Validation of seismic design criteria for con crete frames based on Montecarlo simulation and full scale pseudodynamic tests

The paper presents an accurate method to quantify the behavior factor of structural systems, by means of a full probabilistic evaluation of the involved quantities. The criteria of the probabilistic evaluation of seismic capacity are based on Monte Carlo method for which hundreds of dynamic analyses are performed with different material properties and seismic actions. The ground motions are described by artificial accelerograms compatible with the response spectrum assumed in Eurocode 8. The assessment of the design rules of the Eurocode is made with reference to two reinforced concrete frames, one representing a cast-in-situ structure, the other representing a precast structure, both analyzed in four levels of sway stiffness. The results are expressed in terms of frequency distribution curves of the overstrength ratio between actual and design seismic capacity. The results show that cast-in-situ and precast frames have the same seismic behavior with respect to ductility resources and ultimate capacity. The experimental verification of these theoretical results is also found by means of pseudodynamic tests on full-scale castin-situ and precast prototypes. The results of the tests are presented and compared with the results of a numerical simulation. The good agreement between numerical and experimental results confirms the reliability of the theoretical model and, with it, the results of the statistical analysis too.