Damage and performance evaluation of masonry buildings constructed in 1970s during the 2019 Albania earthquakes

A M-w 6.4 earthquake hit the NW region of Albania on November 26, 2019, resulting in extensive damage to the civil structures in the broader area of Durres city and its surroundings. According to the official statistics, it caused 51 death toll and similar to 1.2 billion US dollars economic loses. This study investigates the seismic response of masonry buildings damaged during the earthquake. Four important typologies are selected to draw general conclusions from the performance analysis and damage assessment. A detailed field survey after the earthquake was conducted in Albanian territory to observe the impact on low and mid-rise buildings. Seven masonry buildings with 3 to 5 floors were chosen to represent the commonly constructed template designs. Mathematical models of each building were prepared in the light of experimental test results on the quality of structural wall components. Seismic displacement capacities of each building were estimated by pushover analysis. The significance of the findings was further explored by considering the inelastic response of a group of representative buildings during the 2019 Albania earthquake sequences. According to the analyses made, Near Collapse damage state may be reached at a PGA of 0.16 g for some type of buildings. At 0.26 g all considered buildings are expected to be either collapsed or at a near collapse stage. The expected PGA with a return period of 475 years is around 0.3 g and even reaches to 0.4 g in the region. Considering the analysis results, it can be said that decision makers should be aware of the catastrophic consequences of similar future events.