Blind Predictions of the Seismic Response of a Woodframe House: An International Benchmark Study

Abstract

As part of the CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project, the international engineering community was invited to blind predict the dynamic characteristics and inelastic seismic response of a two-story woodframe house that had been extensively tested on a shake table. This research study provided a unique opportunity to assess the state of the art of numerical models in predicting the inelastic dynamic response of woodframe structures. Another objective of this study was to foster cooperation between the CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project and other related research activities being conducted worldwide. Five international teams completed the benchmark exercise and provided blind predictions of the nonlinear time-history response of the shake-table test structure under varying levels of seismic input as well as its pushover response. The participating teams adopted a wide range of numerical models and solution strategies. This paper provides a summary of the activities conducted under the CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project International Benchmark Study.