Fire Performance of a Full-Scale Building Subjected to Earthquake Motions: Test Specimen, Seismic Motions and Performance of Fire Protection Systems

Abstract

A full-scale, five-story building specimen was erected on the Large Outdoor High Performance Shake Table (LHPOST) at the University of California, San Diego, outfitted with various nonstructural components and systems (NCSs), and subjected to a series of earthquake motion tests and compartment scale fire tests. The aim of these tests was to increase knowledge on the performance of NCS and contents during earthquakes and post-earthquake fire events. An overview of the building specimen, earthquake motions and performance of NCS critical to building fire safety are presented. Outcomes illustrate the extent of damage to compartment barriers, facade systems, egress systems and fire protection systems that could occur given different levels of ground motion, and how such damage could impact occupant life safety and emergency response during fires in earthquake-damaged buildings. Details of the postearthquake fire tests and fire performance observations are presented in an associated paper [1].