Response of Hill-Slope Buildings Subjected to Near-Fault Ground Motion

Abstract

The near-fault ground motion (NFGM) is composed of high frequencies, representing accelerations and one or more dominant long-period velocity pulses. This study is intended to analyze and interpret the response of hill-slope buildings under the effect of near-fault pulse-type ground motions in the Himalayan region. For this purpose dynamic analysis of two special moments resistant frame (SMRF) 3D configurations consisting of Step-Back (SB) and Step-Back-Set-Back (SBSB) models have been conducted. From a seismic safety point of view responses due to NFGMs are compared with the responses obtained from conventional types of seismic inputs. The Indian seismic codal spectra need modification to incorporate the effects of pulse-type ground motion due to moderate, large and great earthquakes for sites in the vicinity of fault regions, particularly for the Himalayas region. It has been further recognized that the large amplitude pulses, primarily related to directivity effect, control the response of medium- and long-period structures, whereas, the high-frequency part of the NFGM plays an important role especially for short-period structures.