• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.375-392
• /
• 2014

Time history analyses have been preferred commonly in earthquake engineering area to determine earthquake performances of structures in recent years. Advances in computer technology and structural analysis have led to common usage of time history analyses. Eurocode 8 allows the use of real earthquake records as an input for linear and nonlinear time history analyses of structures. However, real earthquake records with the desired characteristics sometimes may not be found, for example depending on soil classes, in this case artificial and synthetic earthquake records can be used for seismic analyses rather than real records. Selected earthquake records should be scaled to a code design spectrum to reduce record to record variability in structural responses of considered structures. So, scaling of earthquake records is one of the most important procedures of time history analyses. In this paper, four real earthquake records are scaled to Eurocode 8 design spectrums by using SESCAP (Selection and Scaling Program) based on time domain scaling method and developed by using MATLAB, GUI software, and then scaled and real earthquake records are used for linear time history analyses of a six-storied building. This building is modeled as spatial by SAP2000 software. The objectives of this study are to put basic procedures and criteria of selecting and scaling earthquake records in a nutshell, and to compare the effects of scaled earthquake records on structural response with the effects of real earthquake records on structural response in terms of record to record variability of structural response. Seismic analysis results of building show that record to record variability of structural response caused by scaled earthquake records are fewer than ones caused by real earthquake records.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.129-142
• /
• 2013

Linear and nonlinear time history analyses have been becoming more common in seismic analysis and design of structures with advances in computer technology and earthquake engineering. One of the most important issues for such analyses is the selection of appropriate acceleration time histories and matching these histories to a code design acceleration spectrum. In literature, there are three sources of acceleration time histories: artificial records, synthetic records obtained from seismological models and accelerograms recorded in real earthquakes. Because of the increase of the number of strong ground motion database, using and scaling real earthquake records for seismic analysis has been becoming one of the most popular research issues in earthquake engineering. In general, two methods are used for scaling actual earthquake records: scaling in time domain and frequency domain. The objective of this study is twofold: the first is to discuss and summarize basic methodologies and criteria for selecting and scaling ground motion time histories. The second is to analyze scaling results of time domain method according to ASCE 7-05 and Eurocode 8 (1998-1:2004) criteria. Differences between time domain method and frequency domain method are mentioned briefly. The time domain scaling procedure is utilized to scale the available real records obtained from near fault motions and far fault motions to match the proposed elastic design acceleration spectrum given in the Eurocode 8. Why the time domain method is preferred in this study is stated. The best fitted ground motion time histories are selected and these histories are analyzed according to Eurocode 8 (1998-1:2004) and ASCE 7-05 criteria. Also, characteristics of both near fault ground motions and far fault ground motions are presented by the help of figures. Hence, we can compare the effects of near fault ground motions on structures with far fault ground motions' effects.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2008

Recently the necessity of time history analyses is increasing for the seismic analyses of a structure, and the seismic design provisions of IBC2003, ASCE and KBC2005 require the use of a minimum of seven earthquake records for the time history analyses. Earthquake records for the time history analyses could be selected from the database of the field-measured earthquake records having similar site conditions with the designed site, or from simulated sites satisfying the design spectrum. However, in this study seven earthquake records were generated using 50 earthquake records, classified as records measured at the rock, in the database of the Pacific Earthquake Research Center (PEER). Seven earthquake records were first selected by the least squares fitting method comparing the scaling factored response spectra with the specified design spectrum, and a family of seven artificial time history earthquake records was ultimately generated by multiplying scaling factors, which were calculated by the least squares fitting method and the SRSS averaging method, to the corresponding selected earthquake records.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.69 no.3
• /
• pp.293-306
• /
• 2019

In current seismic design codes, various elastic design acceleration spectra are defined considering different seismological and soil characteristics and are widely used tool for calculation of seismic loads acting on structures. Response spectrum analyses directly use the elastic design acceleration spectra whereas time history analyses use acceleration records of earthquakes whose acceleration spectra fit the design spectra of seismic codes. Due to the fact that obtaining coherent structural response quantities with the seismic design code considerations is a desired circumstance in dynamic analyses, the response spectra of earthquake records used in time history analyses had better fit to the design acceleration spectra of seismic codes. This paper evaluates structural response distributions of multi-story reinforced concrete frames obtained from nonlinear time history analyses which are performed by using the scaled earthquake records compatible with various elastic design spectra. Time domain scaling procedure is used while processing the response spectrum of real accelerograms to fit the design acceleration spectra. The elastic acceleration design spectra of Turkish Seismic Design Code 2007, Uniform Building Code 1997 and Eurocode 8 are considered as target spectra in the scaling procedure. Soil classes in different seismic codes are appropriately matched up with each other according to $V_{S30}$ values. The maximum roof displacements and the total base shears of considered frame structures are determined from nonlinear time history analyses using the scaled earthquake records and the results are presented by graphs and tables. Coherent structural response quantities reflecting the influence of elastic design spectra of various seismic codes are obtained.

• Geotechnical Engineering
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.19-32
• /
• 1996

Based on Trifuilac's empirical model to transform earthquake acceleration time history in the time domain into Fourier amplitude spectrum in the frequency domail an earthquake scaling technique for simulating the earthquake record of certain magnitude as the required magnitude earthquake was suggested. Also, using the earthquake record of magni dude(M) 5.8, the simulated earthquake of magnitude(M) 8.0 was established and its application to dynamic testing system was proposed. The earthquake scaling technique could be considered by several terms : earthquake magnitude(M), earthquake intensity(MMI), epicentral distance, recording site conditions, component direction and confidence level required by the analysis. Albo, it had an application to the various earthquake records. The simulated earthquake in this study was established by two orthogonal horizontal components of earthquake acceleration-time history. The simulated earthquake shaking could be applied to the dynamic pile load test for the model tension pile and the model compressive open -ended piles driven into the pressure chamber. In the static pile load test, behavior of two piles was very different and after model tension pile experienced 2 or 3 successive slips of the pile relative to the soil, it was failed completely. During the simulated earthquake shaking, dynamic behavior and pile capacity degradation of two piles were very different.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.29-39
• /
• 2019

A three-step screening process is presented in this article for selection of consistent earthquake records in which number of suitable ground motions is quickly screened and reduced to a handful number. Records that remain at the end of this screening process considerably reduce the dispersion of structural responses. Then, an effective method is presented for spectral matching and modification of the selected records. Dispersion of structural responses is explored using different statistical measures for each scaling procedure. It is shown that the Uniform Design Method, presented in this study for scaling of earthquake records, results in most cases in the least dispersion measure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.91-110
• /
• 2019

In the present study, the effects of six different ground motion scaling methods on inelastic response of nonlinear steel moment frames (SMFs) are studied. The frames were designed using energy-based PBPD approach with the design concept using pre-selected target drift and yield mechanism as performance limit state. Two target spectrums are considered: maximum credible earthquake spectrum (MCE) and design response spectrum (DRS). In order to investigate the effects of ground motion scaling methods on the response of the structures, totally 3216 nonlinear models including three frames with 4, 8 and 16 stories are designed using PBPD approach and then they are subjected to ensembles of ground motions including 42 far-fault and 90 near-fault pulse-type records which were scaled using the six different scaling methods in accordance to the two aforementioned target spectrums. The distributions of maximum inter-story drift over the height of the structures are computed and compared. Finally, the efficiency and reliability of each ground motion scaling method to estimate the maximum nonlinear inter-story drift of special steel moment frames designed by energy-based PBPD approach are statistically investigated, and the most suitable scaling methods with the lowest dispersion for two groups of earthquake ground motions are introduced.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.3 no.6
• /
• pp.839-852
• /
• 2012

Earthquake records are often analyzed in various earthquake engineering problems, making time-frequency analysis for such records of primary concern. The best tool for such analysis appears to be based on wavelet functions; selection of which is not an easy task and is commonly carried through trial and error process. Furthermore, often a particular wavelet is adopted for analysis of various earthquakes irrespective of record's prime characteristics, e.g. wave's magnitude. A wavelet constructed based on records' characteristics may yield a more accurate solution and more efficient solution procedure in time-frequency analysis. In this study, a low-pass reconstruction filter is obtained for each earthquake record based on multi-resolution decomposition technique; the filter is then assigned to be the normalized version of the last approximation component with respect to its magnitude. The scaling and wavelet functions are computed using two-scale relations. The calculated wavelets are highly efficient in decomposing the original records as compared to other commonly used wavelets such as Daubechies2 wavelet. The method is further advantageous since it enables one to decompose the original record in such a way that a clear time-frequency resolution is obtained.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.445-459
• /
• 2016

Quantitative estimation of seismic response of various structural systems at the collapse limit state is one of the most significant objectives in Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE). Assessing the effects of uncertainties, due to variability in ground motion characteristics and random nature of earthquakes, on nonlinear structural response is a pivotal issue regarding collapse safety prediction. Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) and fragility curves are utilized to estimate demand parameters and seismic performance levels of structures. Since producing these curves based on a large number of nonlinear dynamic analyses would be time-consuming, selection of appropriate earthquake ground motion records resulting in reliable responses with sufficient accuracy seems to be quite essential. The aim of this research study is to propose a methodology to assess the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete frames at collapse limit state via accurate estimation of seismic fragility curves for different Engineering Demand Parameters (EDPs) by using a limited number of ground motion records. Research results demonstrate that accurate estimating of structural collapse capacity is feasible through applying the proposed method offering an appropriate suite of limited ground motion records.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.185-204
• /
• 2015

This study investigates the impact of the earthquake incident angle on the structural demand and the influence of ground motion selection and scaling methods on seismic directionality effects. The structural demand produced by Non-Linear Time-History Analyses (NLTHA) varies with the seismic input incidence angle. The seismic directionality effects are evaluated by subjecting four three-dimensional reinforced concrete structures to different scaled and un-scaled records oriented along nine incidence angles, whose values range between 0 and 180 degrees, with an increment of 22.5 degrees. The results show that NLTHAs performed applying the ground motion records along the principal axes underestimate the structural demand prediction, especially when plan-irregular structures are analyzed. The ground motion records generate the highest demand when applied along the lowest strength structural direction and a high energy content of the records increases the structural demand corresponding to this direction. The seismic directionality impact on structural demand is particularly important for irregular buildings subjected to un-scaled accelerograms. However, the orientation effects are much lower if spectrum-compatible combinations of scaled records are used. In both cases, irregular structures should be analyzed first with pushover analyses in order to identify the weaker structural directions and then with NLTHAs for different incidence angles.