Development of seismic force requirements for buildings in Taiwan

Abstract

This paper describes static and dynamic procedures to calculate seismic demand specified by the current seismic design code for buildings in Taiwan, which was issued in 2005. For design levels with a return period of 475 years, the design spectral response acceleration can be developed for general sites, near-fault sites and Taipei Basin. In addition, in order to prevent building collapse during extremely large earthquakes and yielding of structural components and elements during frequent small earthquakes, the required seismic demands at the maximum considered earthquake level (MCE, 2%/50 years) and operational level are also included in the new seismic design code. For dynamic analysis procedures, both the response spectrum method and time history method are specified in the new seismic design code. Finally, procedures to generate spectrum compatible ground motions for time history analysis are illustrated in this paper.