Related Effort - Seismic Performance and Loss Assessment

Project Title

The proposed project aims to evaluate the seismic performance and loss of a set of reinforced concrete frame system archetypes designed and detailed as per current New Zealand design standards. The intent of this evaluation is to establish a benchmark performance that can be used for efficient decision making on adequacy of current design standards and appropriateness of available performance assessment strategies of existing structures. In addition, the losses expected to structural and nonstructural components due to various hazard levels are estimated and compared to quantify the importance of nonstructural components and contents in a resilient design. A performance-based earthquake engineering framework is utilized while the seismic hazard analyses, nonlinear dynamic structural response simulations, damage analyses related to structural and nonstructural components and contents and loss estimation are all integrated considering a probabilistic framework. Archetypes considered represent a wide range of building occupancies, configurations, seismic design categories and design decisions. Results of this investigation are presented in terms of direct structural and nonstructural repair costs, business interruption and occupant injuries and causalities. These metrics provide valuable information regarding the performance expected from New Zealand code-conforming reinforced concrete moment frame systems which can be used by high-level authorities, insurance companies, engineering communities and property owners.