Rapid Identification Of Engineering Structures After Earthquake

After the earthquake, the safety of various types of structures is directly related to the lives of people in the disaster area, while the damage and the overall losses of various types of structures are the basis of relief work and the policy formulation. To quickly get the degree of safety and the overall losses of all kinds of structures, the work of identification of engineering structures must be carried out accurately and rapidly. But at present there is no code that is specially used for the rapid identification of all kinds of structures after the earthquake in China. The codes or standards existed are for the identification in normal conditions, and they often require plenty of the project testing before a comprehensive evaluation of structures. But it is difficult to complete all the detection and assessment of component needed. Meanwhile, the local guidance especially used for the emergent condition after earthquake only indicates a rough principle of identification. Consequently, the identification engineers mainly use their own experience to identify the structure. The identifications often contain excessive anthropic factors, and the evaluation result usually do not accord with the practical situation well.In order to address the question of emergent identification after earthquake, a specific method used for rapid assessment to the masonry structure after the earthquake is announced in this paper. Based on the analysis of earthquake damage of masonry structure, this method gives quantitative and qualitative judgments to the damage extent of the common components in the earthquake. By using the fuzzy mathematics method, the security level of the components can be evaluated and judgment matrix of membership grade can be established. Then the weights of components and structures are evaluated by using the AHP. Finally, according to analyzing the judgment matrix of level membership grade and the weights of components and structures comprehensively, the safety evaluation of the whole structure can be acquired. This recommended method is easy to apply and has clear layers. The identification result of this method is accurate.In this paper, the applications of the recommended method in masonry structure, frame structure, reinforced concrete single-storey industrial building and reinforced concrete railway bridges are discussed. The steps of application in the structure styles above are included. While the rapid assessment methods of structural damages based on rapid identification are summarized. The application of recommended method makes the identification work procedurally, which reduces the workload and identification time. Besides, by using this method, the judgment reference can be provided to set down the policies of salvation and put the rescue measures into practice scientifically.