Preliminary investigation of seismic damage to two steel space structures during the 2013 Lushan earthquake

• Published in: Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration 2013-09, Vol.12 (3), p.497-500
• Main Authors: Dai, Junwu, Qu, Zhe, Zhang, Chenxiao, Weng, Xuran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Buckling; Civil Engineering; Control; Damage; Dynamical Systems; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earthquake damage; Earthquake engineering; Earthquakes; Fracture mechanics; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Seismic activity; Seismic engineering; Seismic phenomena; Space environment; Spacecraft; Steel; Structural steels; Technical Communications; Vibration; 地震震害; 局部屈曲; 庐山; 断裂故障; 空间结构; 结构损坏; 螺栓连接; 钢
• ISSN: 1671-3664; 1993-503X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11803-013-0189-6

Severe damage to steel space structures is rarely reported when compared to other structural systems damaged during past major earthquakes around the world. Two gymnasiums of steel space structures in downtown Lushan County that were damaged during the 2013 M7.0 Lushan earthquake in China were investigated and the observations are summarized in this paper. Typical damage to these two steel space structures ranges from moderate to severe. Moderate damage includes global buckling and dislocation of bolted connections of truss members, and inelastic elongation of anchor bolts and sliding of pedestal plates of supports. Severe damage includes member fracture caused by local buckling, and fracture failure of anchor bolts and welds. The distribution of structural damage to these two structures is described in detail and future research opportunities are suggested.