An Assessment of Damage Potential and Building Performance Demands for Romanian Vrancea Earthquakes

Abstract

The paper presents an evaluation of the damage potential of Romanian Vrancea earthquakes based on the use of damage spectra. Spectra of a derived damage index, DM.μ u , were computed for Vrancea events with moment magnitudes larger than 6.0. In addition, strength demand spectra were determined, in order to assess the strength capacity required to limit the damage index to a specified (target) value. The resulting strength demands were then mapped for several values of DM.μ u and of the structural period. Some applications of the approach, from the structural engineering point of view, were pointed out.