Ambient vibration measurements and seismic evaluation of historical Japanese-style wooden offices in Taiwan

Abstract

In order to conserve or reuse historic buildings in Taiwan which are located in an earthquake-prone area, it is critical to ensure their seismic capacity. The historical Japanese-style wooden houses are those of concern in this study. Three historical offices of this kind which were damaged in the 2010 Kaohsiung earthquake were selected. First, ambient vibration measurements were taken to investigate their natural frequency and vibration mode. Performance-based assessment for wooden buildings in Japan was adopted and modified to evaluate the seismic capacity of the offices. By comparing the evaluation results and the damage observed in the earthquake, applicability of the method was verified. Accordingly, a seismic evaluation method for the Japanese-style wooden buildings in Taiwan was established. In addition, the relationship between measured natural frequency and calculated base shear coefficient was investigated and compared to the empirical formula for wooden houses in Japan.