In the study and analysis of building damage after an earthquake, the total economic loss incurred in a building can be determined for various structural types based on field data. However, little research work to date, if any, has been accomplished to segregate economic losses among various building elements such as structural versus nonstructural, mechanical, interior/exterior finishes and cladding, etc. This project focuses on filling this knowledge gap by: (a) analyzing damage patterns in actual buildings, (b) developing a detailed classification of the types and locations of typical building damage patterns, and (c) quantifying losses among the various subsystems of a building such as the basic structure, exterior cladding, interior finishes, mechanical components, and other nonstructural elements which compose the entire building system. This research will provide a specific mechanism for differentiation and quantification of subsystem damage patterns within the total building system. Results anticipated will enhance our understanding and ability to retain the proper balance between cost and risk in the seismic design of architectural components and systems.
