Modelling of two damaged unreinforced masonry buildings following the Canterbury earthquakes

Abstract

The reported study focused on modelling the seismic response of two URM buildings that were damaged in the Canterbury earthquake sequence. Static and dynamic nonlinear analyses were undertaken using the equivalent frame approach. Actual time-history records attained during the earthquakes where used to undertake dynamic analyses and facilitate direct comparison to the observed building damage. The results showed that use of the equivalent frame method enabled prediction of the seismic response of the two case study buildings with a high level of accuracy.