A Risk-Based Estimating Method for the Lifetime Reparability of an RC Building Damaged by Earthquakes

Abstract

This work assesses seismic damage to a reinforced concrete (RC) building using a simplified novel method that considers the hazard curve of response spectral acceleration of a specified site. Moreover, we assume the time earthquake events occur follows a Poisson process when analyzing the cumulative probability curve of lifetime repair costs for seismic damage in an RC building's service life. The mean value of lifetime seismic repair costs is then regarded as an index representing building reparability. Via this estimation procedure, the mean value of lifetime seismic repair costs and initial construction cost of a selected building can also be used to help building owners manage their assets. According to mean values of lifetime seismic repair costs in terns of ultimate ductility ratios and yielding base shear forces for the single degree of freedom system of an RC building obtained by the proposed method, one can consider seismic codes and the required lifetime reparability performance in the preliminary seismic design stage for a building.