How Can Experimental Testing Contribute to Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering

Abstract

AbstractPerformance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) entails the design, assessment, and construction of structures that perform under the action of frequent and extreme loads to the needs and objectives of its owners-users and society. PBEE implies that performance can be predicted and evaluated with sufficient accuracy. This requires the development of adequate tools for analysis, assessment and design, with a higher level of knowledge than what has been used in the past. In order to achieve this it is necessary to carry out research involving different actors and stakeholders, by means of analytical work, field investigations, and experimental testing. It may be argued that experimental testing has traditionally addressed the issues of performance, albeit fully underpinning the concerns of PBEE. This paper shows that although some levels of PBEE have been present in past and current experimental test practices, it is necessary to move a step forward by introducing the concepts of performance definition, engineering performance assessment and technological innovation performance enhancement, in order to produce results that can be fully used within the context of PBEE. This is first done by revisiting a set of experimental test campaigns carried out by the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment (ELSA) and indentifying the elements addressing PBEE in these tests. These elements are then extended to include all the necessary concepts contributing to PBEE and the steps needed to enhance test planning and collection of data from experimental campaigns within the framework of PBEE, thus setting the basis towards further development of PBEE in experimental testing.KeywordsFragility CurveShake Table TestSeismic ExcitationInfill WallUltimate CapacityThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.