A Model for Buildings' Vulnerability Assessment Using the Parameterless Scale of Seismic Intensity (PSI)

After the earthquake of 1980 in Irpinia the Italian Government promoted a damage survey, with the cooperation of researchers of the “Progetto Finalizzato Geodinamica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche PFG-CNR.” The data of the damage survey have been used in several studies during previous years, and in the present work they have been elaborated on with the aim of assessing a value of the seismic excitation in each administrative unit according to the Parameterless Scale of Seismic Intensity (PSI) (Spence et al., 1991). The PSI intensities are in good correlation with the values of the MSK scale: for each degree of the latter, the PSI intensity, a continuous variable, shows a spectrum of values. At the same time, a model for damage prediction has been identified, where the frequency of a damage degree in a territorial unit is a function of PSI. The proposed damage prediction model has been compared with the Damage Probability Matrix method and the range of variation of the losses evaluated in scenario analyses at the National Seismic Survey has been estimated.

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Comparison of macroseismic-intensity scales by considering empirical observations of structural seismic damage

Earthquake Spectra ◽

10.1177/8755293020944174 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 875529302094417

Author(s):

Siqi Li ◽

Yongsheng Chen ◽

Tianlai Yu

Keyword(s):

Structural Damage ◽

Damage Index ◽

Seismic Damage ◽

Seismic Intensity ◽

Calculation Model ◽

Macroseismic Intensity ◽

Intensity Scale ◽

Failure Characteristics ◽

Damage Survey ◽

Seismic Engineering

In practice, seismic intensity is evaluated in accordance with a macroseismic-intensity scale recognized in the field of seismic engineering globally. The application of different seismic-intensity scales to evaluate the seismic damage of a specific structure due to an earthquake yields diverse results. On this basis, this study compared a few extensively used macroseismic-intensity scales. The results can be used as a reference to develop an international intensity scale. According to empirical structural-damage survey data from the Wenchuan earthquake (Mw = 8.0) that occurred on 12 May 2008 in China, the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS)-98, Medvedev, Sponheuer, and Karnik (MSK)-81, and Chinese Seismic Intensity Scale (CSIS)-08 intensity scales were utilized to evaluate the resulting damage. This study carried out a vulnerability analysis of typical structures, established vulnerability seismic-damage matrices, and mapped out vulnerability curves under different intensities. Our objective is to demonstrate that the use of multiple intensity scales can lead to very different intensity levels. The differences in the damage of typical structures under different intensity levels were obtained from an evaluation using the three aforementioned intensity scales. As a result, a calculation model of the mean damage index is proposed herein. Ultimately, this article conducted an analysis on the failure characteristics of typical structures in an earthquake and provided effective measures to improve seismic performance for future reference.

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SEISMIC DAMAGE PREDICTION OF OLD JAPANESE-STYLE WOODEN HOUSE USING PREDOMINANT PERIOD DISTRIBUTION OF GROUND SURFACE LAYER

Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction ◽

10.14455/isec.res.2016.139 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Tomiya Takatani ◽

Hayato Nishikawa

Keyword(s):

Earthquake Engineering ◽

Strong Earthquake ◽

Ground Surface ◽

Seismic Damage ◽

Seismic Intensity ◽

Earthquake Ground Motion ◽

Accurate Estimation ◽

Weighting Method ◽

Damage Prediction ◽

Wooden House

In general, the evaluation of a site amplification effect is very important in earthquake engineering when a seismic damage to wooden house with a low seismic performance against a strong earthquake will be predicted by an accurate estimation of the seismic intensity at surface ground. In this paper, both horizontal and vertical microtremors at 51 measuring sites in the west district in Maizuru city were measured by servo type accelerometers, and also the predominant periods at 727 sites in the same area were numerically estimated from the predominant periods measured at 51 sites using the Inverse Distance Weighting method. Moreover, a seismic damage prediction of wooden house against a strong earthquake ground motion was conducted by a relationship between a seismic damage function and a maximum drift angle of wooden house.

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