Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Hospital Buildings Using Rapid Visual Screening Method According to FEMA P-154 criteria and Iranian Code #364

Abstract

Earthquake is one of the natural disasters that have physical, economic and life-threatening outcomes. Therefore, in order to be prepared and reduce the risk before an earthquake occurs, the amount of damage and vulnerability assessments and planning are necessary. This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the seismic vulnerability of existing hospitals in Kabul City. In the present study, 23 hospitals that have 60 existing reinforced concrete buildings were assessed for seismic vulnerability using the Rapid Visual Screening technique. The buildings were scored and analyzed based on the key indicators approved in FEMA P-154 and Iranian Code #364. None of the buildings received Cut- Off Score in the seismic vulnerability assessment. Despite the hospitals of Kabul City are active under normal conditions; in critical conditions, factors such as weak structural and non-structural resistance and non-compliance with design criteria can cause malfunctions and ineffectiveness of hospitals. Considering the Final Scores, the probability of collapse attributed to these buildings in a MCE (Maximum Considered Earthquake) seismic event, are between 3.16 and 45.6%, which indicates that during the occurrence of destructive phenomena such as earthquakes, there will be a possibility of damaging the buildings and getting out of their special cycle of use. According to the result, there is a possibility of seismic vulnerability of existing reinforced concrete hospital buildings in Kabul City during an earthquake. The degree of this seismic vulnerability varies from low to high. Therefore, these buildings should be subjected to a detailed seismic vulnerability assessment.

Keywords

• vulnerability assessment
• crisis prevention
• degree of vulnerability
• hospital building
• rapid visual screening (rvs)