Abstract：Identification of seismic capacity of existing brick buildings before earthquakes is an important for taking effective seismic resistance and disaster reduction measures, which has a significant practical value to mitigate the damage of the buildings in the earthquakes. In the framework of seismic capacity index method for brick buildings, which is given the current national Standard for seismic appraisal of buildings (GB 50023—2009), the seismic capacity coefficient method was proposed. The seismic capacity identification method for three levels of intensity given in the seismic design code was realized. By integrating it with ground motion parameters, the relationships between the ground motion parameters and damage states were provided. The seismic capacity identification method for brick buildings based on ground motion parameters of three level intensities was realized. The seismic capacity of a brick building was studied by comparing the actual damage in the Wenchuan Earthquake with the analysis results, and it is found that the damages observed in the Wenchuan earthquake and those obtained from the analysis agree very well. The three level seismic capacity identification of this brick building was conducted, and the results showed that the buildings in the zones with fortification intensity VII satisfied the seismic precautionary requirements, i.e. “not damaged under small earthquakes, repairable under moderate earthquakes, not collapsed under large earthquakes”. The feasibility and effectiveness of the method were verified, and it can be concluded that the method is practical for the identification of the seismic capacity of the buildings designed for different seismic fortification levels.
