Seismic fragility assessment of medical components

Shake table tests on a full scale three-dimensional model of a consultation room has been carried out at the University of Naples, Federico II ,Italy . The sample room con-tains a number of typical medical components, which are either directly connected to the panel boards of the perimeter walls or are simple free-standing elements. System identifica-tion was firstly carried out in order to identify the modal properties of the tested components. Selected ground motion records were scaled to detect different limit states for the medical de-vices. Fragility analysis has also been carried out; in so doing, the fragility curves have been evaluated according to a systemic approach. Simplified yet reliable finite element models of the experimentally tested sample components are defined upon the laboratory outcomes through the computer platform routinely used for practical applications. The implemented numerical model is capable to simulate the variations of natural frequency as provided by the experimental tests, in case the component is shaken along the two horizontal directions. The main finding of the present analytical study is therefore that simple models are able to ade-quately simulate the dynamic properties of the tested cabinets