SIMULATION-BASED FRAGILITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS

[JUANCM]

SIMULATION-BASED FRAGILITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS



By
THOMAS MICHAEL FRANKIE

THESIS
M.Sc. Civil Engineering
Gradutae College
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2010

Adviser:
Professor Amr S. Elnashai

ABSTRACT

Unreinforced masonry (URM) structures represent a significant portion of the residential building stock of the Central and Eastern United States (CEUSA), accounting for 15% of homes in the 8-state region impacted by the New-Madrid Seismic Zone and an even greater portion of the building stock in most other regions of the world. In addition to significant population, the brittle nature of URM buildings further supports a thorough consideration of seismic response given the susceptibility to severe failure modes. Currently, there is a pressing need for analytically based fragility curves for URM buildings. In order to improve the estimation of damage state probabilities through the development of simulation-based masonry fragilities, an extensive literature survey is conducted on pushover analysis of URM structures. Using this data, capacity diagrams are generated, from which damage exceedance limit states are defined.

Demand is simulated using synthetically derived accelerograms representative of the CEUSA. Structural response is evaluated using an advanced capacity spectrum method developed at the Mid-America Earthquake Center. Capacity, demand, and response are thus derived analytically and response data is used to generate an improved and uniform set of fragility curves for use in loss-assessment software via a framework amenable to rapid expansion of pushover database and variation of ground motion records. A set of best practices is hereby developed for selection and use of experimental and analytical data, input ground motions, analysis of structural capacity, limit state definitions, seismic design categories, and probabilistic analysis methods. Curves are expressed in multiple forms for wide range of use in loss-assessment applications. Results are discussed and compared with other relationships developed in the literature, along with those generated using HAZUS opinion-based capacity data. The parameters of the improved fragility relationships developed and presented in this thesis are provided and suggested for reliable use in seismic loss assessment software.

Code:

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