Damage observed during past earthquakes, as well as recent loss estimation studies, has demonstrated the importance of the seismic design of non-structural building contents. This issue is partly due to the fact that the investment associated with non-structural elements is on average higher than the cost of the structure, and partly due to the higher vulnerability of non-structural elements at lower seismic intensities if compared to their structural counterparts. As a result, the harmonisation of the performance of both non-structural and structural elements has become a key factor in performance-based seismic design and assessment frameworks.

When dealing with non-structural elements, some of the main challenges that must be dealt with are the determination of seismic demand, the definition of archetype models according to different typologies of non-structural elements, the selection of performance objectives and the calibration of seismic performance factors (such as response modification factor and overstrength, among others). Because of a lack of information on the seismic performance of non-structural elements, current seismic design provisions are either empirical in nature or based on judgement and lack clear definitions of performance objectives under specific seismic hazard levels.

This Special Issue aims to provide a forum on recent advances in the seismic performance evaluation of non-structural building contents. Articles submitted to this Special Issue can concern both experimental and numerical studies dealing with the seismic response assessment of architectural, mechanical/electrical equipment, and building contents. Furthermore, research works related to the development of seismic qualification procedures and seismic design/assessment methodologies would be gladly received. In this context, the use of building information modelling (BIM) could represent a new frontier in the seismic design of non-structural elements by increasing the reliability of the seismic design and/or assessment; for this reason, articles related to the use of BIM in the seismic design process are also welcome. We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, as well as review articles, that will contribute to the seminal advancement in the seismic performance evaluation of non-structural building contents and to provide reliable help to future codes or design guidelines.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Seismic performance evaluation of non-structural elements through experimental testing or numerical modelling
• Code-oriented methodologies for the seismic design/assessment of non-structural building contents
• Evaluation of the seismic demand on non-structural building contents through either deterministic or probability-oriented approaches
• Influence of non-structural building contents on seismic loss estimation both at a single and regional scale
• Component- or class-oriented seismic fragility evaluation of non-structural building contents involving scalar or vector-valued approaches
• Seismic qualification of non-structural building contents
• Use of building information modelling (BIM) for the seismic design/assessment of non-structural building contents
• Technologies and procedures for the seismic protection of non-structural building contents