POST EARTHQUAKE FIRE

Transcription

1 POST EARTHQUAKE FIRE LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH NON-STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS GAETANO COPPOLA HUGHES ASSOCIATES EUROPE SRL

2 BACKGROUND 2 Advanced technical standards provide prescriptions to designer in order to address the installation of sprinkler systems within the earthquake prone areas. The aim is to confer the resilience requested to the piping system in order to maintain operating conditions even after an earthquake. A fire that should occur after an earthquake can spread faster than in "normal" conditions, producing thermal damage to structures already damaged by the earthquake and thus increasing the probability of extended collapses. London May 21, 2014

3 BACKGROUND 3 Beside the direct damages to buildings structures, in most of the recent earthquakes, losses associated with buildings non-structural components and systems (in short: BNCS) often accounted for roughly 50% of the total losses (*). (*) Kircher, C., It Makes Dollars and Sense to Improve Nonstructural System Performance, Proc. ATC 29-2 Seminar on Seismic Design, Performance, and Retrofit of Nonstructural Components in Critical Facilities, Applied Technology Council, Redwood City, California, London May 21, 2014

4 BACKGROUND 4 BNCS include: All those components like the furnishings and finishes: false ceilings, doors, windows, cabinets, racks and shelves, appliances All the systems to supply electricity, heating, HVAC, data, and other services. London May 21, 2014

5 BACKGROUND 5 Since all active and most passive fire protection systems are considered BNCS, this is a significant concern for postearthquake fire performance of buildings. This has been observed in numerous earthquakes, including the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes, where damage to fire sprinkler systems and fire doors was reported to be over 40% and 30% respectively (1). (1) Sekizawa, A., Ebihara, M. & Notake, H. Development of Seismic-induced Fire Risk Assessment Method for a Building, Fire Safety Science Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium, International Association for Fire Safety Science, London, London May 21, 2014

6 STRUCTURAL DAMAGES 6 London May 21, 2014

7 7 NON-STRUCTURAL DAMAGES: Components Ceiling Damage Wallboard Damage Façade Damage London May 21, 2014

8 8 NON-STRUCTURAL DAMAGES: Components Stair Damage Elevator Door Damage London May 21, 2014

9 9 NON-STRUCTURAL DAMAGES: Systems London May 21, 2014

10 SPRINKLER DAMAGES 10 London May 21, 2014

11 SPRINKLER DAMAGES 11 London May 21, 2014

12 SPRINKLER DAMAGES 12 London May 21, 2014

13 R&D 13 Although considerable research has been undertaken with respect to the performance of structural systems, research aimed at understanding and quantifying the performance of nonstructural systems and post-earthquake fire performance of buildings has been severely lacking. To begin addressing this crucial gap in knowledge, an academe-industry collaborative was formed to conduct the project: Full-Scale Structural and Nonstructural Building System Performance during Earthquakes & Post-Earthquake Fire.( London May 21, 2014

14 R&D 14 In April and May 2012, a series of landmark full-scale experiments were conducted on and within a 5-story reinforced concrete frame test specimen, with floor plates measuring 6.6 meters by 11 meters (21.5 feet by 36 feet), which was erected on the US largest outdoor shake table at the Englekirk Structural Engineering Center at the University of California, San Diego. ( ) The building specimen was intended to emulate a typical modern Hospital facility, since Hospitals are among the critical and strategic facilities that must be able to withstand the earthquake, and continue functioning. London May 21, 2014

15 R&D 15 The building specimen was tested applying to the shake-table a sequence of repeated movements, during 13 seismic tests, with the intent to reproduce the shaking associated to devastating earthquakes with magnitude ranging from 6.7 to 8.8 of Richter scale. The tests were conducted in the two basic configurations: motions with base isolation configuration and motions in the fixed base configuration (removing the base isolators). London May 21, 2014

16 R&D 16 These initial experiments were focused on the behavior of the building structure itself and the behavior of the BNCS in different conditions. Let s see a short video that shows three examples of the tests conducted, that reproduce the following real events: 2007 Pisco (Peru) Earthquake (base Isolated) 2007 Pisco (Peru) Earthquake (Fixed base) 2002 Denali (Alaska) Earthquake (Fixed base) London May 21, 2014

17 R&D 17 The ultimate test: a motion that exceeds a maximum credible event. The expectation is that the building will not collapse but will lose function and will be severely damaged beyond any possible repair. After these "shake" tests, the building was shored and a series of fire tests were conducted. The study of post-earthquake building fire performance was led by Doctor Brian Meacham from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. London May 21, 2014

18 R&D 18 The following video will provide the tests description: The following video shows the post-fire inspection and some conclusions: London May 21, 2014

19 AIIA Italian chapter of SFPE 19 AIIA is the Associazione Italiana Ingegneria Antincedio, the Italian chapter of the SFPE. In November 2012 we organized a seminar on the seismic vulnerability of fire protection systems. More information is available on the association website at the following URL: London May 21, 2014

20 Acknowledgements 20 University of California San Diego: SFPE: Full video is available at: Other resources: be London May 21, 2014

21 THANKS GAETANO COPPOLA HUGHES ASSOCIATES EUROPE SRL