Damages indicators for post-earthquake condition assessment

After an earthquake, the condition of industrial systems, structures and equipment, especially at nuclear power plants has to be assessed since this information is needed for accident management and for the decision on the continuation of the operation. The damaging potential of the earthquake can be characterized by maximum horizontal acceleration of the ground motion, response spectra, cumulative absolute velocity and different instrumental intensity values. These quantities can be correlated with the earthquake characteristics, magnitude, distance, etc. Some of the indices are selective to damage mechanism and can be correlated to load-bearing features of the structures. Different indicators of damaging potential of earthquakes are analyzed in the paper from the point of view of applicability for post-event condition assessment at nuclear power plants and for using as criteria for restart of the operation.