Seismic performance assesment of a peruvian public school “module 780-actual” using nonlinear static and dynamic analysis

Resumen

The seismic zone of Peru is located at the convergence boundary between the Nazca and South American plates. This interaction, known as a subduction zone, is responsible for the major historical earthquakes recorded over the past four centuries, with magnitudes reaching up to 8.8 Mw. For this reason, it is crucial to evaluate the seismic performance of essential buildings, such as the Peruvian public school “Module 780-Actual,” which combines a reinforced concrete system in the longitudinal direction and confined masonry in the transverse direction. This study proposes a methodology to assess the seismic performance of educational institution N°22459, located in the Ica region. For this purpose, confined masonry walls were idealized using diagonal compression struts, calibrated with concentrated plastic hinges located at their mid-length. Additionally, distributed plasticity fiber models were employed for the columns, while concentrated plasticity models were used for the beams. The nonlinear static analysis (pushover) was conducted to determine the capacity curve and identify the performance point. The pushover analysis results were compared with those obtained through a nonlinear dynamic analysis, which utilized representative seismic records from the national territory. Both approaches showed good agreement. In conclusion, the seismic performance of the structure in both evaluated directions achieved the “Life Safety” level for a maximum considered earthquake with a return period of 2475 years. The proposed methodology is recommended for preliminary evaluations of seismic performance in regular, low-rise structures incorporating confined masonry, using the pushover analysis as the primary tool.