Seismic Performance Assessment of an Unreinforced Masonry Historical Building Using Nonlinear Static Methods

Resumo

Historical heritages embody the identity and evolution of a people, making their preservation paramount. Buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries constitute a significant portion of this heritage, and evaluating their behavior under potentially damaging actions is crucial for mitigating and preventing irreparable losses. Despite Brazil's location in a tectonically stable region, seismic events with the potential for considerable damage have occurred and could impact these historical structures. Among the methods for assessing the seismic vulnerability of buildings, nonlinear static methods stand out, aiming to quantify the effect of earthquakes on a structure using an incremental lateral force analysis considering nonlinearity, known as pushover analysis. This study aims to evaluate the seismic performance of an 18th-century masonry historical building using a nonlinear static method, notably the oldest one in the urban complex of the central-south region of the state of Ceará. To this end, a finite element numerical model of the main façade was developed to represent the historical building. The seismic performance of the building was then evaluated, and the expected damage to the historical building under seismic loading was quantified.