Abstract:
Pakistan is an underdeveloped country, still striving for improvement in construction practices.
Most of the private construction is carried out as non-engineered which caused loss of
approximately 85,000 lives in Kashmir (2005) earthquake. However, after the Kashmir (2005)
earthquake, the government and engineering community emphasized on implementation of
seismic codes (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/ earthquakes).
Although the current construction practices are considered as better than previous construction
work but the vulnerability of these structures is yet to be determined. This research is
continuation of seismic vulnerability assessment of RC structures at the University of Sheffield.
It aims at the vulnerability assessment of recent RC construction in Pakistan that still need to be
assessed. Research work starts with calibration of panel zone element (PERFORM 3D) depicting
joint shear degradation, while comparing the analytical results with experimental work, found in
literature. Then further extending the work to model a seismically deficient RC frame, tested by
Chuadet et al (2005) and time history analysis is performed, the final model is used for
development of vulnerability curve by using a reverse Capacity Spectrum Method developed by
Kyriakides (2012). The frame work is then used for vulnerability assessment of RC structures
typical of current construction practices in Pakistan for which, three cases have been considered,
being constructed more frequently by public sector, in different seismic zones, based on design
usually followed by builders in the region. Finally, the conclusion is drawn with suggestion of
further improvement of seismic behavior of the structures.
