Performance-Based Engineering (PBE)

• PBE criteria exists for the seismic design of new and existing buildings: Vision 2000: Performance-Based Engineering of Buildings FEMA 273: Guidelines for The Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings and FEMA 274 Commentary

• PBE criteria for wind can be developed for either individual buildings or as general guidelines

  • Dynamic properties for each design level can be accommodated within wind-tunnel model testing and analysis

• Strength versus Displacement criteria may interact

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Recent work by SEAOC (1995), and ATC with BSSC (1997) has established U.S. national guideline criteria corresponding to structural and nonstructural performance objectives for both new and existing buildings. Multiple design hazard levels are now explicitly defined by specific probabilities of exceedance to cover a greater spectrum of possible earthquake severity.

For certain structures it may be necessary to make a specific evaluation of strengths, stiffness, and dynamic parameters for each level of wind design criteria. Consideration of various structural property sets, and of wind speeds of various recurrence intervals, is easily accommodated by a wind-tunnel model study. Thus, the wind-tunnel tool can significantly aid the implementation of a performance-based design methodology.