Rate‐of‐Loading Effects on Pseudodynamic Tests

Abstract

A quasi‐static loading procedure is utilized in the pseudodynamic test method to simulate the seismic response of a structure. Hence, a major concern with the results of such tests is the rate‐of‐loading effects. This problem is addressed in the paper by studying the response of an elastic/viscoplastic system that has the rate‐dependent characteristics of a steel structure and is calibrated with the dynamic yield strength of mild steel obtained from prior experimental studies. While a wide scatter of experimental data can be observed, results of this study indicate that the dynamic yield strength of mild steel attained in the seismic response of a structure can be 30% higher than that developed in a pseudodynamic test, depending on the plastic strain rate induced. As a result, the inelastic response developed in a pseudodynamic test tends to be higher than that induced by an actual earthquake excitation. Nevertheless, the discrepancies are small for structures that have relatively low fundamental frequenc...