Response Spectrum

 If the ground moves as per the given accelerogram, what is the

maximum response of a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system
(of given natural period and damping)?

 Response may mean any quantity of interest, e.g., deformation,

acceleration

a(t)/g T=2 sec,

Damping  =2%

Time, sec

Ground motion time history

Response Spectrum (contd…)

 Using a computer, one can calculate the response of

SDOF system with time (time history of response)

 Can pick maximum response of this SDOF system (of

given T and damping) from this response time history
 Response Spectrum (contd…)

Maximum response = 7.47 in.

T=2 sec,
U(t) Damping  =2%

Time, sec

Time History of Deformation (relative displacement

of mass with respect to base) response

A(t)/g

Time, sec
Ground motion time history
Response Spectrum (contd…)

 Repeat this exercise for different values of natural

period.

 For design, we usually need only the maximum

response.

 Hence, for future use, plot maximum response versus

natural period (for a given value of damping).

 Such a plot of maximum response versus natural

period for a given accelerogram is called response
spectrum.
Response Spectrum (contd…)

Displacement Response
Spectrum for the above time
A(t)/g
history

Time, sec

T=0.5 sec U(t)

 =2%

T=1.0 sec U(t)

 =2%

Umax
T=2.0 sec U(t)
 =2%

Time, sec T, sec

Figure After Chopra, 2001

Response Spectrum (contd…)

 Different terms used in the code:

- Design Acceleration Spectrum (clause 3.5)

 Response Spectrum (clause 3.27)

 Acceleration Response Spectrum (used in cl. 3.30)

 Design Spectrum (title of cl. 6.4)

 Structural Response Factor

 Average response acceleration coefficient (see

terminology of Sa/g on p. 11)

 Title of Fig. 2: Response Spectra for ….

Smooth Response Spectrum

 Real spectrum has somewhat irregular shape with local peaks and
valleys

 For design purpose, local peaks and valleys should be ignored

 Since natural period cannot be calculated with that much

accuracy.

 Hence, smooth response spectrum used for design purposes

 For developing design spectra, one also needs to consider other

issues.
Smooth Response Spectrum (contd…)

Period (sec) Period (sec) Period (sec)

Acceleration Spectra Velocity Spectra Displacement Spectra

Shown here are typical smooth spectra used in design for different values
of damping (Fig. from Housner, 1970)
Floor Response Spectrum

 Equipment located on a floor needs to be designed for

the motion experienced by the floor.

 Hence, the procedure for equipment will be:

 Analyze the building for the ground motion.

 Obtain response of the floor.
 Express the floor response in terms of spectrum
(termed as Floor Response Spectrum)
 Design the equipment and its connections with the
floor as per Floor Response Spectrum.
Response Spectrum versus Design Spectrum

 Consider the Acceleration Response Spectrum

 Notice the region of red circle marked: a slight change
in natural period can lead to large variation in
maximum acceleration
Spectral Acceleration, g

Undamped Natural Period T (sec)

Response Spectrum versus Design Spectrum (contd…)

 Natural period of a civil engineering structure cannot be calculated

precisely

 Design specification should not very sensitive to a small change in

natural period.

 Hence, design spectrum is a smooth or average shape without local

peaks and valleys you see in the response spectrum
Design Spectrum

 Since some damage is expected and accepted in the

structure during strong shaking, design spectrum is
developed considering the overstrength, redundancy,
and ductility in the structure.

 The site may be prone to shaking from large but

distant earthquakes as well as from medium but
nearby earthquakes: design spectrum may account for
these as well.
 See Fig. next slide.
Design Spectrum (contd…)

 Design Spectrum must be accompanied by:

 Load factors or permissible stresses that must be used

 Different choice of load factors will give different seismic
safety to the structure

 Damping to be used in design

 Variation in the value of damping used will affect the design
force.

 Method of calculation of natural period

 Depending on modeling assumptions, one can get different
values of natural period.

 Type of detailing for ductility

 Design force can be lowered if structure has higher ductility.
Design Spectrum (contd…)

 1984 code provided slightly different design spectrum for two

methods
 Seismic Coefficient Method (static method), and
 Response Spectrum Method (dynamic method)

 It was confusing to use two different sets of terminology for two

methods.

 Present code provides same design spectrum irrespective of

whether static or dynamic method is used.
Major Changes in Design Spectrum

 Zone Factor (Z) is specified in place of o and Fo

 Importance Factor (I) is same

 Soil Effect is considered by different shapes of response spectrum;

Soil-Foundation Factor () has now been dropped.

 Response Reduction Factor (R) used in denominator; earlier

Performance Factor (K) was used in numerator.

 For more ductile structures, K was lower.

 Now, R will be higher for more ductile structures.

 Structure Flexibility Factor (Sa/g); earlier C or Sa/g

Soil Effect

 Recorded earthquake motions show that response spectrum shape

differs for different type of soil profile at the site

Period (sec)

Fig. from Geotechnical Earthquake

Engineering, by Kramer, 1996
IS1893:2002

▪ Local soil profile reflected through a different design spectrum for Rock , Soil
▪ Normalized for Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) of 1.0

Rocky or hard sites,

1 + 15 T 0.00 ≤ T ≤ 0.10
Sa / g = 2.50 0.10 ≤ T ≤ 0.40
1.00 / T 0.40 ≤ T ≤ 4.00

Medium soil sites

1 + 15 T 0.00 ≤ T ≤ 0.10 Damping 5%

Sa / g = 2.50 0.10 ≤ T ≤ 0.55

1.36 / T 0.55 ≤ T ≤ 4.00

Soft soil sites

1 + 15 T 0.00 ≤ T ≤ 0.10
Sa / g = 2.50 0.10 ≤ T ≤ 0.67
1.67 / T 0.67 ≤ T ≤ 4.00

Damping 0 2 5 7 10 15 20 25 30
percent
Factors 3.2 1.4 1.00 0.90 0.80 0.70 0.60 0.55 0.50
(new code)
Logarithmic plot of Deformation Spectra

Velocity
sensitive
Displacement
sensitive V0
D0 y0
y0 Acceleration
V y0 sensitive
Log
scale A0

U
A

Natural Frequency, f (Log scale)

General form of spectrum

Deformation Spectra for Half-cycle Acceleration pulse:

This class of excitation is associated with a finite terminal velocity and

with a displacement that increases linearly after the end of the pulse.

Although it is of no interest in study of ground shock and earthquakes

,being the simplest form of acceleration diagram possible ,it is
desirable to investigate its effect.

When plotted on a logarithmic paper, the spectrum for the half sine
acceleration pulse approaches asymptotically on the left the value.

V = yo

This result follows from the following expression presented earlier for
fixed base systems subjected to an impulsive force,
I
X max =
mp
t1

where I =  P(t ) dt
0
 t1

Letting P(t ) = − m &

y&(t ) and X max = U and noting that
 &y&(t ) dt = y&
0
o

&
y
we obtain, U = o or V = y
&o
p
( This result can also be determined by considering the effect of an
instantaneous velocity change, y&o ,i.e. an acceleration pulse of finite
magnitude but zero duration. The response of the system in this case
is given by, u&o
u(t ) = uo cos pt + sin pt
p
Considering that the system is initially at rest, we conclude that,
uo = 0 and u&o = − y&o
y&o
where, u (t ) = − sin pt
p
The maximum value of u(t), without regards to signs, is
&o
y
U = or V = y
&o )
p
Application to Complex Ground Motions

• Compound Pulses
• Earthquake Records
Eureka record
El-Centro record

Design Spectrum
Minimum number of parameters required to characterize the design
ground motion y , y and y
Max values of y , y and y
The predominant frequency (or deviation) of the dominant pulses in

The degree of periodicity for (the number of dominant pulses in) each
diagram.
Dependence of these characteristics on
Local soil conditions
Epicentral distance and
Severity of ground shaking
Effect of damping:

• Effect is different in different frequency ranges

• Effect is negligible in the extremely low frequency regime (U = y0)
..
and extreme high frequency ranges (A = y0).
2
..
u + p u = y0(t)
.. ..
low frequency u = y(t) u0 = y0
2
.. ..
high frequency p u = A(t) = y(t) A = y0
Eureka, California earthquake of Dec 21,1954 S 11o E
component.
Design Earthquakes
Describing the Earthquake

Ground Motion Time Histories

➢ Ground motion time histories are numerical descriptions of how a certain

ground motion parameter, such as acceleration, varies with time.

➢ They provide a full description of the earthquake motion, unlike response spectra,
as they show duration as well as amplitude and frequency content.

➢ They are usually expressed as plots of the ground motion parameter versus time,
but consist of discrete parameter-time pairs of values.

➢ Idealized time histories are sometimes represented by simple mathematical

functions such as sine waves, but real earthquake motions are far too complex
to be represented mathematically.

➢ There are two general types of time histories:

- Recorded (often referred to as historical records)
- Artificial
Effect of various factors on spectral values
Viscous Damping

Friction between and with structural and non-structural elements

Localized yielding due to stress concentrations and residual stresses

under low loading and gross yielding under higher loads

Energy radiation through foundation

Aeroelastic damping

Viscous damping

Analytical modeling errors

Effect of various factors on spectral values
Viscous Damping

➢ Viscous Damping Values for Design

➢ Many codes stipulate 5% viscous damping unless a more properly

substantiated value can be used.

➢ Note that actual damping values for many systems, even at higher
levels of excitation are less than 5%.
Effect of Various Factors on Spectral Values
Modifying the Viscous Damping of Spectra

Newmark and Hall's Method

For each range of the spectrum, the spectral values are multiplied by the ratio
of the response amplification factor for the desired level of damping to the
response amplification factor for the current level of damping.

➢ Consider if we have a median spectrum

at 5% viscous damping and we would
like it at x%.

➢ If the 5% Joyner and Boore

Sv value is 60 cm/sec on the descending
branch, an estimate of the 2% Sv value
is 60x(2.03/1.65) = change 60x1.47
= 88 cm/sec
Role of Ductility