Uncertainties quantification for a seismic risk assessment of conventional reinforced concrete buildings in Brazil

• Grant number: 19/18368-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: January 13, 2020
• End date: March 12, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Henrique Siqueira
• Grantee: Isabela Durci Rodrigues
• Supervisor: Abbie B. Liel
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Colorado Boulder, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/23304-9 - Seismic vulnerability evaluation of regular reinforced concrete buildings in Brazil through the development of fragility curves, BP.MS

Abstract

This research project is associated with the currently Master's project number 2018/23304-9 named "Seismic vulnerability evaluation of regular reinforced concrete buildings in Brazilthrough the development of fragility curves". The project intends to evaluate the risk that aseismic event can bring to Brazilian reinforced concrete structures, through the developmentof analytical fragility curves. Brazil, due to its geographical location inside a tectonic plate, built up for many years structures with no design recommendations regarding seismical events. Furthermore, recent studies show that Brazilian territory, because of its intraplate faults, have registered seismic events with representative magnitude. If these events happened in urban areas with high demographic density, the structural damage might be catastrophic, since most part of the buildings do not have specific standard design prescriptions for this kind of load. In order to assess the vulnerability that a seismic event can cause to ordinary reinforced concrete structural systems, this research proposal aims to quantify the probability of damage in Brazilian standard buildings with statistical tools. The Research Internship Abroad aims to deal with the statistical tools in a more accurately way, specifically dealing with the Finite Element model's and the earthquake's uncertainties. This study will improve the results of the research by using the statistic tools that have been used in similar illustrious projects worldwide considering reinforced concrete structures. Besides the key sources of uncertainty, the Internship will set the stage for eventual development of risk mitigation strategies considering the seismic risk. (AU)