Vector-Valued Intensity Measures Based on Spectral Shape to Predict Seismic Fragility Surfaces in Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Abstract

Although some studies have been conducted to compute fragility surfaces of buildings using vector-valued seismic intensity measures (IMs), in all the cases, the first component of the vector usually is the spectral acceleration at first mode of vibration of the structure Sa(T1). In this study, fragility surfaces of three reinforced concrete buildings (RCB) subjected to narrow-band ground motions obtained from soft soil of Mexico City are computed considering vector-valued IMs based not only on Sa(T1), but also the velocity V(T1), pseudo-velocity Sv(T1), and normalized input energy by the mass EI/m(T1) as the first component. As second component of the vector-valued IMs, the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA), Peak Ground Velocity (PGV), effective duration (tD), earthquake damage potential (ID) and four Np spectral shape-based parameters obtained through spectral acceleration (NpSa), velocity (NpV), pseudo-velocity (NpSv), and input energy (NpEI) have been analyzed. In order to obtain fragility surfaces, Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) was applied. It is observed that those vector-valued IMs based on the spectral shape proxies were more efficient to predict the probability of failure of RCB. For this reason, it is important to consider spectral shape vector-valued IMs in order to reduce uncertainty in the structural response of buildings under earthquakes. Thus, the use of two parameters instead of a single intensity measure improves the efficiency. Moreover, the fragility surfaces can be used for the seismic risk evaluation of buildings.

Keywords

• vector-valued seismic intensity measures
• spectral shape
• structural response
• seismic performance
• probability of failure
• fragility surfaces