Methodology for seismic risk screening of existing buildings in Canada: Non-structural component scoring system

Abstract

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has recently developed a Semi-Quantitative Seismic Risk Screening Tool (SQST) to supersede the 1993 NRC Manual for Screening of Buildings for Seismic Investigation. The proposed screening tool incorporates a methodology for estimating global seismic risk of existing buildings associated with failure of their non-structural components. The methodology assesses global seismic risk using a qualitative yet comprehensive scoring system. The scoring system consists of a global non-structural component score and acceptable threshold scores. The global score is based on the most critical components. It combines a basic score with score modifiers for key parameters affecting the seismic response of non-structural components. The acceptable threshold score is based on the building’s consequence of failure, the building’s importance category, and the component factor. The scoring system is calibrated to be consistent with the seismic risk acceptance criteria previously developed for preliminary seismic risk screening of existing buildings, based on Canadian seismicity, building age, remaining occupancy time, and consequences of failure.