Sensitivity study for regional seismic assessment of L-shaped concrete moment resisting frame structures

This paper describes a sensitivity study of the potentially significant parameters which influence seismic response of L-shape concrete moment resisting frame (LCMF) structures in Memphis, TN located in the Central United States. The sensitivity study is necessary to efficiently perform regional seismic assessments of LCMF structures using fragility curves which are conditional cumulative distribution functions that define the exceedance probability of a damage state for a given ground motion intensity level. For the sensitivity study, the main predictors for assessment of the seismic structural response of LCMF structures must be defined. Predictor variables of potential significance include both macro- and micro-parameters. The macro-parameters consist of geometric parameters (e.g., number of stories, eccentricity) and building design provisions (based on building construction date), while the micro-parameters include structural parameters (e.g., damping) and material properties (e.g., concrete compressive strength). This will be accomplished using a combination of Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical tools. The two different seismic intensities, peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV), are used in the sensitivity analyses. Copyright ASCE 2006.