Maintaining the static situation of a hospital after the occurrence of an earthquake is inadequate for keeping the crucial condition stable enough, it must also be kept serviceable and continuously operative for general use. Large longitudinal and diagonal cracks in the partition walls and their detachment from the structural components are the most common damages caused by an earthquake. Considering the diversity of the existing walls and the multiplicity if the criteria, making an inclusive decision for choosing the most practical wall which considers all the relevant factors seems necessary. Therefore, Analytical Hierarchy Process method was used for analysis in this paper. This method is compatible with multiple criteria and decision making goals. Using this method, different types of suitable walls for hospitals in seismic areas have been prioritized according to the relevant criteria. Required data have been studied using questionnaires and numerical modeling.
The partition walls which were evaluated in this study include: 3D-panels, drywalls, cement blocks containing lightweight expanded clay aggregate (leca), Autoclaved aerated concrete.
The gained results of this study indicate that the drywalls can be used as an appropriate alternative to other materials in hospital construction in order to achieve a safe and earthquake resistant structure.