Maximum Displacement Response Research Articles

Life-cycle seismic performance of bridges with thin-walled steel piers under bi-directional excitations

In corrosive environments, steel bridges demonstrate time-dependent seismic performance and varied directional responses to bi-directional excitation at different life-cycle stages. However, current seismic assessment methods for bridges have not adequately addressed the time-dependent effects of bi-directional excitation directionality on seismic responses throughout their entire life cycle. Thus, this study aims to investigate the time-varying directional effects of bi-directional seismic excitations on steel bridges with multiple parameters and to propose a method for predicting the range of critical incident angles while considering the aging effects of bridges. Initially, time-dependent functions that characterize steel corrosion are integrated into multiscale finite element models of the steel bridges to simulate corrosion progression across their life-cycle stages. Subsequently, a quantitative analysis of the bi-directional seismic response of steel bridges is conducted throughout their life cycle, accounting for the directionality of seismic excitation. Finally, a method and process for predicting the range of time-varying bi-directional critical incident angles with 95 % probability are derived by fitting the statistical probability distribution boundary values of the critical incident angle deviation index. The study's findings indicate that the aging effects of steel bridges amplify the displacement response under bi-directional seismic excitation, with the maximum displacement response difference exceeds 40 %. The service time may increase the sensitivity of steel bridges to changes in incident angles, potentially amplifying the displacement response by a factor of 1.69. The study's findings highlight the importance of considering aging effects and bi-directional excitation directionality in bridge seismic assessments.

Investigation of high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular members under lateral impact

This paper studied the behaviour of High-performance Alkali-activated slag Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular members under transverse impact along with axial compression. Combining alkali-activated slag concrete with concrete-filled steel tubes provides a novel composite material incorporating the benefits of alkali-activated slag concrete and steel tubes. Alkali-activated slag concrete, known for its environmentally beneficial traits compared to traditional concrete, improves sustainability, while concrete-filled steel tube increases structural stability. Seven specimens composed of one hollow tube and six high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular specimens were tested using a drop hammer test setup to enhance our understanding of the structural performance of high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular members. A finite element analysis model was then established to broadly compare the impact resistance of circular high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular members. The mid-span displacement and impact test durations of specimens subjected to lateral impact and axial compression were assessed using a high-speed video camera called Phantom V411. This analysis includes the examination of maximum impact load, impact plateau value, maximum displacement, residual displacement, indentation, impact duration and strain responses, and an investigation into the failure modes of the specimens. The obtained results closely align with the experimental outcomes, indicating the effectiveness of the FEA model in predicting the behaviour of circular high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular members.

Dynamic Response Study of Overhead Contact System Portal Structure Based on Vehicle–Track–Bridge Coupled Vibration

In light of the rapid development of electrified railways, the safety and stability of train operations, as well as the catenary’s interaction with current quality, have garnered widespread attention. Electrified train operation with additional track irregularities serves as a principal excitation source within the vehicle–bridge–catenary system, significantly influencing the vibration characteristics of the system. Addressing the aforementioned issues, we first established the vehicle–track dynamics model and the bridge–catenary finite element model based on the principles of coupled dynamics of the vehicle–track system. These models are interconnected using dynamic forces between the wheel and rail. Subsequently, within the vehicle–track coupled system, track random irregularities are introduced as input excitations for the coupled model, and the dynamic response of the system is simulated and solved. Then, the obtained wheel–rail forces are applied to the bridge–catenary coupled system finite element model in the form of time-varying moving load forces. Finally, the dynamic response characteristics of the catenary portal structure under different conditions are determined. Meanwhile, a study on the vibration characteristics of the truss-type pillar portal structure was conducted, and the results were compared with those of existing models. The results indicate that the vertical and lateral forces between the vehicle and track are positively correlated with the speed and irregularity amplitude. Response values such as the derailment coefficient and wheel load reduction rate are within the specified range of relevant standards. The low-order natural resonant frequency of the truss-type pillar structure has, on average, increased by 0.86 compared to the existing pillar structure, which signifies improved stability. Furthermore, under various conditions, the average reductions in maximum displacement and stress response of this pillar structure are 13.2% and 14.19%, respectively, in comparison to the existing pillar structure, rendering it more suitable for practical engineering applications.

Vibration control of an eleven-story structure with MR and TMD dampers using MAC predictive control, considering nonlinear behavior and time delay in the control system

In the last two decades, model predictive control has made significant progress in research and industrial process control. This achievement is through the high ability of model predictive control to solve industrial process control problems in the time domain. It is applicable in many control systems, such as delayed systems, univariate and multivariable systems, non-minimum phase systems, and unstable systems. This strategy is essentially for controlling delayed systems. It is possible to create a time delay in transmitting structure movement data in the systems that use sensors and receivers of sensor-recorded data, which is a factor to reduce the efficiency of the control system and even the instability of the structure. In this study, to investigate and compensate the effect of time delay in the hybrid vibration control system, an 11-story structure with a tuned mass damper and an MR damper was used by model algorithmic control (MAC) and nonlinear behavior of the structure in the control process. The linear and nonlinear structural models are created in OpenSEES, the control system in MATLAB; and the TCP/IP connection method was used to connect two programs. The fuzzy decision system is based on accelerating and decelerating movement. The structure has been subjected to seven earthquakes with maximum accelerations of 0.1 g to 1.0 g with an incremental step of 0.1 g. According to the results of incremental dynamic analysis, the average percentage of the fuzzy control system performance reduction, considering the time delay, is 15.28% and 38.57% for the maximum displacement and base shear in the linear structure, and 8.04% and 5.97% for the nonlinear structure, respectively. The assumed time delays have been effectively overcome using the model algorithmic control system (MAC), determining the prediction horizon of the structural behavior, and optimizing the control force in the control horizon. The performance of the MAC control system has been better than the fuzzy control system and the passive control with TMD. The average improvement percentage of the results of the maximum linear and nonlinear structural displacement response is respectively equal to 10.2 and 11.8 with the MAC control system, compared to the fuzzy control system without time delay. For the maximum base shear, it is equal to 8.32 and 2.49, respectively.

Research on the Multi-Angle Seismic Spectrum Response Law of Auxiliary Feedwater Electric Pumps

The auxiliary feedwater electric pump, which is vital in nuclear power units, demands exceptional seismic reliability. The impact of the seismic excitation direction on the seismic response of the complex auxiliary feedwater electric pump structure remains inadequately understood, thereby introducing uncertainties into seismic analysis and equipment installation procedures. To address this challenge, this study centers on a representative horizontal multi-stage centrifugal pump based on the finite element model and modal analysis. Utilizing the response spectrum method and the square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS) vibration pattern superposition principle, the research comprehensively explores the seismic response characteristics of individual pressure-bearing components and key rotor positions under seismic excitation from various angles. Findings reveal intricate variations in maximum stress and displacement responses for each pressure-bearing component under safe shutdown earthquake (SSE) level seismic excitation, corresponding to different input angles of seismic spectra. In assessing the seismic operability of the clearance between the impeller and the stator, the direction near 45° exhibits the maximum displacement response, highlighting the need for focused attention in testing and verification checks. The methodologies and conclusions presented in this paper offer valuable insights for designing, optimizing, and installing horizontal multi-stage centrifugal pumps, including auxiliary feedwater electric pumps, providing valuable guidance for future applications in the field.

Seismic reduction principle and response analysis of variable damping viscous damper system

PurposeA new type of variable damping viscous damper is developed to meet the settings of different damping parameter values at different working stages. Its main principle and design structure are introduced, and the two-stage and multi-stage controllable damping methods are proposed.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical calculation formulas of the damping force of power-law fluid variable damping viscous damper at elongated holes are derived, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of variable damping viscous dampers. For the newly developed variable damping viscous damper, the dynamic equations for the seismic reduction system with variable damping viscous dampers under a multi-degree-of-freedom system are established. A feasible calculation and analysis method is proposed to derive the solution process of time history analysis. At the same time, a program is also developed using Matlab. The dynamic full-scale test of a two-stage variable damping viscous damper was conducted, demonstrating that the hysteresis curve is complete and the working condition is stable.FindingsThrough the calculation and analysis of examples, the results show that the seismic reduction effect of high and flexible buildings using the seismic reduction system with variable damping viscous dampers is significant. The program developed is used to analyze the seismic response of a broadcasting tower using a variable damping TMD system under large earthquakes. The results indicate that the installation of variable damping viscous dampers can effectively control the maximum inter-story displacement response of TMD water tanks and can effectively consume seismic energy.Originality/valueThis method can provide a guarantee for the safe and effective operation of TMD in wind and vibration control.

Optimal control of high-rise building structures against earthquake excitations using independent stories as TMD

In this paper, in order to control the behavior of tall building structures against vibrations caused by earthquakes, the parameters of a new passive control system named “independent story” are optimized. This control system is installed like a large tuned mass damper in the main story of the building. Moreover, in order to improve the performance of this control system, six liquid viscous dampers connected from the roof of an independent story to the main story of the building, have also been used to increase damping of the system. The main goal of the present research is to optimize the parameters of this system, including selecting the optimal story/stories of the building to install the independent story/stories, such that the maximum reduction in the mean values of the maximum displacement and maximum acceleration responses of different stories of the building can be obtained, simultaneously. To evaluate the performance of the proposed control system, as a numerical example, a 3-D model of a twelve-story steel building structure is selected for which three degrees of freedom in each story have been considered. Then, a deep search is conducted to find the story/stories of the building at which the independent story control system along with the related supplemental liquid viscous dampers can be constructed/installed such that the best performance of this control system in response reduction of the building can be obtained. Finally, the optimal values of the mass and damping of the supplemental dampers of this system are found to be about 6% of the total mass of the building, and 13 kN-sec/mm, respectively; and the eighth and twelfth stories of the building are the best places for implementation of the proposed control system. By applying the optimal values of all the design parameters of the IS control system, the mean values of the building roof story response reductions were obtained to be about: 28.60% and 26.67% reduction on maximum displacement responses in x and y directions, respectively; and those of the maximum acceleration responses as 43% and 48.89%.

Inelastic response spectra for an integrated displacement and energy-based seismic design (DEBD) of structures

The severe socio-economic impact of recent earthquakes has further highlighted the crucial need for a paradigm shift in performance-based design criteria and objectives towards a low-damage design philosophy, in order to reduce losses in terms of human lives, repair/reconstruction costs, and recovery time (deaths, dollars and downtime). Currently, displacement-based parameters are typically adopted to design/assess the seismic performance of the structures, by limiting the maximum displacement or the maximum interstorey drift ratio (IDR) reached by the structure under different earthquake intensities. However and arguably, displacement-based quantities are characterized by inherent weaknesses, since, for instance, they are not cumulated parameters, thus not able to capture directly the effects of multiple cycles, deterioration and damage cumulation. Therefore, in the last decades, energy-based approaches were investigated and developed in order to establish alternative engineering demand parameters for the assessment of post-event damage through a dynamic energy balance. Towards the main goal of developing an integrated Displacement and Energy-Based Design/assessment procedure (DEBD) for actual use in practice, this research work proposes an innovative approach based on the use of inelastic spectra correlating the energy components with the corresponding maximum displacement response parameters of the structure. In practical terms, the proposal is to further integrate and develop the well-known Direct Displacement-Based Design, by directly adopting the hysteretic energy as an additional design parameter. The energy inelastic spectra are developed through an extensive parametric analysis of Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDoF) systems, with different nonlinear hysteretic models. In such an approach, the maximum seismic energy demand imparted to a structure can be directly predicted and controlled, whilst distinguishing the various components of the energy balance, including the hysteretic one. The effects of near-field and far-field earthquakes are also investigated. Results show that in the first case the seismic demand is concentrated in the peak of a few large cycles that absorb the demand energy induced by the high component in peak ground velocity in the second case the higher equivalent number of plastic cycles tends to become critical for structures with inadequate structural details and prone to suffer by cumulative cycles and overall plastic fatigue mechanisms.

Asymmetric Dynamic Buckling of Isotropic/ Anisotropic Spherical Caps

This paper deals with nonlinear asymmetric dynamic buckling of clamped isotropic/anisotropic spherical shells under suddenly applied pressure loads. The formulation is based on first-order shear deformation theory and Lagrange's equation of motion. The nonlinearity due to finite deformation of the shell considering von Karman's assumptions is included in the formulation. The buckling loads are obtained through dynamic response history using Newmark's numerical integration scheme coupled with a Newton-Raphson iteration technique. An axisymmetric curved shell element is used to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the spherical caps. The pressure value beyond which the maximum average displacement response shows significant growth rate in the time history of the shell structure is considered as critical dynamic load. Detailed numerical results are presented to highlight the influences of shell geometric parameter, orthotropicity, ply-angle, number of layers and asymmetric mode on the critical load of spherical caps.

Lateral response of a pile group embedded in the transversely isotropic saturated soil due to surcharge loads

This paper investigates the behavior of pile groups in the transversely isotropic saturated soil under an adjacent surcharge load using a coupling method. The analytical layer-element theory is utilized to the transversely isotropic saturated soil model, and the fundamental solutions of the soil are applied to derive the soil flexibility matrices. And the FEM is used for the piles modeled as Bernoulli–Euler beams considering pile–pile interaction. Then, the dynamic response equations of pile groups are derived by using the FEM–BEM coupled method and considering pile-soil boundary coordination condition. The results of the present model compared well with those in existing solutions. Numerical examples are presented to examine the influences of the soils’ transverse isotropy, the magnitude of the surcharge load, the pile's physical properties and the distance between the load and the pile on the behavior of pile groups. It is observed that as the surcharge load grows, the position of the pile maximum displacement response changes from the middle of the soft soil layer to the top of the pile. The impact of the surcharge load is not significant when the loading action distance is greater than twice the thickness of soft soil layer. Furthermore, relatively large bending moments appear in the middle of the soft soil layer and at the interface of the soil layers.

Study on the optimal target distance of self-oscillation pulsed SC-CO2 jet based on resonant effect

The SC-CO2 jet has broad application prospects in drilling engineering, but its promotion and application are limited by the high threshold pressure of coal breaking and system energy consumption. The high pulse pressure and resonance effects of the self-oscillation pulsed SC-CO2 jet can effectively reduce the threshold pressure of coal breaking and significantly improve the coal breaking efficiency. To fully utilize the resonance effect, based on the nozzle structure of the self-oscillation pulsed SC-CO2 jet, two nozzles with different pulse characteristics are used to study the comprehensive effect of pulse frequency and pressure amplitude at different target distances. The large eddy simulation was used to analyze the flow field structure of the jet, and the variation laws of the pulse frequency and pressure amplitude in the axial direction of the flow field were clarified. The effect of the target distance on the impact frequency and impact pressure of the jet was studied by the pulse characteristics test experiment, and the comprehensive effect of pulse characteristics on coal breaking was studied by coal breaking experiments. The results show that the pulse frequency and pulse pressure amplitude of the self-oscillation pulsed SC-CO2 jet do not remain constant in the axial direction of the jet, and they gradually decrease with the increasing target distance. Considering only the pulse frequency cannot maximize the resonance effect, and it is necessary to comprehensively consider the influence of pulse frequency and pressure amplitude on the resonance effect. Using displacement response amplitude to characterize the resonance effect can reflect the comprehensive influence of frequency and amplitude on resonance. When the target distance is small, from 0 mm to 13 mm, the main influencing factor of the displacement response amplitude is the pulse pressure amplitude; when the target distance is large, from 13 mm to 26 mm, the main influencing factor changes to the pulse frequency. In addition, reducing the pulse frequency and increasing the pressure amplitude can effectively improve the displacement response amplitude. Under the conditions of nozzle structure with different pulse characteristics, the transition positions of the main influencing factors of displacement response amplitude are different, and the optimal target distance is also not the same. Both nozzles achieve the best coal breaking effect at the maximum displacement response amplitude, which indicates that the displacement response amplitude can be used as the criterion to judge the optimal target distance. In this paper, the dimensionless optimal target distances of nozzle a and nozzle b are 7 and 9 respectively.

Development of a pseudostatic method for seismic performance evaluation of rocking bridge foundations

AbstractPseudostatic analysis can be an efficient approach to evaluating the dynamic response of structures for a preliminary design. In this paper, we present a pseudostatic method based on a pushover analysis to assess the seismic performance of bridge piers supported by rocking‐governed shallow foundations. The method has two stages. In the first stage, the capacity spectrum method (CSM) is applied to evaluate the maximum acceleration and displacement response of the bridge system. To have an appropriate system damping ratio in the CSM, we propose a method to consider various earthquake energy dissipation mechanisms for the pier and foundation. In the second stage, the footing settlement is evaluated based on the maximum footing rotation; an incrementally cyclic pushover analysis with a fixed footing rotation increment is performed to estimate the footing settlement. Examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method and the results of the proposed method are compared with the dynamic analysis results. Compared with the conventional CSM, the proposed method improves the estimation of system damping and can estimate the settlement after earthquakes.

Seismic Uplift Effect at End Spans of Long-Span Rigid-Frame Bridges Subjected to Near-Fault and Far-Fault Ground Motions

Miaoziping Bridge, a long-span rigid-frame bridge, uplift appeared at the end spans in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Bearings and pad stones were damaged during the earthquake. In the past, the uplift mechanism and the seismic response under near-fault and far-fault ground motions were not sufficiently recognized. Here, a refined finite-element model of the Miaoziping Bridge was established considering the initial stress state and the nonlinear characteristics of the girder (e.g., cracking of concrete). The Wenchuan strong motion records and other 40 near-fault pulse-type and 40 far-fault ground motions were selected for nonlinear time history analysis. The uplift effect was realized by considering the compressive-only behavior of bearings. The results show that the seismic responses of the bridge under Wenchuan earthquake ground motions are in good agreement with the real seismic damage observed after the Wenchuan earthquake. The excitation of the near-fault pulse-type ground motion along the longitudinal direction is the dominant factor of the uplift at the end spans. When peak ground acceleration of the near-fault pulse-type ground motion is greater than 0.3g, the end spans are prone to uplift, and the maximum uplift displacement responses can reach 50 cm. There is little uplift possibility subjected to the far-fault ground motions. When the pulse period is in the range of 1–3 s, the pulse effect equals or even exceeds the full-wave effect. The end spans can hardly uplift subjected to vertical or transverse excitation individually. There is a slight difference between the uplift displacements subjected to single longitudinal ground motions and three-directional ground motions. The time of maximum uplift displacement is delayed considering the wave-passage effect. When the wave velocity is less than 1,000 m/s, the adverse effects of the wave-passage effect may be considered.

Residual deformation considered harmonic-pulse response analysis on self-centering structures with hybrid damping

Self-centering structures feature on its outstanding performance with low residual deformation, while the overuse of the self-centering component significantly increases its production cost. There recommends a structure that has reasonable use of the self-centering component to balance the cost of construction and reparation. With that purpose, the harmonic-pulse response analysis method, which considers not only the maximum displacement and acceleration responses but also the residual displacement, is proposed for the self-centering elastic-plastic structures. Based on this method, a design methodology for hybrid damping is proposed, and the novel response spectra corresponding to the method are solved. Through analysis, it was discovered that hybrid damping for viscoelastic and friction with a percentage range of 25%–50% is appropriate for reducing the maximum and residual displacement. No matter what damping type is adopted, the maximum and residual displacements are reduced by choosing an appropriate combination of the self-centering and elastic-plastic components.

Mechanical Response of MEMS Suspended Inductors under Shock Using the Transfer Matrix Method.

MEMS suspended inductors are susceptible to deformation under external forces, which can lead to the degradation of their electrical properties. The mechanical response of the inductor to a shock load is usually solved by a numerical method, such as the finite element method (FEM). In this paper, the transfer matrix method of linear multibody system (MSTMM) is used to solve the problem. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the system are obtained first, then the dynamic response by modal superposition. The time and position of the maximum displacement response and the maximum Von Mises stress are determined theoretically and independently of the shock. Furthermore, the effects of shock amplitude and frequency on the response are discussed. These MSTMM results agree well with those determined using the FEM. We achieved an accurate analysis of the mechanical behaviors of the MEMS inductor under shock load.

Role of moveable guide vane with various configurations in controlling the vortex-induced vibration of twin-box girder suspension bridges: An experimental investigation

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of a moveable guide vane with various configurations (i.e., horizonal length and stiffness) in controlling the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a long-span suspension bridge with twin-box girder. First, a series of VIV tests of the 1:50 scaled ratio of sectional model with various guide vane configurations were performed. The vertical and torsional displacements of the twin-box girder as well as the vertical response of the windward and leeward guide vane measured to analyze the movement characteristics of the main girder and guide vanes, respectively. The test results show that, the moveable guide vane could significantly reduce the maximum vertical and torsional displacement responses of the main girder with an immovable guide vane or without a guide vane, especial under the most unfavorable wind attack angle of +3°. In addition, a moveable guide vane with relatively low stiffness could produce a better outcome of VIV control. Furthermore, the increase of the horizontal length of the guide vane could have a negative impact on the VIV control of the bridge. Importantly, the maximum vertical amplitude of the moveable guide vane is generally larger than that of the main girder, indicates that the leeward guide vane could play an important role in the VIV suppression when the stiffness of the guide vane is over certain threshold (e.g., 19 g/mm).

Seismic Response of Cable-Stayed Spanning Pipeline Considering Medium-Pipeline Fluid–Solid Coupling Dynamic Effect

With the aim of determining the influence of the fluid–structure coupling dynamic effect of the oil and gas transmission medium and pipeline on the seismic response, an oil pipeline supported by a cable-stayed spanning structure was taken as the study object. Kinetic equations taking into account the action of oil and gas medium were studied, and a finite element model structure considering the additional-mass method and the fluid–structure coupling effect were established separately. In addition, the mechanism of the oil–gas–pipeline coupling action on the seismic response of pipeline structure was analyzed, and the results were obtained. The results show that the pipeline has a minimal seismic response at the abutment location, the seismic response gradually increases along the abutment to the main tower, and the seismic response reach is maximized at about one-fifth of the bridge platform. The seismic response of the oil and gas pipeline model structure using the additional-mass method is generally more significant than that based on the fluid–solid coupled dynamic model; moreover, the maximum displacement response differs by about 24%, and the maximum acceleration response differs by approximately 30%, indicating that the oil and gas medium has a certain viscoelastic damping effect on the seismic response of the oil pipeline, which provides a reference for the seismic response calculation theory and analysis method of cable-stayed spanning oil pipelines.

基礎滑りを利用した木造住宅の最大滑動量と強振動の計測震度の関係

Sliding bases decrease the seismic load to structures. They make both the decrease of the maximum displacement response and the slide displacement of the structure. In this paper, sliding bases are adopted to a Japanese wooden house. Both the demand base shear and the maximum slide displacement of houses are proposed. As a result, the sliding bases with 0.2 static friction coefficient makes that no slide displacement is calculated in rare earthquakes. And the storey displacement angle of the house with 2.0 bearing wall sufficiency ratio is less than 1/120 rad in extremely rare earthquakes. Some observed earthquakes make the slide displacement over 600mm.

Numerical Simulation Study of Vibration Characteristics of Cantilever Traffic Signal Support Structure under Wind Environment

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the finite element method (FEM) are used to investigate the wind-driven dynamic response of cantilever traffic signal support structures as a whole. By building a finite element model with the same scale as the actual structure and performing modal analysis, a preliminary understanding of the dynamic properties of the structure is obtained. Based on the two-way fluid-structure coupling calculation method, the wind vibration response of the structure under different incoming flow conditions is calculated, and the vibration characteristics of the structure are analyzed through the displacement time course data of the structure in the cross-wind direction and along-wind direction. The results show that the maximum response of the structure increases gradually with the increase of wind speed under 90° wind direction angle, showing a vibration dispersion state, and the vibration response characteristics are following the vibration phenomenon of galloping; under 270° wind direction angle, the maximum displacement response of the structure occurs at the lower wind speed of 5 and 6 m/s, and the vibration generated by the structure is vortex vibration at this time; the displacement response of the structure in along-wind direction increases with the increase of wind speed. The along-wind displacement response of the structure will increase with increasing wind speed, and the effective wind area and shape characteristics of the structure will also affect the vibration response of the structure.

Effect of Frequency Content of Earthquake Ground Motions on Structures with Varying Dimension

An earthquake is a catastrophe which is always a topic of concern for structural designers and civil technocrats. Not only it causes physical damage to the structures but also successful to impart psychological disorder in human minds for long-run. In order to mitigate the devastating effects of earthquake on society, it is eminent to study the dynamic characteristics in detailed manner i.e. to examine how the structure responds owing to the seismic characteristics. The various ground motion characteristic includes time-duration and velocity, frequency content and amplitude, displacement, incremental velocity and incremental displacement, peak ground accelerations (PGAs), etc. Out of these, effect of frequency content and maximum amplitude value of earthquake ground motions on the seismic response of structures is often underestimated. This paper investigates the effect of frequency content and maximum amplitude value on the seismic response of structures which is dominant of all characteristics. The study proceeds with recording time-history of acceleration obtained from conventional unidirectional harmonic shake table. Further, FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis of applied time-history is done and the effect of frequency content and the maximum amplitude value of applied time-history on the seismic responses of structures is investigated and studied. For this, structures with varying dimensions (height, length, and width) are modelled and time-history analysis of structural models has been carried out in SAP2000v19. Seismic responses of analysed structures are represented in the form of fundamental natural frequency, storey displacement, and base shear. It is reported that out of many earthquake indices, frequency content and amplitude of earthquake ground motions are the most dominating. It is reported that the resonance phenomena occurs for the less height structure and thus it shows maximum displacement and base shear responses. Also, as height, length, and width of structure increases; displacement, base shear, and fundamental time-period of structure increases.