Seismic loss assessment of medium-rise reinforced concrete frames in Colombia equipped with TADAS dampers

Colombia, South America's third most populous country, faces high seismic hazards, making reinforced concrete (RC) buildings particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. To mitigate this vulnerability, seismic protection systems have emerged as effective solutions for enhancing the seismic resilience of buildings. This study evaluates the seismic performance of medium-rise RC regular plan buildings equipped with Triangular Added Damping and Stiffness (TADAS) devices, using a performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) framework. The analysis focuses on 4-, 7-, and 10-story RC buildings located in Cali, Colombia. Structural models were developed in OpenSeesPy and subjected to non-linear Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) using FEMA P695 seismic records. Fragility curves were derived from the IDA results to estimate the probability of exceeding various damage states, while vulnerability curves quantified expected annual losses (EAL) and lifetime economic losses for buildings with and without TADAS devices. Results demonstrate that TADAS devices significantly enhance seismic performance, reducing inter-story drifts by up to 55.4% under maximum considered earthquake (MCE) conditions. The probability of complete damage in a 4-story building decreased from 20.4% to 6.8%, with similar reductions observed for mid-rise buildings. Economically, the TADAS devices were effective, reducing EAL by up to 71.7%. These findings underline the dual benefits of TADAS devices: improved structural performance and significant economic savings over the lifespan of the building.