A criterion for the estimation of losses of a structure exposed to several hazards is presented. It includes an approach to estimate the probability density function of the total damage that may be generated by the superposition of the effects of several simultaneous hazardous events that can be associated with a main primary event. It considers the probabilistic correlation of damage or failure of a structure due to the combined action of those simultaneous associated hazards. Finally, the intensities and times of occurrence of all relevant events of different natural origin that may significantly contribute to the risk for the structure of interest are taken into account, considering them as independent, with a negligible probability of producing simultaneous groups of significant associated hazardous events.

A methodology is presented for assessing the expected loss of human lives due to the structural damage, failure of contents and non-structural components inside buildings during earthquakes. This approach estimates human life losses considering whether the structure collapses (partial or totally) or not. Entrapment and entrapment fatality rates are calculated using available data from worldwide literature and newspapers of 50 collapsed buildings, which information is reasonably reliable. We apply this methodology to one example of a five-floor RC frame building of typical office occupancy. Vulnerability functions are presented relating the intensity of the earthquake to the loss of human lives inside buildings, considering different times of occurrence of the earthquakes: daytime, commuting time and nighttime. Uncertainties in all parts of the process are very large, but they are formally addressed and taken into account. This methodology may improve the risk assessment for insurances purposes, optimisation of the cycle of life, mitigation strategies, risk control and tolerable risk.

This study discusses the impact of the vertical component of earthquake ground motion in the performance level of steel building subjected to earthquake excitations. Analyses are carried out for the strong column-weak beam philosophy because the structural performance is focused on these elements. A realistic steel frame is also considered to investigate the impact of including the seismic vertical component in the non-linear response of the building. The main findings of this study are: (1) When an analysis is performed by considering the horizontal and vertical components of ground motion acting simultaneously (near the causative fault), larger plastic rotations in the beams are obtained as compared to those resulting by considering only the horizontal component. (2) Due to the previous finding, if a codified criterion to inspect the steel beams performance in terms of the plastic rotation is considered, the beam performance could lie within a different acceptation criterion (i.e., from immediate occupancy to collapse prevention) if the vertical component is included in the analysis.

Predictive models for ground‐motion duration of Mexican subduction interplate and intermediate‐depth intraslab earthquakes are presented. The considered sites are rock sites. For the ground‐motion duration models, the significant durations for ranges between 5%–75%, 5%–95%, and 2.5%–97.5% of Arias intensity are considered for the analyses. The significant duration predictive models are expressed in terms of magnitude, distance, and focal depth; this last variable is considered only for intraslab earthquakes. A total of 418 and 366 accelerograms obtained from 40 Mexican interplate and 23 intraslab earthquakes, respectively, are used. The applicability of the duration equation for subduction interplate events is restricted to moment magnitudes $5<Mw<8$ and distances to the fault surface $17<R<400km$⁠; for intraslab events, it is restricted to $5.2<Mw<8.2$⁠, $22<R<400km$⁠, and focal depths $35<HD<75km$⁠. The models are compared against existent models for Mexico and other regions. The analyses and comparisons indicate that using ground‐motion duration models accounting for the two types of earthquakes is required and that such models should be developed for specific regions.