Thalia EQs Bldgs

Buildings in Earthquakes: 

Buildings in Earthquakes Why do buildings do the things they do?

Underlying Physics: 

Underlying Physics Newton’s Second Law F = ma where m = mass of building a = acceleration of ground Animation from www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/ engineering/engineering5.html Question: What do the physics tell us about the magnitude of the forces that different types of buildings feel during an earthquake?

What is really happening?: 

What is really happening? F is known as an inertial force, created by building's tendency to remain at rest, in its original position, although the ground beneath it is moving Engineering representation of earthquake force

Period and Frequency: 

Period and Frequency Frequency (f) = number of complete cycles of vibration per second Period (T) = time needed to complete one full cycle of vibration T = 1 / f

Idealized Model of Building: 

Idealized Model of Building smaller k bigger m increase building period

Natural Period of Buildings: 

Natural Period of Buildings Each building has its own natural period (frequency) slower shaking

Resonance: 

Resonance Resonance = frequency content of the ground motion is close to building's natural frequency tends to increase or amplify building response building suffers the greatest damage from ground motion at a frequency close or equal to its own natural frequency Example: Mexico City earthquake of September 19, 1985 majority of buildings that collapsed were around 20 stories tall natural period of around 2.0 seconds other buildings, of different heights and different natural frequencies, were undamaged even though located right next to damaged 20 story buildings

What affects building performance & damage?: 

What affects building performance & damage? Shape (configuration) of building: Square or rectangular usually perform better than L, T, U, H, +, O, or a combination of these. Construction material: steel, concrete, wood, brick. Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. Ductile materials perform better than brittle ones. Ductile materials include steel and aluminum. Brittle materials include brick, stone and unstrengthened concrete. Load resisting system Height of the building: (i.e. natural frequency) Previous earthquake damage Intended function of the building (e.g. hospital, fire station, office building) Proximity to other buildings Soil beneath the building Magnitude and duration of the earthquake Direction and frequency of shaking

Key Factor in Building Performance: 

Key Factor in Building Performance Good connections Need to transfer loads from structural elements into foundation and then to ground

Building Systems: Frames: 

Building Systems: Frames Frame built up of beams and columns Steel Concrete Resists lateral load by bending of beams and columns Provides lots of open interior space Flexible buildings F

Building Systems: Braced Frame: 

Building Systems: Braced Frame Braces used to resist lateral loads steel or concrete Damage can occur when braces buckle Stiffer than pure frame

Building Systems: Shear Walls: 

Building Systems: Shear Walls wall elements designed to take vertical as well as in-plane horizontal (lateral) forces Concrete buildings Wood buildings Masonry buildings resist lateral forces by shear deformation stiffer buildings F Shear Deformation

Building Systems: Shear Walls: 

Building Systems: Shear Walls Large openings in shear walls a much smaller area to transfer shear resulting large stresses cause cracking/failure F Cracking around openings West Anchorage High School, 1964

Wood Frame Construction: 

Wood Frame Construction Most houses and low rise apartments in California, some strip malls Shear wall type construction Light weight (except if has clay tile roof) Generally perform well in earthquakes Damage often consists of cracked plaster and stucco

Wood Frame Damage: 

Wood Frame Damage Chimneys collapse Slide off foundation – generally pre-1933 because bolting inadequate generally don’t collapse because have many interior walls

Wood Frame Damage – Cripple Wall Failure: 

Wood Frame Damage – Cripple Wall Failure the problem the damage the fix short walls that connect foundation to floor base - common in houses built before 1960

Soft First Story: 

Soft First Story Occurs when first story much less stiff than stories above Typical damage – collapse of first story

Tuck Under Parking: 

Tuck Under Parking Typical apartment building with tuck under parking Retrofit can include installation of a steel frame to limit the deformation of first floor

Unreinforced Masonry (URM): 

Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Built of heavy masonry walls with no reinforcing anchorage to floors and roof generally missing floors, roofs and internal partitions are usually of wood older construction – no longer built Typical damage Walls collapse and then roof (floors) come down Parapets fall from roof

Tilt-up Construction: 

Tilt-up Construction Shear wall load resisting system Quick and inexpensive to build Warehouses (Costco), industrial parks Typical damage Walls fall outward, then roof collapses

Mobile Home: 

Mobile Home Factory-built dwelling (lightweight) built of light-weight metal construction or a combination of a wood and steel frame structure Typical damage jacks on which the coach is placed tip, and coach falls off some or all of its supports. jacks to punch holes through the floors of the coach usually stays in tact mobile home becomes detached from utilities (possible fire)

Seismic Retrofit: 

Seismic Retrofit Frames can be used to strengthen older concrete buildings

Base Isolated Buildings: 

Base Isolated Buildings Supported by a series of bearing pads placed between the building and its foundation Most of deformation in isolators and acceleration of the building is reduced = less damage

Bay Area Base-Isolated Buildings: 

Bay Area Base-Isolated Buildings U.S. Court of Appeals, San Francisco Survived 1906 earthquake (seismic retrofit 1994) San Francisco City Hall Steel frame with stone exterior (seismic retrofit 1994)

Non Structural Issues: 

Non Structural Issues Good connections of non-structural building contents with building