Empirical loss analysis to support definition of seismic performance objectives for woodframe buildings

• Published in: Structural safety Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 209 - 219
• Main Authors: Black, Greg, Davidson, Rachel A., Pei, Shiling, Lindt, John van de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building structure; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Construction (buildings and works); Design engineering; Earthquake; Earthquake construction; Earthquake design; Estimates; Exact sciences and technology; Geotechnics; Loss estimation; Mathematical models; Performance-based design; Seismic engineering; Seismic phenomena; Stresses. Safety; Structural analysis. Stresses; Structure-soil interaction; Wood; Wood structure; Performance-based design; Loss estimation; Wood; Earthquake; Performance evaluation; Earthquake effect; Frame construction; Loss rate; Wood construction; Modeling; Seismic analysis; Example; Application; Structural analysis
• ISSN: 0167-4730; 1879-3355
• DOI: 10.1016/j.strusafe.2010.02.003

This paper presents an empirical seismic loss analysis procedure for woodframe buildings and examines how it can be utilized to provide input for the development of seismic performance objectives for woodframe buildings in terms of economic loss. This type of performance measure is more directly useful to building owners than qualitative performance levels such as “Life Safety” proposed in first generation performance-based seismic design documents. The procedure combines the PEER loss estimation methodology with the most up-to-date seismic numerical structural models for woodframe buildings and experimental data from full-scale shake table tests. The resulting loss estimates are quite reasonable when compared to observations from the 1994 Northridge, CA earthquake. The procedure is applied to two-story, single-family residential structures to estimate losses as a function of ground motion intensity and building design, and the results are discussed to illustrate how they can be used to help: (1) characterize estimated losses, (2) define performance objectives, and (3) guide design to meet those performance objectives. The study provides the first fully comprehensive application of the PEER methodology to woodframe buildings.