Seismic analysis of a urban block in Faial Island of Azores

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2006

Authors

Nuno Neves (Author) FEUP; António Arêde (Author) FEUP; Aníbal Costa (Author) FEUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: First European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology

First European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (a joint event of the 13th ECEE & 30th General Assembly of the ESC)

Genebra, Suiça, 3 a 8 de Setembro de 2006

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

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

Other information

Abstract (EN): The paper deals with numerical seismic analysis of an urban building block located in Faial island, Azores, hit by an earthquake on July, 9th 1998. It includes two different construction types, mostly traditional masonry structures and a reinforced concrete structure building in one block side. The analysis was supported by laboratory and in-situ tests, namely ambient vibration measurements on three traditional houses and on the RC building. Experimental mode shapes and vibration frequencies allowed mechanical parameter calibration for numerical models. Finite element time¿ domain dynamic analyses were made using the accelerograms recorded during the earthquake. This paper describes the seismic analysis of the global block as is and also parametric studies to assess the effect of possible reinforcing solutions in floors/walls and of the RC building. The most vulnerable block zones were identified as well as their interaction with the remaining structures. When possible reinforcing schemes were considered, results allowed assessing their efficiency on improving the block behaviour. Interdependency between different block elements was evidenced, showing that reinforcing may be done by means of single interventions in localized zones. However, stress redistributions caused by interventions must be taken into account because stiffness variations may increase stresses in reinforced zones, which means that individual building might not be appropriate.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10