Performance of Nonstructural Components during the 27 February 2010 Chile Earthquake

The 27 February 2010 Chile earthquake caused widespread nonstructural damage in practically all types of buildings. While few commercial, residential, office, and industrial buildings suffered structural damage, the functionality of many more facilities was disrupted, and significant economic losses were reported due mainly to nonstructural damage. Design requirements for nonstructural components in Chilean design codes are rarely enforced, unless explicitly requested by owners. In addition, construction predating modern codes has not been upgraded to current standards, even for such critical facilities as hospitals. This earthquake highlights that more attention should be devoted to enforcing regulations and improving the seismic performance of nonstructural components whose failure can lead to injuries, substantial economic losses, and partial or total loss of functionality. This is especially important for facilities critical to the response and recovery, such as hospitals and airports that should remain operational even after strong earthquakes.