Earthquake, wind, and fire: joint effects on structures

Design frameworks worldwide consider natural or man-induced hazards to be statistically uncorrelated. This view has dominated engineering practice for decades; however, evidence suggests that such events could, in fact, coincide, thereby increasing the demand for infrastructure resilience. The continuous flow of wind raises the question of whether the forces it generates should be accounted for during earthquake-resistant design. Historically, forces of different natures have been seen to interact, causing damage that current design frameworks cannot prevent. Therefore, we must reflect on current engineering practices and make the necessary changes to minimise risk. This investigation addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the potential effects of earthquakes, wind, and fire acting on buildings. It estimates strength reduction factors that could potentially integrate more robust performance-based design initiatives. This study considers a range of historical earthquake records, wind speeds, and temperature gradients affecting steel and concrete structures to provide insight into the degree of deterioration that combined hazards could impose on infrastructure, which could eventually translate into a change in their initial ductility or, in extreme situations, total collapse.