Site‐dependent models of earthquake ground motion

Abstract

AbstractRandom vibration analyses of structural systems subjected to seismic loading are dependent upon the characterization of earthquake ground motion as a stochastic process. The response of structural systems to earthquakes is dependent strongly on the local geological conditions, which should be incorporated into seismological models of ground motion. In the study presented herein, three previously developed ground‐motion models are adapted to incorporate site‐dependent characteristics. Records obtained from two recording stations in California are used as a basis for the ground‐motion models. Single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) oscillators are subjected to ensembles of accelerograms generated from these models, and both elastic and inelastic response are considered. Response statistics are compared to those generated by the analysis of structural response to ensembles of recorded motion from the two sites. The important features of the ground motion for effective reproduction of response statistics are identified, and observations are made on the sensitivity of specific response parameters to site‐dependent characteristics of the ground motion.