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Earthquakes and Structures
  Volume 11, Number 1, July 2016 , pages 109-127
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/eas.2016.11.1.109
 


Sensitivity analysis of probabilistic seismic behaviour of wood frame buildings
Jianzhong Gu

 
Abstract
    This paper examines the contribution of three sources of uncertainties to probabilistic seismic behaviour of wood frame buildings, including ground motions, intensity and seismic mass. This sensitivity analysis is performed using three methods, including the traditional method based on the conditional distributions of ground motions at given intensity measures, a method using the summation of conditional distributions at given ground motion records, and the Monte Carlo simulation. FEMA P-695 ground motions and its scaling methods are used in the analysis. Two archetype buildings are used in the sensitivity analysis, including a two-storey building and a four-storey building. The results of these analyses indicate that using data-fitting techniques to obtain probability distributions may cause some errors. Linear interpolation combined with data-fitting technique may be employed to improve the accuracy of the calculated exceeding probability. The procedures can be used to quantify the risk of wood frame buildings in seismic events and to calibrate seismic design provisions towards design code improvement.
 
Key Words
    earthquake engineering; probability; reliability; wood frame structures; timber; seismic effect
 
Address
Jianzhong Gu: Architectural and Engineering Technology, Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, BC, Canada
 

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