158), converging in a Basic–Supplementary–Advanced comfort classification. The results of the current study showed that three sub-periods emerged. Series 1Kz-464-AS and 1Kz-464-DS used a narrow-bay (2.6–3.2 m), economy-driven two-bay system with minimal zoning. Series 69 widened bays to 3.6–5.4 m, improving spatial comfort and utility provision. Series E-147 and 158 introduced a three-bay scheme with an added 2.1 m bay and raised ceilings (3.0 m), yielding the most flexible layouts. At the urban scale, microdistrict planning enlarged planning units by 7–10 times, preserved green connectivity through mid-rise buildings, and shielded courtyards using perimeter high-rises, supporting walkable, infrastructure-rich neighbourhoods. Apartment-scale comfort improved incrementally through bay widening rather than layout diversification, leaving persistent redevelopment constraints from panel structures. Built-environment comfort, however, reached a comparatively advanced, durable standard. Adaptive reuse should prioritise structural refurbishment, reduced occupancy density, courtyard–microdistrict continuity, and diversified public-space functions. This study’s results can inform renovation strategies for Soviet-era housing across post-Soviet cities.

On January 23, 2024, an earthquake of magnitude Mb =7.27 occurred in China. In Almaty city, it was registered by stations of the engineering and seismometric service of “KazRDICA” JSC and seismic stations of the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research. What is new is the analysis of instrumental data from seismic stations and the consequences for city buildings based on the results of sample surveys of 188 construction sites. It is established that the intensity of the seismic impact is not less than 5 points. There is no discernible effect of the presence of tectonic faults on the instrumental characteristics of seismic motion in the basement of the building (stations No. 17 ‘Novaya Ploshchad’ and No. 16 ‘Hotel’). At Station No. 3 “School”, abnormally high acceleration values of 88.46 cm/s² and 81.89 cm/s² were recorded at floor level. It was found that the horizontal components of the seismic response have a significant long-period component. There is a peak in the spectral curve at a period of approximately 0.9-1.0 seconds. Even with such an intensity of impact, non-load-bearing structural elements of the building were damaged, which leads to the need to incur financial costs for cosmetic repairs of buildings. An algorithm for carrying out repair and restoration work is presented. It has been established that this type of seismic impact poses a risk to high-rise buildings. Consequently, the earthquake was felt by residents of high-rise and multi-storey buildings. A detailed survey is recommended for a number of buildings, which entails additional costs. The results of the work are useful for understanding ways to solve the problems of earthquake-resistant construction using the results of an analysis of the effects of local earthquakes. It is shown that even with 5-6 magnitude earthquakes, the damage can be significant.