Analysis of Northridge Damaged Thirteen-Story WSMF Building

The case study building experienced moment connection fractures and has instructure recorded response. Correlative analyses are performed using a probability approach to describe the connection rotational capacities. The Northridge calibrated model is then subjected to other scenario earthquake records. The main points include:

-Northridge connection damage can be reasonably simulated using models that idealize the rotation capacities as random variables,

-Many of the connection fractures occurred from beam moment demands that were less than the beam yield moments,

-Vertical earthquake excitation and gravity loads did not play a major role in the connection fractures,

-The damaged building can withstand another Northridge intensity quake,

-Near-source ground motions from great quakes have the potential to collapse the building with pre-Northridge type connection details, and

-Connection rotation capacity can make the difference between building survival or collapse during severe quakes.