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Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact...
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Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 14305

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco Fasan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
Interests: physics-based ground motion modelling; seismic hazard assessment; scenario-based seismic risk assessment; seismic fragility analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nicola Chieffo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
Interests: seismic vulnerability assessment; multi-scenario physics-based approach; masonry aggregates; seismic retrofitting; damage scenario; mechanical analysis; empirical methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chiara Bedon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio, 6/1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
Interests: sustainability; numerical simulation; structural analysis; structural dynamics; constructions; finite element analysis; numerical modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The assessment of seismic performance in buildings and critical infrastructures, as well as the economic and social consequences of earthquakes, is a complex task that requires interdisciplinary knowledge. This includes expertise in geophysics, structural engineering, economics, and social science. As highlighted by the recent seismic event in Turkey (February 2023), this task is particularly important in the case of rare and devastating earthquakes. For low-probability high-consequence (LPHC) events, it is essential to evaluate uncertainties and their impact on results to fully understand the potential consequences and make informed decisions and assist in emergency planning. This Special Issue seeks to bring together original research and state-of-the-art review papers on various techniques and methodologies used to assess seismic hazards, structural response, and fragility, with a focus on rare events. It also aims to present original works or reviews on the evaluation of economic and social consequences at both the building and urban/network levels. Through this publication, we aim to improve our understanding of the complex and interrelated factors involved in the impact of earthquakes on the built environment.

Dr. Marco Fasan
Dr. Nicola Chieffo
Dr. Chiara Bedon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • seismic hazard
  • seismic risk
  • building response
  • seismic fragility
  • seismic codes and standards
  • seismic assessment methods
  • seismic resilience
  • seismic upgrades
  • seismic performance evaluation
  • seismic risk management

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 10439 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Causes of Soft-Storey and Weak-Storey Formations in Low- and Mid-Rise RC Buildings in Türkiye
by Hakan Ulutaş
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051308 - 6 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1423
Abstract
This study investigates the causes of soft-storey and weak-storey formations in low- and mid-rise RC (Reinforced Concrete) buildings in Türkiye. In the first phase of the study, 96 model buildings were designated for the examination of soft-storey irregularity when the ground floors are [...] Read more.
This study investigates the causes of soft-storey and weak-storey formations in low- and mid-rise RC (Reinforced Concrete) buildings in Türkiye. In the first phase of the study, 96 model buildings were designated for the examination of soft-storey irregularity when the ground floors are used for commercial purposes and the upper floors for residential use. The ground floor heights that would cause soft-storey irregularity in each of the selected buildings were determined according to the formulas given in the Türkiye Building Earthquake Code (TBEC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers Standard (ASCE). It was found that the ground floor heights obtained according to ASCE are usable in practice, whereas those obtained according to the TBEC, particularly for buildings over three storeys, are excessively high for practical use. This indicates that, even if the buildings in Türkiye are designed with very high ground floor heights, they do not have soft-storey irregularities, according to the TBEC, but soft-storey formation may occur in these buildings due to the high ground floor height as a result of the effects of earthquakes. Instead of the soft-storey irregularity coefficient limit value (nki > 2) found in the TBEC, this study proposes a new limit value to prevent the design of buildings with very high ground floors. In the second phase of the study, for the purpose of examining weak-storey irregularity, 105 model buildings differing in their infill wall layout, number of spans, span length, and number of storeys were selected. The weak-storey irregularity coefficients of each of these models were determined according to the TBEC. The results of the study revealed that buildings with no infill walls in one direction or with infill walls in only one of the exterior axes in one direction have a high risk of having weak storeys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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24 pages, 22273 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Performance Analysis Results with Developed Site-Specific Response Spectra and Turkish Seismic Design Code: A Case Study from the SW Türkiye Region
by Mehmet Alpyürür and Hakan Ulutaş
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051233 - 26 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 967
Abstract
On 6 February 2023, the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes clearly showed that the elastic spectrum curves in TBEC-2018 are insufficient to represent earthquake behavior. In this study, the effect of using a site-specific spectrum curve instead of the elastic spectrum given in TBEC-2018 on the [...] Read more.
On 6 February 2023, the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes clearly showed that the elastic spectrum curves in TBEC-2018 are insufficient to represent earthquake behavior. In this study, the effect of using a site-specific spectrum curve instead of the elastic spectrum given in TBEC-2018 on the earthquake safety of a building is investigated. For this purpose, the provinces in southwest Anatolia, Türkiye, which is one of the most tectonically complex regions with frequent seismic events, were selected. In the first stage of the study, spectrum curves were obtained for earthquakes with return periods of 2475, 475, and 72 years for each of the provinces in this region. These spectrum curves were obtained using probabilistic seismic hazard studies that take into account the active faults of the provinces and earthquake activity in both historical and instrumental periods. In the second stage of the study, analytical models of a selected model RC building were created according to each province, and static pushover analyses of these building models were performed both according to the elastic spectrum given in TBEC-2018 and according to the spectrum curve created specifically for the province. The results of the analyses show that the change in the spectrum changes the target displacement level of the buildings, and as a result, the cross-sectional damage zone of the structural elements under the earthquake effect is changed. So much so that using the site-specific instead of the elastic spectrum given in TBEC-2018 changed the damage zone of 43% of the beams and 26.4% of the columns in the İzmir model. The change in the section damage zones changed the performance level of some floors of the models and the performance level of the building. The study revealed the importance of using the most realistic elastic spectrum curves in order to determine the earthquake performance of buildings that is as close as possible to their behavior in a possible earthquake. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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16 pages, 2467 KiB  
Article
Effective Stiffness and Seismic Response Modification Models Recommended for Cantilever Circular Columns of RC Bridges, Second Part: Collapse Prevention Limit State
by Alejandro Vargas-Colorado, José E. Barradas-Hernández, Franco Carpio, Sergio Márquez-Domínguez, Rolando Salgado-Estrada and Armando Aguilar-Melendez
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102423 - 23 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1345
Abstract
This paper aims to assess the structural overstrength (R), seismic behaviour factor (Q), and effective inertia factor (keff), of which the effective elastic stiffness (Keff) is a function, i.e., Keff (k [...] Read more.
This paper aims to assess the structural overstrength (R), seismic behaviour factor (Q), and effective inertia factor (keff), of which the effective elastic stiffness (Keff) is a function, i.e., Keff (keff), of reinforced concrete (RC) cantilever columns with solid circular sections in urban bridges. The R and Q factors proposed in the design codes have been based mainly on an empirical basis. However, some studies suggest that, in the case of RC bridge columns, both factors are determined by a range of geometric and structural parameters. These results indicate that equations incorporating the main geometric and structural parameters of the columns, rather than the use of fixed values, are the appropriate method for estimating the values of R, Q and keff for the columns. Therefore, the results confirm the relation between R, Q and keff with the mechanical properties of the concrete, the aspect ratio length–depth, the axial load–strength ratio of a column, as well as its longitudinal reinforcement steel ratio. Finally, the research proposes models for estimating R, Q and keff that are recommended for the collapse prevention limit state of cantilevered circular columns of RC bridges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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14 pages, 8145 KiB  
Article
Effective Stiffness and Seismic Response Modification Models Recommended for Cantilever Circular Columns of RC Bridges, First Part: Serviceability Limit State
by Sergio Márquez-Domínguez, José E. Barradas-Hernández, Franco Carpio, Alejandro Vargas-Colorado, Armando Aguilar-Melendez and Rolando Salgado-Estrada
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2422; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102422 - 23 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1274
Abstract
This paper’s main aim was to explain the process of characterising the structural over-strength factor (R), seismic behaviour factor (Q), and the effective elastic stiffness, Keff, of cantilever-reinforced concrete (RC) urban bridge columns with solid circular cross-sections [...] Read more.
This paper’s main aim was to explain the process of characterising the structural over-strength factor (R), seismic behaviour factor (Q), and the effective elastic stiffness, Keff, of cantilever-reinforced concrete (RC) urban bridge columns with solid circular cross-sections for use in seismic design under the Serviceability Limit State (SLS). Similarly, mathematical models have been proposed to determine the average values of effective stiffness and seismic response modification factors suggested for cantilever-reinforced concrete bridge columns at SLS. This is because multiple design codes stipulate that cantilever RC bridge columns must meet the SLS requirements. Therefore, to comply, the lateral displacement ductility demand must not exceed unity after a moderate or small earthquake. While the behaviour of the materials remains in the elastic range, this performance criterion can be conservative. If the materials undergo small deformations, the slight damage can be quickly repaired to meet the SLS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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24 pages, 8066 KiB  
Article
Damage Prediction Observation for Existing Buildings in Sabah under Moderate Risk Earthquakes
by Noor Sheena Herayani Harith, Nur Izzati Husna Hassan, Samnursidah Samir, Ngui Min Fui Tom, Nabilah Abu Bakar and Habib Musa Mohamad
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061500 - 10 Jun 2023
Viewed by 2839
Abstract
Seismic design in building construction is still new in Malaysia. Sabah, a Malaysian state, is situated southeast of the Eurasian Plate, between the highly active Philippine Sea Plate and Indo-Australian Plate, and has a history of earthquakes, with the largest measuring a magnitude [...] Read more.
Seismic design in building construction is still new in Malaysia. Sabah, a Malaysian state, is situated southeast of the Eurasian Plate, between the highly active Philippine Sea Plate and Indo-Australian Plate, and has a history of earthquakes, with the largest measuring a magnitude of 6.3 (2015). Although small earthquakes occur annually, most old buildings in Sabah were built pre-code and designed without considering earthquake loadings. This study aimed to analyze the potential damage to buildings in Sabah based on their vulnerability to moderate earthquakes. More than 500 buildings in seven districts were evaluated using a quantitative method based on score assignment, within 100 kilometers of the epicenters. According to the findings, more than 160 buildings in the Kota Kinabalu and Kudat districts were assessed as vulnerable to Grade 4 damage. In Ranau, Kota Marudu, Tawau, Semporna, and Lahad Datu, most buildings had a Grade 3 damage potential, with some at Grade 2 or 4. This study’s findings provide a summary of the damage risk for structures in Sabah and offer a starting point for planning and developing safer buildings that can withstand local seismic conditions. The resulting building-grade damage map can be used as a reference for future damage mitigation measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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21 pages, 7405 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Numerical Strategies for Historic Elevated Water Tanks: Modal Analysis of a 50-Year-Old Structure in Italy
by Chiara Bedon, Claudio Amadio, Marco Fasan and Luca Bomben
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1414; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061414 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1975
Abstract
The seismic vulnerability assessment of existing structures is a well-known challenging task, due to a combination of several aspects. The use of analytical or finite element (FE) numerical models can offer robust support in this analysis but necessitates the accurate calibration of geometrical [...] Read more.
The seismic vulnerability assessment of existing structures is a well-known challenging task, due to a combination of several aspects. The use of analytical or finite element (FE) numerical models can offer robust support in this analysis but necessitates the accurate calibration of geometrical and mechanical input, with related uncertainties. In this paper, attention is focused on the identification of dynamic parameters, based on modal numerical analysis, of a 50-year-old, reinforced concrete, elevated water tank (EWT) characterised by a reservoir with a truncated cone shape. The structure is located in a high seismic region of northern Italy and presently necessitates retrofit plans to preserve its functionality. Based on the limited available experimental evidence and technical drawings, major efforts are spent for the numerical prediction of fundamental vibration modes and frequencies of the structure, which represent a first key step for seismic analyses, under various water-filling levels. To this aim, four different FE numerical strategies able to include both structural features and possible fluid–structure interaction (FSI) effects are developed. By progressively increasing the computational cost (and expected the accuracy of the solutions), FE models based on added-mass (M0 model), spring-mass (M1-DM or M1-DS models), or acoustic (M2 model) strategies are taken into account and combined with increasing detailing in geometrical description of the structure. Results from parametric modal analyses are discussed for the case-study EWT, in terms of computational cost, possible numerical limitations, accuracy of predicted frequencies/modal shapes, sensitivity to water-filling levels and operational configurations, with the support of several pieces of experimental evidence and consolidated analytical formulations for fundamental frequency estimations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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21 pages, 12600 KiB  
Article
Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Buildings with Joist and Wide-Beam Floors during the 26 November 2019 Albania Earthquake
by Markel Baballëku, Brisid Isufi and António Pinho Ramos
Buildings 2023, 13(5), 1149; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13051149 - 26 Apr 2023
Viewed by 3564
Abstract
Beams with width greater than their depth and depth equal to the depth of the slab (concealed wide beams) are widespread in Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings in Albania. A large number of RC buildings with wide beams were hit by a strong M [...] Read more.
Beams with width greater than their depth and depth equal to the depth of the slab (concealed wide beams) are widespread in Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings in Albania. A large number of RC buildings with wide beams were hit by a strong Mw6.4 earthquake on 26 November 2019. The earthquake hit two of the most densely populated areas in Albania and caused widespread damage to these buildings. This paper aims to provide an updated view on the seismic performance of buildings with wide beams in light of the new field data following the 26 November 2019 Albania earthquake. To this end, a thorough literature review including experimental and field observations from past earthquakes is presented and data from field visits in Albania are described. It was found that damage to the joists and wide beams themselves was limited, even when the buildings suffered significant non-structural or structural damage in other elements as a result of the earthquake. A discussion on the behavior of wide beam–column frames based on nonlinear structural analyses and tests from the literature is presented. Furthermore, the implications of the results of the analysis for the seismic performance of RC buildings are discussed and confronted with observations from the 2019 Albania earthquake. Based on the literature review, further experimental research on wide beams with longer and more realistic span lengths is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures Performance in Seismic Events: Understanding the Impact of Earthquakes)
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