Risk-based evaluation and optimization of friction devices for seismic retrofits of non-ductile building structures in Canada

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Canada's early-designed public buildings (i.e., schools and hospitals) are at significant risk of seismic damage and collapse. The installation of seismic protective devices, such as friction devices designed and manufactured by Quaketek Inc, offers a viable strategy to mitigate the seismic risk of building structures. However, the practical use of friction devices has commonly relied on prescriptive approaches that engage a small number of earthquake ground motions, which fall short of tackling several critical challenges, including (1) uncertainties in seismic hazard; (2) the conversion from structural behaviour to cost-benefit performance; (3) the damage and loss of both structural and non-structural components; (4) the high computational cost for stochastic optimization; and (5) the competing criteria between reduced seismic loss and increased upfront cost. The performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) framework stands on the promise that seismic risk can be assessed with quantifiable confidence of all pertinent uncertainties, ranging from premise earthquake occurrence modelling to the estimates of earthquake consequences (e.g., casualties, loss, and downtime). By further integrating the recent advances in statistical and machine learning, the proposed project aims to extend the PBEE framework to evaluate, design, and optimize the friction devices for different types of public buildings in both east and west Canada. Through nonlinear time history analyses supported by high-fidelity finite element modelling, seismic life-cycle cost-benefit analyses, and seismic risk-based optimization, design guidelines identifying optimal layouts and design parameters of friction devices will be developed towards minimized seismic losses for non-ductile steel frames, concrete frames, and low-rise wood frames, as well as non-ductile and ductile concrete shear walls. This project will structure the current use of this type of friction device as a valuable and cost-effective seismic retrofit solution that can better safeguard Canada's public buildings against earthquake hazards.