Fragility Curves for Residential Masonry Chimneys

Chimney behavior is studied via computer simulations to quantify the effects of specific parameters, including chimney height above roof, masonry flexural tensile strength, chimney section dimensions, vertical steel reinforcement, and chimney-house anchorage strength. All of these parameters are found to affect performance. Damage functions are formulated relating peak ground acceleration to the likelihood of extensive chimney damage. The functions offer a practical way to inform fragility curves, thereby better reflecting an individual chimney as well as chimney inventories in regions of interest.