Taiwan is located in a highly seismic zone and the historical “Dieh-Dou” timber
buildings, constructed without following any code or standard, are prone to collapse
under earthquake. These buildings are unique and represent the culture, heritage
and art of Taiwan, therefore need to be preserved while minimizing unnecessary
intervention that could damage their authenticity.
This research comprises a thorough investigation on the parameters influencing the
seismic vulnerability of the Dieh-Dou timber frames in Taiwan, and propose a
methodology of assessment and a strategy for strengthening validated through
experimental testing and numerical analysis.
After review existing literature and post-earthquake surveys, the failure modes of the
buildings are identified, showing that the dislocation of the elements of the frame
from the joints is the primary source of damage. An experimental investigation is
carried out comprising both rotational and translational tests on full scale joint
specimens which, together with a parametric study undertaken with an appropriate
FE simulation, demonstrates how both the rotational and translational stiffness of
the joints play a key role in defining the behaviour of these structures.
Lateral force, response spectrum, and step-by-step pushover analyses are
performed and compared with the post-earthquake survey of two Dieh-Dou buildings
seriously affected by the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake. The results show that the
proposed FE modelling can successfully be employed to assess the vulnerability of
the frames.
Based on a damage level approach, an assessment methodology is suggested that
would allow to optimisation of the strengthening strategy, permitting protection these
precious structures from future earthquakes while avoiding unnecessary
interventions.
Date of Award | 1 Jun 2009 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | |
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Supervisor | Dina D'Ayala (Supervisor) & Pete Walker (Supervisor) |
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- seismic evaluation
- step-by-step pushover analysis
- historic timber structures
Seismic Evaluation of Traditional Timber Structures in Taiwan
Tsai, P. (Author). 1 Jun 2009
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › PhD