Effect of Material Epistemic Uncertainty on the Seismic Response of RC Moment-Resisting Frame Buildings and Their Nonstructural Components

Abstract

Reinforced Concrete Moment Resisting Frames (RCMRFs) are widely used in seismic hazard regions, but recent events have highlighted the significant impact of Nonstructural Components (NSCs) on repair costs. NSC behavior has become an active area of research, yet epistemic uncertainty stemming from material variability is often overlooked. This study explores the effects of epistemic uncertainty on RCMRFs and NSCs using Monte Carlo simulations in OpenSeesPy. Results show that concrete strength affects slight-moderate damage probabilities, while steel yielding stress impacts severe-collapse probabilities. Epistemic uncertainty introduces multi-modal behavior in the distribution of maximum acceleration of NSC, highlighting its relevance for performance assessment.