Highlights of Responses of Instrumented Buildings During the M6.4 Puerto Rico Earthquake of 7 January 2020

Session: Early Results from the 2020 M6.4 Indios, Puerto Rico Earthquake Sequence
Type: Oral
Date: 4/30/2020
Time: 11:45 AM
Room: 115
Description: 

In this paper, we describe the inventory of seven instrumented buildings in Puerto Rico as well as highlights of their responses during the Mw6.4 Indios, Puerto Rico Earthquake of 7 January, 2020 that occurred at 8:24:26 UTC, 17.916N 66.813W and a depth 10.0 km (www.strongmotioncenter.org, last visited January 24, 2020).

From the data available as of the date of preparation of this abstract, there is no evidence that any structural damage occurred in any of these buildings. Visits to the buildings by at least two researchers confirmed that there was no observable damage. In addition, available records to date show that interstory drift ratios are less than 0.1% which is below any damageability level.

Summary of instrumented buildings during the M6.4 Indios, Puerto Rico earthquake of 7 January 2020. (ai) building number, name, location, (bi) station ID/distance from epicenter (km), (ci) no. of floors/ no of channels, (di) peak acceleration (in g) at ground or basement levels, (ei) peak structural acceleration (in g) at top floor or roof of building (** means data not yet available): (a1) Minillas [San Juan], (b1) B01L/94, (c1) 17+1basement/6, (d1) .016, (e1) .044; (a2) Plaza Inmaculado [San Juan], (b2) B02L/94, (c2) 26/12, (d2) **, (e2) **; (a3) Prila [San Juan], (b3) **/94, (c3) 22/36, (d3) **, (e3) **; (a4) El Castillo [Mayaguez], (b4) B03L/48, (c4) 20+1basement/24, (d4) .029, (e3) 0.13; (a5) VA-hospital [San Juan], (b5) 3095/93.4, (c5) 6+1basement2/24, (d5).038, (e5) .099; (a6) VA-hospital [San Juan], (b6) 3096/93.4, (c6) 2/2, (d6) ** (e6) **; (a7) VA-parking structure [San Juan], (b7) 3090/93.4, (c7) 2+1basement/3, (d7) .044, (e7) **.

In summary, based on information to date of the level of shaking experienced during this event, these buildings performed well.

Presenting Author: Mehmet Celebi

Authors