• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.911-936
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• 2015

This work evaluates the performance of a number of seismic assessment procedures when applied to a case study reinforced concrete (RC) wall building. The performance of each procedure is evaluated through its ability to accurately predict deformation demands, specifically, roof displacement, inter-storey drift ratio and wall curvatures are considered as the key engineering demand parameters. The different procedures include Direct Displacement-Based Assessment, nonlinear static analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis. For the latter two approaches both lumped and distributed plasticity modelling are examined. To thoroughly test the different approaches the case study building is considered in different configurations to include the effects of unequal length walls and plan asymmetry. Recommendations are made as to which methods are suited to different scenarios, in particular focusing on the balance that needs to be made between accurate prediction of engineering demand parameters and the time and expertise required to undertake the different procedures. All methods are shown to have certain merits, but at the same time a number of the procedures are shown to have areas requiring further development. This work also highlights a number of key aspects related to the seismic response of RC wall buildings that may significantly impact the results of an assessment. These include the influence of higher-mode effects and variations in spectral shape with ductility demands.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.727-747
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• 2008

In the framework of the SPEAR (Seismic PErformance Assessment and Rehabilitation) research Project, an under-designed three storey RC frame structure, designed to sustain only gravity loads, was subjected, in three different configurations 'as-built', Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) retrofitted and rehabilitated by reinforced concrete (RC) jacketing, to a series of bi-directional pseudodynamic (PsD) tests under different values of peak ground acceleration (PGA) (from a minimum of 0.20g to a maximum of 0.30g). The seismic deficiencies exhibited by the 'as-built' structure after the test at PGA level of 0.20g were confirmed by a post - test assessment of the structural seismic capacity performed by a nonlinear static pushover analysis implemented on the structure lumped plasticity model. To improve the seismic performance of the 'as-built' structure', two rehabilitation interventions by using either FRP laminates or RC jacketing were designed. Assumptions for the analytical modeling, design criteria and calculation procedures along with local and global intervention measures and their installation details are herein presented and discussed. Nonlinear static pushover analyses for the assessment of the theoretical seismic capacity of the structure in each retrofitted configuration were performed and compared with the experimental outcomes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.267-277
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• 2017

Base-isolation is now being adopted as a retrofitting strategy to improve seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete (r.c.) framed structures subjected to far-fault earthquakes. However, the increase in deformability of a base-isolated framed building may lead to amplification in the structural response under the long-duration horizontal pulses of high-magnitude near-fault earthquakes, which can become critical once the strength level of a fire-weakened r.c. superstructure is reduced. The aim of the present work is to investigate the nonlinear seismic response of fire-damaged r.c. framed structures retrofitted by base-isolation. For this purpose, a five-storey r.c. framed building primarily designed (as fixed-base) in compliance with a former Italian seismic code for a medium-risk zone, is to be retrofitted by the insertion of elastomeric bearings to meet the requirements of the current Italian code in a high-risk seismic zone. The nonlinear seismic response of the original (fixed-base) and retrofitted (base-isolated) test structures in a no fire situation are compared with those in the event of fire in the superstructure, where parametric temperature-time curves are defined at the first level, the first two and the upper levels. A lumped plasticity model describes the inelastic behaviour of the fire-damaged r.c. frame members, while a nonlinear force-displacement law is adopted for the elastomeric bearings. The average root-mean-square deviation of the observed spectrum from the target design spectrum together with a suitable intensity measure are chosen to select and scale near- and far-fault earthquakes on the basis of the design hypotheses adopted.