Date of Award

8-2026

Degree Name

MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Department/Program

Civil and Environmental Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Giovanni De Francesco

Advisor Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Advisor College

College of Engineering

Abstract

Earthquake damage in light-frame timber structures is commonly evaluated using peak inter-story drift. However, drift alone does not fully represent the remaining structural capacity of a building or its ability to be repaired following a seismic event. Although expected structural damage, residual capacity, and repairability have each been studied extensively, these concepts are often considered independently, leaving limited guidance that links them within a unified post-earthquake assessment methodology.

This thesis establishes an integrated framework that relates expected structural damage, residual capacity, and repairability for light-frame timber residential structures. Existing literature was synthesized to develop drift-based damage-state classifications, identify methods for quantifying residual structural capacity, and evaluate repair strategies commonly used following earthquake damage. These concepts were then incorporated into a proposed experimental testing framework that defines procedures for documenting damage progression, evaluating residual structural capacity through white-noise testing, and assessing repairability using both observed damage and measured structural performance.

The proposed framework is intended to provide a systematic methodology for investigating the relationships between structural damage, residual capacity, and repairability during future full-scale seismic testing. By integrating these three aspects of post-earthquake structural assessment, the framework establishes a foundation for future experimental validation and refinement while supporting more comprehensive evaluations of light-frame timber structures following seismic events.

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