Performance of tall buildings in Concepción during the 27 February 2010 moment magnitude 8.8 offshore Maule, Chile earthquake

Abstract

Concepción, near the southern end of the fault rupture zone of the offshore Maule, Chile earthquake, suffered signifi cant damage to all types of structures. Tall reinforced concrete buildings in the region were also affected, some severely. Spectacular collapse and partial collapse were experienced in two buildings, and many buildings had failure of thin shear walls that lacked suffi cient boundary element confi nement. Concrete spalling and crushing occurred and reinforcing steel buckled and were sometimes fractured.