Seismic risk assessment of adobe dwellings in Cusco, Peru, based on mechanical procedures

Abstract

A procedure to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of one-storey adobe dwellings located in Cusco (Peru) is presented here. The seismic capacity of these dwellings is based on a mechanical-based approach, where the in-plane and out-of-plane failure mechanisms are taken into account. From a database with the principal geometrical properties of dwellings from Cusco, random populations of buildings were generated through Monte Carlo simulation. The capacity of each random dwelling is expressed as a function of its displacement capacity and period of vibration, and this is evaluated for different damage limit states. The seismic demand has been represented by the displacement spectral shapes computed for different levels of intensity, considering the Peruvian Seismic Code and the Eurocode 8. Finally, from the comparison between capacity and demand, probability of failure have been obtained for different return periods.