Quantification of factors contributing to earthquake damage in buildings

The seismic, risk of buildings depends on a number of factors. The most important among them are presented here. They are based on an extensive statistical analysis of earthquake dati4ge to buildings recorded after more than 25 earthquakes in many parts of the world. Such quantified factors assist in building code deliberations, risk assessment and catastrophe planning involving large populations of buildings and insurance and reinsurance issues. The information is also useful when making design decisions related to individual buildings as the''quantified factors indicate which conditions should be avoided or if unavoidable which additional strength is needed to compensate the adverse influence of foundation material, asymmetries or irregularities of architectural nature, or site effects. The main leston from the parameters presented is that it would pay high dividends if architects and designers would consider factors as described herein in the plans and would not only go by codes as generally available today. It is also seen that an unfavourable combination of factors may nullify the effect obtained from designing according to one of the better earthquake resistant building codes.