Verhalten von Mauerwerksbauten unter Erdbebeneinwirkung: Auswertung der Schäden des Albstadt-Erdbebens vom 3. September 1978

Vulnerability of masonry structures under seismic action: Damage analysis of the September 3, 1978 Albstadt earthquake.

Numerical studies of the earthquake behavior of masonry buildings in Central Europe based on national building codes acc. to the Eurocode 8 lead to pessimistic damage prognoses, which are in contradiction to the observed behavior. In order to eliminate this discrepancy realistic experience-based vulnerability and displacement functions for typical masonry constructions are developed. Because of the rather limited number of earthquake damage observations, the Magnitude ML 5.7 Albstadt earthquake from September 3, 1978 (intensity VII—VIII) in South Germany also based on its excellent documentation is reconstructed with the building stock existing at that time. The prevailing building types and for these the characteristic damage cases are investigated in close cooperation with the local authorities. The presented unreinforced masonry structures are divided by year of construction, number of storeys and phenomenological aspects.