Performance-Based Design and Assessment of Buildings under Extreme Snow Loads

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The objective of this research is to develop a new framework for performance-based design and assessment of buildings subjected to large snow loads. Snow storms in recent years in the U.S. have caused structural failure, requiring costly repairs, interrupting business, damaging building contents and endangering life safety. Performance-based methods can improve the current approach to snow engineering by explicitly accounting for the risks of snow-induced collapse and building closure in decisions about structural design. The research approach progresses from the development of a probabilistic modular framework to relate snow hazard to structural response and building performance, to nonlinear simulation modeling and probabilistic assessment of the risk of collapse and building closure in structures subjected to snow loads, and to the application of snow load design procedures in a multi-hazard context. Deliverables include the demonstration of the application of the performance-based framework for snow design to typical flat-roof and special arena-type structures, tools for evaluating snow design decisions and building code provisions, documentation of research results, and a colloquia series for undergraduate researchers in civil engineering at CU. This research seeks to develop a new tool for design of buildings to resist snow loads, based on improved characterization of risks of structural failure and building closure. These advancements will facilitate decisions to minimize risk to life and property, leading to improved design of individual buildings and reexamination of code provisions for snow loading. These developments are particularly timely due to increasingly variable weather patterns associated with global climate change. The project will engage a diverse group of undergraduate researchers to promote student interest in structures and hazards research and in pursuing graduate students in civil engineering. Undergraduate and graduate researchers will participate in a new department research colloquia organized by the P.I to increase engagement in the department and wider scholarly community.