Development and Application of Damage Spectra to Evaluate the Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Buildings in Greece

Damage spectra for reinforced concrete buildings in Greece are presented in this paper based on a series of time-history nonlinear dynamic analyses for single-degree-of-freedom systems (Clough hysteresis model) with different deformation ductility and yielding capacities. The damage spectra are calculated for hundreds of horizontal ground motions recorded on rock-stiff soil in Greece since 1970’s. Those damage spectra can be used in the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing reinforced concrete buildings in the country. To this end, the proposed damage spectra are evaluated via the damages observed in Athens as a result of the September 7, 1999 earthquake. The damage spectra confirm that low- to mid-rise RC buildings with lower ductility capacity experience heavy damage or collapse, as seen in the 1999 earthquake. The developed damage spectra can be also used for design purposes in the area. To this end, it is shown that the damage spectra can be used to determine what level of ductility capacity and yield strength is required to limit the expected damages to a certain accepted level according to the code provisions.