Ambient Vibration Measurements of Dynamic Properties of School Buildings in Montreal, Quebec

Abstract

As part of a research project conducted at McGill University, in-situ dynamic properties of 80 low-rise school buildings located in Montreal, Quebec, were identified from ambient vibration measurements. Natural periods determined for the two most common lateral load resisting systems (concrete shear wall buildings and concrete frame buildings with unreinforced masonry infill walls) are presented. They are compared to approximate equations that estimate the fundamental period as a function of building height, given in the 2010 National Building Code of Canada. It is shown that the fit between the experimental periods and approximate code formulae is poor, with code expressions grossly overestimating the periods. Linear regression on the experimental data resulted in the development of better fitting expressions. The periods obtained from ambient vibration measurements were also compared to generic capacity curves used in the Hazus-MH MR4 multi-hazard loss estimation methodology. The measured periods seem to be slightly low, but they are generally in agreement with the theoretical capacity curves.