• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.1291-1314
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• 2016

The paper presents the development of experimental fragility functions for exterior RC beam-column connections based on results obtained from extensive testing carried out in the present study. Three typical types of seismically deficient beam-column connections, which are commonly prevalent in Indian sub-continent, were considered. These specimens were tested under cyclic displacement histories with different characteristics to induce different damage states. Rehabilitation specific fragility functions for damaged specimens were developed considering drift angle as a demand parameter. Four probability distributions were fit to the data and suitability of each distribution was evaluated using standard statistical method. Specimens with different damage states were rehabilitated appropriately and rehabilitated specimens were tested under similar displacement histories. Fragility functions for rehabilitated specimens have also been developed following similar procedure. Comparison of fragility functions for both original and rehabilitated specimens for each rehabilitation method showed close agreement, which establishes the effectiveness of the adopted rehabilitation strategies and hence would provide confidence in field application.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.285-295
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• 2018

In this study, the effect of local site conditions (site class and site amplifications) and structural variability are investigated on fragility functions of typical building structures. The study area is chosen as Eastern Turkey. The fragility functions are developed using site-specific uniform hazard spectrum (UHS). The site-specific UHS is obtained based on simulated ground motions. The implementation of ground motion simulation into seismic hazard assessment has the advantage of investigating detailed local site effects. The typical residential buildings in Erzincan are represented by equivalent single degree of freedom systems (ESDOFs). Predictive equations are accomplished for structural seismic demands of ESDOFs to derive fragility functions in a straightforward manner. To study the sensitivity of fragility curves to site class, two sites on soft and stiff soil are taken into account. Two alternative site amplification functions known as generic and theoretical site amplifications are examined for these two sites. The reinforced concrete frames located on soft soil display larger fragilities than those on stiff soil. Theoretical site amplification mostly leads to larger fragilities than generic site amplification more evidently for reinforced concrete buildings. Additionally, structural variability of ESDOFs is generally observed to increase the fragility especially for rigid structural models.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.257-279
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• 2015

The primary objective of this study is to summarize results from previous experimental tests on laboratory specimens of RC/steel frames with masonry infills, in order to develop fragility functions that permit the estimation of damage in typical non-structural components of RC frame buildings, as a function of attained peak interstory drift. The secondary objective is to derive loss functions for such non-structural components, which provide information on the probability of experiencing a certain level of monetary loss when a given damage state is attained. Fragility curves and loss function developed in this study can be directly used within the FEMA P-58 framework for the seismic performance assessment of RC frame buildings with masonry infills.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.367-388
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• 2016

Eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) represent an attractive lateral load resisting steel system to be used in areas of high seismicity. In order to assess the likely damage for a given intensity of ground shaking, fragility functions can be used to identify the probability of exceeding a certain damage limit-state, given a certain response of a structure. This paper focuses on developing a set of fragility functions for EBF structures, considering that damage can be directly linked to the interstorey drift demand at each storey. This is done by performing a Monte Carlo Simulation of an analytical expression for the drift capacity of an EBF, where each term of the expression relies on either experimental testing results or mechanics-based reasoning. The analysis provides a set of fragility functions that can be used for three damage limit-states: concrete slab repair, damage requiring heat straightening of the link and damage requiring link replacement. Depending on the level of detail known about the EBF structure, in terms of its link section size, link length and storey number within a structure, the resulting fragility function can be refined and its associated dispersion reduced. This is done by using an analytical expression to estimate the median value of interstorey drift, which can be used in conjunction with an informed assumption of dispersion, or alternatively by using a MATLAB based tool that calculates the median and dispersion for each damage limit-state for a given set of user specified inputs about the EBF. However, a set of general fragility functions is also provided to enable quick assessment of the seismic performance of EBF structures at a regional scale.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.285-292
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• 2020

The methodology classifying structural types of concrete buildings in the existing seismic fragility functions is too simple to estimate the fragility of existing residential buildings and neighborhood living facilities, especially those below five stories. Their structural types are dependent on information contained in the building register such as main use, total floor area, story, permission date, and first story floor area of the individual building. All of this information is not considered for classifying types in the existing functions; therefore, the goal of this study was to suggest a methodology that classifies structural types of concrete buildings by utilizing such information. The results of this study showed that the suggested methodology can classify structural types better than the existing methodology. Nevertheless, there is still a need to simplify the methodology because fragility estimation demands quickness rather than accuracy.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2019

Diagonally reinforced concrete coupling beams (DRCBs) have been widely adopted in reinforced concrete (RC) bearing wall systems. DRCBs are known to act as a fuse element dissipating most of seismic energies imparted to the bearing wall systems during earthquakes. Despite such importance of DRCBs, the damage estimation of such components and the corresponding consequences within the knowledge of performance based seismic design framework is not well understood. In this paper, drift-based fragility functions are developed for in-plane loaded DRCBs. Fragility functions are developed to predict the damage and to decide the repair method required for DRCBs subjected to earthquake loading. Thirty-seven experimental results are collected from seventeen published literatures for this effort. Drift-based fragility functions are developed for four damage states of DRCBs subjected to cyclic and monotonic loading associated with minor cracking, severe cracking, onset of strength loss, and significant strength loss. Damage states are defined in a consistent manner. Cumulative distribution functions are fit to the empirical data and evaluated using standard statistical methods.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2012

Seismic fragility functions are derived for probabilistic evaluation of seismic control performance of energy dissipation devices installed in reinforced concrete structures. Displacement-dependent dampers are added to the nonlinear single-degree-of-freedom systems with different natural periods and hysteretic characteristics of which stiffness and strength has uncertainty. Nonlinear time history analysis is conducted for those SDOF systems and the result is processed statistically to obtain seismic fragility functions in the form of log normal distribution. Variation of seismic fragility functions for different parameters of SDOF systems and dampers are investigated and the seismic control performance is assessed probabilistically.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.155-162
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• 1999

This paper presents a generation of analytical fragility curves for bridge. The analytical fragility curves are constructed on the basis of nonlinear dynamic analysis. Two-parameter lognormal distribution functions are used to represent the fragility curves with the parameters estimated by the maximum likelihood method. To demonstrate the development of analytical fragility curves, two of representative bridges with a precast prestressed continuous deck in the Memphis. Tennessee area are used.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.1181-1212
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• 2016

Fragility and loss functions are developed to predict damage and economic losses due to earthquake loading in Reinforced Concrete (RC) structural components with smooth rebars. The attention is focused on external/internal beam-column joints and ductile/brittle weak columns, designed for gravity loads only, using low-strength concrete and plain steel reinforcing bars. First, a number of damage states are proposed and linked deterministically with commonly employed methods of repair and related activities. Results from previous experimental studies are used to develop empirical relationships between damage states and engineering demand parameters, such as interstory and column drift ratios. Probability distributions are fit to the empirical data and the associated statistical parameters are evaluated using statistical methods. Repair costs for damaged RC components are then estimated based on detailed quantity survey of a number of pre-70 RC buildings, using Italian costing manuals. Finally, loss functions are derived to predict the level of monetary losses to individual RC components as a function of the experienced response demand.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.251-259
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• 2021

Current seismic fragility functions for buildings were developed by defining damage state threshold based on story drift concerning foreign references and using the capacity spectrum method based on spectral displacement. In this study, insufficient details and dependence on the core location of piloti-type buildings were not reflected in the fragility function because it was developed before the Pohang earthquake. In order to develop an improved one for piloti-type buildings, several types of core were selected, damage state threshold was determined based on the capacity of structural members, and three-dimensional analyses were utilized. As a result, seismic fragility functions based on spectral acceleration were developed for various core locations and different shear strengths of the column stirrup. The fragility of piloti-type buildings significantly varied according to core location, an additional single wall, and whether the contribution of column stirrup was included or not. To estimate fragility more reasonably, it is necessary to prepare the parameters to reflect actual state well.