2020 Blind prediction competition for integrated complex structural and nonstructural assessment on steel hospital building

Abstract

Testing of a steel hospital building that represented a complex two- building multi-story hospital - with both fixed and isolated bases, various nonstructural components, and critical medical equipment - was conducted at the E-Defense facility in Japan. The test presented an opportunity to host a multi-phase Blind Prediction Competition (BPC). The contestants competed for modeling accuracy of structural, nonstructural, and functional responses in the two phases, before and after the tests. The prediction of overall structural responses was mostly accurate. However, the local behavior modeling of structural components still needed improvement, even with the preliminary component test results given. Some teams predicted the damage state of the equipment well, but response histories were not as accurate.