Damage Assessment Using Response Measurements

Abstract

Seismic damage in structures can be evaluated using information obtainable from structural response records. Currently, acceleration is the only component of structural response directly measured in selected structures during earthquakes. The acceleration response Can be used in appropriate analyses to estimate the force‐deformation response of a structure. Information available in the force‐deformation response can be used in damage functions to obtain a quantitative measure of the condition of the structure. Two such functions are evaluated herein for the assessment of structural damage. A cumulative plastic deformation damage function and a maximum deformation/cumulative dissipated energy damage function are used to evaluate the condition of damaged multistory reinforced concrete test structures and an actual structure damaged during an earthquake. The resulting quantitative measures of structural damage are correlated with independently formulated descriptive damage assessments. Based on these correlations, the damage functions produce meaningful and potentially useful measures of the damage condition of structures.