A Novel Pulse-Based Estimation of Response Spectra for Strong Ground Motions

ABSTRACT

A method is proposed to quantitatively capture the unique characteristics of strong ground motions using idealized pulses. The pulse motions described here use limited parameters (PGA or PGV and duration of pulse) in contrast to the methodologies involving several parameters and assumptions. This simple method also provides an advantage to specify hazard in regions where a few recorded ground motions are available; ballpark values of pulse parameters can be used to arrive at the response spectra required in the seismic design. The physics of ground shaking is captured here mathematically using idealized pulses only, without any “random shaking.”

KEYWORDS:

• Residual slip
• idealized pulse motions
• random shaking
• response spectra
• Energy spectrum
• near-fault
• pulse-like motions

Acknowledgments

The authors thank CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad and IIT Madras for the support and environment provided for the successful conduct of this research. Also, sincere thanks to Dr. Ravi Kumar for sharing helpful and critical reviews of the manuscript. This work was sponsored through funding under the project number MLP-FBR-0005-28; the same is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Focused Basic Research [MLP-FBR-0005-28].