Seismic Response of Ceiling/Piping/Partition Systems in NEESR-GC System-Level Experiments

Past earthquakes have shown widespread damage to nonstructural systems in various types of buildings. The damage led to the loss of functionality or evacuation of several buildings and, in extreme cases, to loss of life. As part of the project titled "NEESR-GC: Simulation of the Seismic Performance of Nonstructural System" a series of system-level, large-scale experiments were conducted at the UNR-NEES site from December 2012 to April 2013. These experiments focused on the investigation of the system-level responses and failure mechanisms of nonstructural systems, including: steel-studded gypsum partition walls; suspended ceilings; and fire sprinkler systems. The preliminary observations included: failure of perimeter and in-field connections of ceiling systems, damage to the boundaries of partition walls, and failure of piping hangers. In addition, observations showed that interaction between partition walls and ceiling systems could cause damage in the ceiling systems.