Direct loss‐based seismic design of reinforced concrete frame and wall structures

This paper presents a procedure to design reinforced concrete (RC) buildings achieve an acceptable target level of earthquake-induced loss (e.g., deaths, dollars, downtime) under site-specific hazard profile. The is called “direct” since the specified at first step process, and virtually no iteration required. based on simplified assessment involving surrogate model for seismic demand (i.e., probability distribution peak horizontal deformation given ground-motion intensity) models direct indirect losses. For arbitrarily-selected structural geometry, provides force-displacement curve corresponding equivalent single degree freedom system. principles displacement-based are adopted provide member detailings (beams, columns, walls) consistent with such curve. applied 16 realistic RC case studies lateral resisting system composed frames in one direction cantilever walls perpendicular one. They show different geometries, profiles, values economic expected annual loss. A benchmark estimation obtained using cloud-based non-linear time-history analyses multi-degree models. conservative levels always smaller than targets. Such discrepancy within 10% 12 out 32 studies, between 20% 13, 31% remaining six. Therefore, proposed deemed dependable preliminary design.