Estimation of building damage rates from future earthquakes in Taiwan in terms of MMI

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to estimate the damage rate of steel and masonry buildings for different regions of Taiwan from future earthquakes according to the empirical data of 1999 M w 7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan. The results are presented in quadratic equation relating building damage rates with modified Mercalli intensity. It is found that two zones are subject to high building damage rates. One zone extends from Hsinchu southward to Taichung, Nantou, Chiayi, and Tainan in western Taiwan, and the other extends from Ilan southward to Hualian and Taitung in eastern Taiwan. These zones are also characterized by low b values and also coincide with high peak ground shaking parameters. We also present the damage rates as function of waiting time for steel and masonry buildings in ten main metropolitans of Taiwan. The results show relatively low expected damage rates in Hengchun, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. But relatively high damage rates are found for most other areas. These results should be of use to government regulators and practicing engineers to enforce appropriate building codes to effectively mitigate potential seismic hazards.