Probabilistic Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering: A Review

Abstract

The next generation seismic design and assessment procedures for buildings within the performancebased framework are a radical departure from traditional seismic design practice and performance assessment. The uncertainty and randomness in the building performance and seismic hazard will be captured and quantified in each steps in design and assessment procedure, finally the performance will be measured in terms of direct and indirect economic losses and casualties. The quantification and propagation of uncertainty in every step in the procedure requires robust probabilistic methods that have been developed over the last two decades. This paper summarises the research undertaken to develop the probabilistic performance-based seismic design and assessment procedures for buildings. The analysis methods, fragility functions and seismic hazard qualification, which are key elements in procedures, are defined and discussed.