Parametric model for capacity curves

• Published in: Bulletin of earthquake engineering 2015-05, Vol.13 (5), p.1347-1376
• Main Authors: Pujades, Luis G., Vargas-Alzate, Yeudy F., Barbat, Alex H., González-Drigo, José R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: BARCELONA; BRIDGES; Buildings, Reinforced concrete; Capacity curves; Civil Engineering; Construcció en formigó armat; Damage; Damage assessment; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earthquake damage; Earthquake effects; Earthquake engineering; Earthquakes; Energy loss; Engineering; Enginyeria civil; Enginyeria sísmica; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; FRAGILITY; Fragility curves; Geophysics/Geodesy; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydrogeology; Materials i estructures; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Nonlinearity; Original Research Paper; Parametric model; Reinforced concrete; REINFORCED-CONCRETE BUILDINGS; Risk assessment; Seismic activity; SEISMIC DAMAGE; Seismic phenomena; Seismology; SPECTRUM METHOD; Stiffness; Stiffness degradation; Structural Geology; VULNERABILITY; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
• ISSN: 1570-761X; 1573-1456
• DOI: 10.1007/s10518-014-9670-5

A parametric model for capacity curves and capacity spectra is proposed. The capacity curve is considered to be composed of a linear part and a nonlinear part. The normalized nonlinear part is modelled by means of a cumulative lognormal function. Instead, the cumulative Beta function can be used. Moreover, this new conceptualization of the capacity curves allows defining stiffness and energy functions relative to the total energy loss and stiffness degradation at the ultimate capacity point. Based on these functions, a new damage index is proposed and it is shown that this index, obtained from nonlinear static analysis, is compatible with the Park and Ang index obtained from dynamic analysis. This capacity based damage index allows setting up a fragility model. Specific reinforced concrete buildings are used to illustrate the adequacy of the capacity, damage and fragility models. The usefulness of the models here proposed is highlighted showing how the parametric model is representative for a family of capacity curves having the same normalized nonlinear part and how important variables can be tabulated as empirical functions of the two main parameters defining the capacity model. The availability of this new mathematical model may be a powerful tool for current earthquake engineering research, especially in seismic risk assessments at regional scale and in probabilistic approaches where massive computations are needed.