SEISMIC PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDINGS IN HIGH-RISK ZONES

Abstract

Reinforced concrete (RC) buildings remain the dominant structural form in seismically active high-risk zones, yet they continue to exhibit significant vulnerabilities during major earthquakes due to limitations in traditional design and evaluation approaches. This study presents a comprehensive review of contemporary seismic performance assessment methodologies for RC buildings, highlighting the shift from force-based to performance-based engineering paradigms. Key topics include the comparative advantages and limitations of linear (Equivalent Static and Response Spectrum) versus nonlinear (pushover, time-history, and incremental dynamic) analysis procedures; the critical influence of structural irregularities, masonry infill configurations (including soft-story and short-column effects), and soil-structure interaction (SSI); and the implications of mainshock-aftershock sequences on collapse capacity and residual drift. The paper examines international seismic evaluation standards (ASCE 41, Eurocode 8), forensic lessons from recent devastating events (Türkiye 2023, Japan 2024, Nepal 2015), and emerging resilience-enhancing technologies such as FRP/TRM jacketing, viscous dampers, shape memory alloys, and base isolation. Additionally, the transformative role of machine learning techniques (e.g., XGBoost, Random Forest, SVR) combined with interpretability tools (SHAP) for rapid regional vulnerability assessment is discussed. The synthesis underscores the necessity of holistic, nonlinear, and probabilistic frameworks that integrate structural, geotechnical, and non-structural factors to achieve improved seismic resilience in high-risk regions.