Moment, shear force and axial force (MVP) interaction based new method for seismic performance evaluation of existing reinforced concrete buildings

The aim of this study is to develop a new preliminary seismic performance evaluation method for existing reinforced concrete buildings based on moment, shear force and axial force interaction. The proposed method being alternative for the existing preliminary seismic evaluation methods consists of main method and alternative methods derived from the main method, considering data from 146 buildings experienced 2011 Van Earthquakes, 18 buildings damaged in 2002 Afyon Earthquake and 28 buildings shaked in 2003 Bingöl Earthquake. Within this thesis, the developed equations being based on "Total Interaction Method or Moment-Shear-Axial Interaction Method" (MVP Method 2) can be utilized in four other different ways: Evaluation Considering Principal Direction of The Building (MVP Method 1), Moment Based Method (MVP Method 3), Shear Based Method (MVP Method 4) and Axial Based Method (MVP Method 5). Reinforced concrete buildings are evaluated either being in low vulnerable state (LW) or high vulnerable state (HW) regarding their seismic performance scores calculated using the abovementioned approaches. From the 192 buildings utilized in this study, 89.1% of the buildings' seismic performance was successfully predicted in MVP Method 2, the rate was 86.5% in MVP Method 1, it was 80% in MVP Method 3, 86.5% in MVP Method 4 and 81.8% in MVP Method 5. Considering these information, MVP Methods utilizing simple equations are found to be more successful in evaluating the seismic performance of reinforced concrete buildings when compared to the available methods.