Aftershock damage prediction of reinforced-concrete buildings using capacity spectrum assessments

Safety evaluations of existing buildings considering aftershocks are essential for occupants after an earthquake. To this end, a capacity-curve-based method is proposed using the seismic response data from the mainshock, which is quantitatively suitable for a damage prediction after an aftershock. The predicted maximum response during the mainshock aftershock sequence is the intersection of the demand curve and the capacity curve of the structure, after which the damage class can be judged. The feasibility of the proposed method is verified using a numerical method, and comparisons are made between the results of proposed method and the code-specified method in Japan. It is shown that the proposed method can provide a good estimate for damage evaluation for aftershocks.