Damage from 20th century earthquakes in eastern Canada and seismic vulnerability of unreinforced masonry buildings

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Bruneau ◽  
Maurice Lamontagne
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Unreinforced Masonry ◽  
Masonry Buildings ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Modes Of Failure ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
Engineering Significance

This paper has been prepared as a reminder of past damaging earthquakes in eastern Canada and as a testimony of the damage suffered; isoseismal maps of five selected eastern Canadian earthquakes are presented as well as illustrations of their effects. Although features of the four older historical events reviewed herein are reasonably well documented (although not to present standards), data of engineering significance needed to perform accurate seismic-resistance evaluations have been for the most part lost owing to the time elapsed. Hence, the damage examples presented herein should not be construed as a comprehensive survey but rather as a sampling of noteworthy failures. Since most of the structural damage produced by these earthquakes was suffered by unreinforced masonry buildings, an overview of the seismic risks they constitute and their main modes of failure is presented. The first step of a coordinated seismic risk reduction plan is also formulated; its application is recommended for the mitigation of economic and human losses in future eastern Canadian earthquakes. Key words: case histories, earthquakes, eastern Canada, seismic risk reduction plan, structural damage, unreinforced masonry buildings.

scholarly journals Geotechnical Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Puerto Vallarta, México

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian R Escudero ◽  
Alejandro Ramirez Gaytan ◽  
Araceli Zamora Camacho ◽  
Adolfo Preciado ◽  
Karen L. Flores ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resonance Frequency ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Standard Penetration Test ◽  
Masonry Buildings ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Confined Masonry

Abstract We performed a seismic vulnerability assessment that involves geotechnical and building structure analysis for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a city located along the pacific coast. Like many other Latin American cities, has significant seismic risk. We implemented the multi-channel analysis of surface waves and the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio methods to estimate shear wave velocity and soil resonance frequency. We considered standard penetration test to determine the penetration resistance and soil classification. We also defined building typologies based on construction materials and structural systems. The VS30 parameter shows that Puerto Vallarta has the three poorest soil classifications. The resonance frequency parameter shows four zones with different fundamental soil periods. We inferred the building's vulnerability from the coupling between the structural and soil fundamental period and the soil characteristics. The analysis shows several vulnerable buildings scatters within the city, e.g., within the tourist area, confined masonry buildings from one to five stories and moment resistance frame buildings up to 12 in the tourist area, poorly confined masonry houses of one to two stories, and confined masonry buildings of one to five stories in the residential/commercial. We present an approach that combines the academic and government to solve a real and transcendental problem since it might directly affect the regulation and structure evaluations in the area. We are sure that these exercises are of great interest in urban growth areas in other parts of the world, especially in Latin America, to achieve seismic risk mitigation.

Seismic assessment and improvement of unreinforced stone masonry buildings

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Giaretton ◽  
Dmytro Dizhur ◽  
Francesca Da Porto ◽  
Jason M. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Unreinforced Masonry ◽  
Seismic Assessment ◽  
Stone Masonry ◽  
Minor Amount ◽  
Assessment Procedure ◽  
Masonry Buildings ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
A Minor

Following the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes considerable effort was applied to the task of developing industry guidance for the seismic assessment, repair and strengthening of unreinforced masonry buildings. The recently updated “Section 10” of NZSEE 2006 is one of the primary outputs from these efforts, in which a minor amount of information is introduced regarding vintage stone unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. Further information is presented herein to extend the resources readily available to New Zealand practitioners regarding load-bearing stone URM buildings via a literature review of the traditional European approach to this topic and its applicability to the New Zealand stone URM building stock. An informative background to typical stone URM construction is presented, including population, geometric, structural and material characteristics. The European seismic vulnerability assessment procedure is then reported, explaining each step in sequence of assessment by means of preliminary inspection (photographic, geometric, structural and crack pattern surveys) and investigation techniques, concluding with details of seismic improvement interventions. The challenge in selecting the appropriate intervention for each existing URM structure is associated with reconciling the differences between heritage conservation and engineering perspectives to reinstating the original structural strength. Traditional and modern techniques are discussed herein with the goal of preserving heritage values and ensuring occupant safety. A collection of Annexes are provided that summarise the presented information in terms of on-site testing, failure mechanisms and seismic improvement.

scholarly journals Probabilistic Seismic Assessment of Existing Masonry Buildings

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pietro Croce ◽  
Filippo Landi ◽  
Paolo Formichi
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Performance ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Response Surfaces ◽  
Masonry Buildings ◽  
Risk Indices ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Probabilistic Seismic Assessment

The evaluation of seismic performance of existing masonry buildings is a critical issue in assessing the seismic vulnerability of the built environment. With this aim, non-linear static analysis is commonly used, but results are influenced significantly by the collapse criteria adopted, as well as by the assumptions about material properties and drift capacity of masonry walls. A methodology for the probabilistic assessment of the seismic risk index is proposed by means of an original non-linear pushover type algorithm developed by the authors. The main sources of uncertainties related to masonry parameters and their influence on seismic risk indices are identified by means of sensitivity analysis. Response surfaces for the seismic risk indices are thus defined through general polynomial chaos expansion in order to quantify the uncertainties in the resulting seismic risk index. Finally, a seismic performance classification is presented to help stakeholders to manage risks and define priorities for seismic retrofit. The methodology together with the outcomes is illustrated for a set of existing masonry buildings that are part of the school system in the Municipality of Florence.

Traditional techniques on masonry buildings that improve performance under seismic risk

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Mascarenhas ◽  
Lurdes Belgas ◽  
Fernando G. Branco
Keyword(s):  
Reinforced Concrete ◽  
Seismic Hazard ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Masonry Buildings ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Construction Methods ◽  
Mainland Portugal ◽  
Original Construction ◽  
Legal Procedures

<p>Some regions of mainland Portugal, especially the southern region, are exposed to considerable seismic hazard. There is also a wide variety of building typologies, including structures of masonry and wood, masonry and reinforced concrete and reinforced concrete built in different times and with different degrees of seismic vulnerability. In the last few years, there was a significant growth in the number of building rehabilitation projects in historic centres of Portuguese cities. Some of these interventions are founded on well-conceived projects which take into account the date of construction and the original construction methods and materials, however, there are somewhat legal procedures which seriously undermine the safety of renovated buildings decreasing their seismic performance. This paper illustrates some provisions on traditional building techniques that ensure a better performance of buildings during an earthquake. It also points out and illustrates some of the major mistakes in building rehabilitation that contribute to increase their seismic vulnerability.</p>

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