Earthquakes and the effects on structures: Some of the lessons learnt

摘要

The observed performance of a range of structures when subjected to significant earthquakes will be described. The emphasis of this paper is on reinforced concrete buildings, including frames and walls. The fundamental issues that affect structures will be highlighted: failure and collapse modes; maintenance of load paths; interaction of primary structural elements (eg. floor diaphragms and vertical elements) with secondary elements such as stairs and ramps; structural systems that may employ zones of inelastic behaviour, resulting in "ductility". Observation of structural performance during earthquakes will be used to illustrate the issues noted. Examples of changes in design practice resulting from the observations will be presented.