Fragility curves for light damage of clay masonry walls subjected to seismic vibrations

The probability of light damage to unprepared, unreinforced masonry structures exposed to induced seismicity due to gas extraction in the north of the Netherlands is still under investigation. Repeated light seismic excitations caused by frequent, light and nearby earthquakes have been linked to economical losses and societal unrest in particular, with extensive damage claims. Moreover, the damaging potential of the seismic events has been related to the condition of the structure, especially if damage corresponding to settlement causes is already present. A comprehensive testing campaign oriented towards the initiation and progression of light damage of replicated clay brick masonry has been conducted at Delft University of Technology. Based on these tests, calibrated finite element models have been produced. This article uses the calibrated non-linear time-history models to simulate the effect of earthquake ground motion on a variety of initial conditions, wall geometry, material properties, and number, type and intensity of earthquakes. The results are then used to regress a relationship between damage and these parameters. This is subsequently employed to run a MonteCarlo simulation and produce fragility curves where the probability of exceeding specific damage values for various initial damage levels is presented against the seismic hazard. The vulnerability or fragility curves show that visible damage, with cracks wider than 0.1 mm, appears, with a 10% exceedance probability, at 13 mm/s of peak ground velocity; but, if the masonry had already undergone some light, yet imperceptible damage, a PGV of 6 mm/s was sufficient to aggravate it into visible cracks. To attain a 1% probability of exceeding light damage however, for which the masonry would need more invasive repair, it was observed that PGVs larger than 15 mm/s were required. These fragility curves were finally compared to graphs from other authors and found to capture well the variability in the range assigned to light damage.