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Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment and Post-Earthquake Functionality of Critical Infrastructure

Researchers: Seong-Hoon Hwang, Nasser Al-Shawwa
Collaborators: Prof. Ghyslaine McClure (McGill University), Prof. Ioannis Psaromilingkos (McGill University)
Project Sponsors: FQRNT Projet de Recherche en Equipe, National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

  • Recent earthquakes around the world have demonstrated the efficiency of the seismic design of constructed facilities given the much smaller number of human casualties and collapses. However, no specific attempt exists to control socio-economical losses or at least specify an acceptable level of probability that a structure maintains its functionality after an earthquake. The latter is particularly important for critical infrastructure such as hospitals, bridges, telecommunication and electric supply equipment that must remain functional after a design-level earthquake. The next generation of Performance-Based seismic design procedures for new and existing buildings necessitate the development of tools for rapid earthquake damage assessment of buildings. These procedures should assess the earthquake performance of individual buildings based on their unique site, structural, non-structural and occupancy characteristics. The goal of this research project builds on recent advancements in monitoring technology and through integrated experimental and analytical research to demonstrate the feasibility of a robust decision-making framework that minimizes the time delays caused by detailed “visual” inspection of critical infrastructure.

Selected Publications:

  1. Lignos, D.G., Karamanci, E. (2013). “Drift-Based and Dual-Parameter Fragility Curves for Concentrically Braced frames in Seismic Regions”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Vol. 90, 209-220.

  2. Karamanci, E., Lignos, D.G. (2013). “Collapse Assessment and Performance-Based Evaluation Techniques for Concentrically Braced Frames Designed in Seismic Regions”, M.Eng. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

  3. Miranda, E., Lignos, D.G. (2009). “Estimation of Seismic Performance of Existing Steel Moment Resisting Frame Buildings by Using Continuous Models,” Proceedings ATC&SEI Conference on Improving the Seismic Performance of Existing Buildings and Other Structures, December 9-11, San Francisco, CA, 2009. (Invited paper in session: Improving the seismic performance of existing structures through monitoring)