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The development of a seismic risk reduction procedure for the prioritization of low cost, load bearing masonry buildings

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Western Cape is one of the most seismically active regions in South Africa. It features
geological properties which can develop earthquakes as large as 6.87 on the Richter scale.
This poses a serious threat to all of the buildings that are currently located within this
region.
A recent study has found that typical three-storey Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings
in the Cape Town area shows a high probability of failure or damage if subjected to such
a large earthquake. Many of these buildings can be found in an area of Cape Town called
the Cape Flats, housing approximately 11 000 individuals. The structural integrity of these
buildings are of concern to engineers since it houses a number of individuals.
The purpose of the study was to develop a risk assessment procedure that could be used to
assess low-rise multi-storey (2, 3 and 4 storeys) URM buildings in order to determine where
the risk of earthquake related damage would be the highest. The risk assessment procedure
compared various characteristics regarding the buildings, residents, seismic attributes of the
region and the recovery capability of the residents.
The result, in the form of a risk rating, enabled the buildings to be prioritized according to
their seismic risk. The aim was to develop a comparative model which could be applied to
a range of buildings, indicating where the impact of an earthquake would be greatest. This
result could then be used for further remedial action (such as retrofitting) where it is needed
the most.
The risk assessment procedure used an Earthquake Risk Assessment Model (ERAM) which
was specifically developed to assess the earthquake risk of each building with the use of 26
factors. These factors would each be individually scored and through the ERAM model
would produce a risk rating. The buildings' can then be ranked (prioritized) according to
it's risk rating to determine where remedial actions or procedures are needed first. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wes-Kaap is een van die mees seismiese aktiewe streke in Suid-Afrika. Dit bevat geologiese
eienskappe wat aardbewings met groottes van 6,87 op die Richterskaal kan laat
ontwikkel (1 in 475 jaar herhaal periode). Dit hou 'n bedreiging vir baie die geboue wat tans
in hierdie streek geleë is.
'n Onlangse studie het bevind dat tipiese drie-verdieping lasdraende steengeboue in die
omgewing van Kaapstad 'n hoë waarskynlikheid van faling of skade toon as dit blootgestel
word aan 'n groot aardbewing. Baie van hierdie geboue kan gevind word in 'n gebied van
Kaapstad genaamd die Kaapse Vlakte, wat vir ongeveer 11 000 individue behuising bied.
Die strukturele integriteit van hierdie geboue is van belang aangesien dit 'n groot aantal
individue huisves.
Die doel van die studie was om 'n risiko-evaluerings proses te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word
om multi-verdieping (2, 3 en 4 verdiepings) lasdraende steengeboue te evalueer ten opsigte
van aardbewing verwante skade. Die risiko-evaluering proses vergelyk verskeie kenmerke van
die geboue, die inwoners, seismiese eienskappe van die streek en die vermoë van die inwoners
om terug te keer na hul alledaagse leefstyl.
Die resultaat is in die vorm van 'n risiko-gradering, wat die gebruiker in staat stel om die
geboue te prioritiseer volgens hul aardbewings risiko. Die doel was om 'n vergelykende model
te ontwikkel wat toegepas kan word om 'n verskeidenheid van geboue te evalueer, en aan
te dui waar die impak van 'n aardbewing die grootste sal wees. Hierdie resultaat kan dan
gebruik word vir verdere remediërende optrede of prosedures soos versterkings.
Die risiko-evaluerings proses gebruik 'n "Earthquake Risk Assessment Model" (ERAM) wat
spesifiek ontwikkel is om die aardbewings-risiko van elke gebou te evalueer met die gebruik
van 26 faktore. Hierdie faktore word elkeen individueel beoordeel en 'n risiko-gradering word
verkry met behulp van die ERAM model. Die geboue kan dan geprioritiseer word volgens
elkeen se risiko-gradering om te bepaal waar daar remediërende optrede nodig is.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/97014
Date03 1900
CreatorsDe la Harpe, Charles William Henry
ContributorsWium, J. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format168 pages : illustrations, maps
RightsStellenbosch University

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