Seismic Assessment of a School Building in Nepal and Analysis of Retrofitting Solutions

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Hugo Rodrigues (Author) Other; André Furtado (Author) Other; Nelson Vila Pouca (Author) FEUP; Humberto Varum (Author) FEUP; André R. Barbosa (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Civil Engineering

Vol. 16 No. 11-A

Pages: 1573-1589

ISSN: 1735-0522

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

Scopus - 7 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Civil engineering > Structural engineering

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00P-Q6E

DOI: 10.1007/s40999-018-0297-9

Abstract (EN): Recent earthquakes highlighted the vulnerability of some infilled reinforced concrete structures due to the presence and distribution of the infill masonry walls. Buildings such as school buildings and residential buildings are typically not designed considering the contribution of the infill panels to the structure strength and stiffness, when these are subjected to earthquakes. The lack of consideration of the infill panel results in observed poor performance and structural collapses. This manuscript presents a numerical study of a school in Nepal, representative of those existent in the country. Non-linear numerical analyses were carried out to assess the seismic vulnerability in terms of peak inter-storey drifts. In addition, results will be presented and discussed in terms of peak inter-storey drift profiles and peak base shear. Results from a seismic vulnerability assessment of the pre-earthquake structure indicate that the presence of the infill panels in the original structures were responsible for the development a soft-storey mechanism, combined with torsion. Following the seismic vulnerability assessment, four different retrofit solutions were tested and compared with the results of the original structure to gain an understanding on the structural efficiency of each proposed solution. The retrofit solutions proposed revealed to be efficient and reduce the seismic vulnerability. The retrofit solution showing best results correspond to the ones in which reinforced concrete column jacketing was employed.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17