Damage probability analysis of a high-rise building against wind excitation with recorded field data and direction effect

Abstract

This study proposes a comprehensive probabilistic framework to evaluate the damage probability of a high-rise building subjected to wind excitations by considering the effects of wind direction, structural orientation and parameter uncertainties. The novelty of this framework includes the following aspects: Firstly, based on the explicit data recorded at the meteorological station of Dali city, China, from Jan. 1, 1971 to Aug. 31, 2017, a copula-based approach is presented to construct the joint distribution of wind velocity and direction. Secondly, the wind-induced comfort-based and deformation-based fragility analyses of a 42-sotry building located in Dali are performed by considering the effects of wind attack angle. Finally, with the calculated joint distribution of wind velocity and direction and structural fragilities, the cumulative damage probability at a certain wind attack angle and the total damage probability induced by all the attack angles of the high-rise building are both demonstrated. The goodness-of-fit results indicate that the copula-based approach is effective and reliable in describing the joint distribution of wind velocity and direction. Moreover, the wind-induced fragility of the high-rise building is sensitive to the attack angle, and the total damage probability is strongly dependent on the structural orientation. The effects of joint distribution of wind velocity and direction and wind attack angle should be comprehensively considered to precisely assess the structural performance. The presented framework can provide a vital support for the optimization design of high-rise buildings to resist wind hazards.