Effect of the Importance Factor on the Seismic Performance of Health Facilities in Medium Seismicity Regions

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the effect of the importance factor on seismic performance by comparing four prototype health facilities located in a medium seismicity region in Europe. The buildings have Reinforced Concrete (RC) frame structures designed with importance factors 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.5. Performance assessment is based on the FEMA P-58-1 methodology. This study comprises nonlinear time history analyses of the building structure, the identification of structural and nonstructural performance groups, the probabilistic expression of structural response, and the quantification of damage and repair costs by means of fragility relations. The evaluation of the prototype buildings is the basis to discuss the impact of the importance factor on the performance under occasional and rare ground motions. This works reveals that seismic performance of the analyzed prototypes is not appropriate in terms of damage, loss of functionality and repair costs.

KEYWORDS:

• Importance factor
• performance evaluation
• earthquakes
• critical facilities
• framed structures
• damage
• losses