Seismic response of R/C structures subjected to simulated ground motions compatible with design spectrum

Abstract

SUMMARYIn seismic response analysis of building structures, the input ground motions have considerable effect on the nonlinear seismic response characteristics of structures. The characteristics of soil and the locality of the site where those ground motions were recorded affect the contents of ground motion time histories. This study describes a generation of synthetic ground motion time histories compatible with seismic design spectrum, and also evaluates the seismic response results of multi‐story reinforced concrete structures by the simulated ground motions. The simulated ground motion time histories have identical phase angles to the recorded ground motions, and their overall response spectra are compatible with seismic design spectrum with 5% critical viscous damping. The input ground motions applied to this study have identical elastic acceleration response spectra, but have different phase angles. The purpose of this study was to investigate their validity as input ground motion for nonlinear seismic response analysis of building structures. As expected, the response quantities by simulated ground motions presented better stability than those by real recorded ground motions. It was concluded that the simulated earthquake waves generated in this paper are applicable as input ground motions for a seismic response analysis of building structures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.