The equal displacement approximation is a well-known procedure for estimating the non-linear behavior of structures subjected to earthquake ground motions. This procedure plays a significant role in current seismic design, since it constitutes the basic assumption for defining strength reduction factors. In this paper, calculation of the performance point based on this rule is used to estimate engineering demand parameters such as those obtained by advanced probabilistic non-linear dynamic analysis, NLDA. We present a modification to the classic approach, to improve the predictability of the equal displacement rule. Uncertainties in seismic action and structural properties are considered. Mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings will be used as a testbed. To obtain a representative sample of buildings for statistical analysis, we describe the development through implementation of a numerical tool for calculating probabilistic NLDA. This tool, which is expected to evolve into interoperable software for assessing the seismic risk of structures, is developed within the framework of the KaIROS project. The results presented in this paper could be used to estimate the seismic risk of structures in a very simplified manner.
We analyze the case of a building that collapsed in a multifamily complex of Tlalpan borough in Mexico City during the 19 September 2017 Central Mexico earthquake. Despite having similar materials and similar structural and geometric properties, this was the only building that collapsed in the complex. A structural analysis of the building and a study of the soils' predominant periods indicated that resonance effects, if any, would not be significant. However, phenomena related to the anomalous performance of buildings in dense urban areas, such as geological soil, soil-structure interaction, and soil-city interaction effects were also investigated. A detailed analysis of the directionality of seismic actions recorded at nearby accelerometric stations and of the azimuths of sound and damaged buildings pointed to directionality effects as responsible for the collapse of the building. Subsequently, a set of fifty-eight, two-component acceleration records of the earthquake in the city was used to perform a thorough directionality analysis. The results were then compared with the foreseen uniform hazard response spectra and the design spectra in the city. Seismic actions in the city due to this earthquake were stronger than those corresponding to the uniform hazard response spectra. In addition, although design spectra have been significantly improved in the new 2017 Mexican seismic regulations, they were exceeded in eleven of the fifty-eight analyzed spectra. In four of these eleven cases, the design spectra were exceeded due to directionality effects. These results confirm the necessity of considering directionality effects in damage assessments, in strong motion prediction equations, and in design regulations. * Definitions apply for peak ground acceleration (PGA) and for response spectral accelerations, Sa (T), which are functions of the period, T, of vibration.
In this paper, remote and in situ techniques to estimate the dynamic response of a building to ambient vibration are reported: data acquired through a real-aperture radar (RAR) interferometer and conventional accelerometers are analyzed. A five-story reinforced concrete housing building, which was damaged during the May 11th 2011 Lorca (Spain) earthquake, is used as a case study. The building was monitored using both types of instruments. The dynamic properties of the building are estimated first taking acceleration measurements using a set of 10 high-precision accelerometers installed on the roof of the building. Further, the displacement–time histories, recorded with the RAR device pointing to a corner of the building, are analyzed. Then, the ability and shortcomings of RAR measurements to deal with the fundamental frequencies of vibration of the structure are investigated. The advantages and limitations of from-inside (accelerometric) and from-outside (RAR) measurements are highlighted and discussed. A relevant conclusion is that, after strong earthquakes, RAR may be an interesting and useful tool, as it allows surveying the structural response of mid-rise buildings remotely, without the need to enter the structures, which may be dangerous for inspectors or technicians in cases of severely damaged buildings. Given that the instrumented building suffered significant damage, the ability of these kinds of measurements to detect damage is also discussed.
The use of sensors to obtain the dynamic properties of structures by means of ambient vibrations has become a common practice. However, conventional and more extensively used methods require the installation of sensors, which should be in contact with the structure. These methods could be even risky in case of structures weakened by a hazardous event, for which the risk of collapse is unknown. In this study, two main subjects are analyzed and discussed. The former is related to the use of the Real-Aperture Radar (RAR) as a non-invasive, remote sensing interferometric method to measure the vibration response to ambient noise of buildings. As a test bed, two high-rise regular buildings with reinforced concrete frames (8-story) and steel frames (12-story), located in Barcelona, Spain, are analyzed. Notice that the RAR device is a sensor using the principle of interferometry to measure displacements. This type of sensors has exhibited a good performance in urban environments at different atmospheric, meteorological and lighting conditions, compared to other types of remote sensors (e.g. Laser Doppler). Another advantage is that RAR devices have a very good resolution and they can operate at great distances from the object to be measured. However, so far, RAR is rarely used in buildings, being still a poorly studied technique. The latter subject is related to the optimal post-processing of the acquired data. At this respect, the Power Spectral Density (PSD) signal-processing technique is used to process the signals acquired. From this analysis, the predominant periods of the analyzed buildings were obtained and then they were compared with those periods obtained from measurements of accelerometers located inside the structures. The results indicate that the use of RAR can be a reliable alternative to estimate the structural periods in a relatively simple and non-invasive manner.
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