Elsevier

Engineering Structures

Volume 125, 15 October 2016, Pages 337-348
Engineering Structures

FRACAS: A capacity spectrum approach for seismic fragility assessment including record-to-record variability

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2016.06.043Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • A new approach for the derivation of fragility curves named FRACAS is presented.

  • FRACAS adapts the capacity spectrum method to determine the performance point.

  • FRACAS uses inelastic response spectra derived from ground motion records.

  • FRACAS captures well the inelastic record-to-record variability.

  • FRACAS represents well the response of two mid-rise buildings compared to NLTHA.

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach for the derivation of fragility curves, named FRAgility through Capacity spectrum ASsessment (FRACAS). FRACAS adapts the capacity spectrum assessment method and uses inelastic response spectra derived from earthquake ground motion accelerograms to construct fragility curves. Following a description of the FRACAS approach, the paper compares the predicted maximum interstory drift (MIDR) response obtained from FRACAS and nonlinear time history analyses (NLTHA) for two case-study buildings subjected to 150 natural accelerograms. FRACAS is seen to represent well the response of both case-study structures when compared to NLTHA. Observations are made as to the sensitivity of the derived fragility curves to assumptions in the capacity spectrum assessment and fragility curve statistical model fitting. The paper also demonstrates the ability of FRACAS to capture inelastic record-to-record variability and to properly translate this into the resulting fragility curves.

Keywords

Capacity spectrum method
Record-to-record variability
Fragility curve

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