Browsing by Author "Dias, P"

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Open Access
Aspects of Structural Vulnerability against Tsunamis
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2022-02-11) Dias, P
Using historical data, it is shown that tsunamis may not occur for earthquake magnitudes even up to Mw = 8. Field data can be used to arrive at generalized fragility curves for different materials of construction as functions of inundation depth. Such curves can also be integrated into vulnerability curves that can be characterized by simple negative exponential equations. It is also possible to create synthetic fragility curves generated by Monte Carlo simulation, which were found to have a reasonable fit with the empirical ones. While most simulations focus only on the structural frames in buildings, partitions can also play a significant role in damage mechanisms. There is also a role for simplified indices of either risk or robustness, based ideally on physics rather than expert opinion. Such indices can also be used to consider risk to an entire system, for example buildings, functions and backup services that are spread across adjacent coastline hospitals.
Embargo
Rapid Risk Assessment of Sri Lankan School Buildings against Tsunamis
(IEEE, 2022-10-04) Nawanandana, C; Dias, P
Rapid assessment of building vulnerability and risk is very useful, especially if based on sound engineering principles as opposed to expert opinion alone. A tsunami relative risk index (TRRI) has recently been proposed for hospital buildings based on such an approach. This study extends the concept to reinforced concrete school buildings. Two typical plan forms of school buildings were explored, each of two and three storey height. The criterion for overall structural failure was the shear capacity of columns; for scour, the number of footings undermined; and for debris impact, the shear capacity of corner columns. Of the parameters explored, the inundation depth and flow velocity were found to have the greatest influence on TRRI, while building type, building height and flow direction had much smaller influence. Debris impact was the governing risk at low inundation depths (around 1m), with scour at medium depths (around 3m) and overall structural shear failure at higher depths (around 5m).