Strong Ground Motion and Concept

of Response Spectrum
March 2013
Sudhir K Jain, IIT Gandhinagar

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

EQ Ground Motions

Low Amplitude Vibrations

Long distance events

Usually displacements
Earth Scientists

Amplitude

Teleseismic Earthquake Recording

Sudhir K. Jain

200

Surface Waves

PP

400

600

800

March 2013

1000

1200 Time (s)

Slide 2

EQ Ground Motions

Strong Ground Motions

Near-field ground motions

Usually accelerations
Engineers
0.3
PGA=0.32g

Accn. (g)

0.2
0.1
0
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
0

10

20

30

Sudhir K. Jain

40
50
Time (seconds)

60

March 2013

70

80

Slide 3

Peak Ground Parameters

Acceleration (PGA)
Velocity (PGV)
Displacement (PGD)

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 4

Maximum Recorded Motion

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

(Martinez-Pereira,
1999)
Slide
5

Characteristics

Parameters

Duration of Significant Shaking

Frequency Content
1985 Mexico Earthquake (SCT 1A; N90E)

0.5g

1940 Imperial Valley Earthquake (El Centro; S00E)

1971 San Fernando Earthquake (Pacoima Dam; N76W)

10

20

30

40

50

60
Time (sec)

1991 Uttarkashi Earthquake (Uttarkashi, N75E)

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 6

Characteristics

Influence of

Magnitude of EQ
Source mechanism

Fault

Type of faulting

Fault

Distance from source

Soil/rock medium along travel path
Local soil site, geology, topology, etc.,.

Sudhir K. Jain

Attenuation
with Distance

March 2013

Slide 7

Accelerogram

During ground shaking, one can measure

ground acceleration versus time (accelerogram)
using an accelerograph

Accelerograph is the instrument

Accelerogram is the record obtained from it

Sudhir K. Jain

Accelerogram is the variation of ground acceleration with

time (also called time history of ground motion)

March 2013

Slide 8

Typical Accelerograph

This is a typical analog instrument. These days, digital instruments are

becoming popular (photo from Earthquakes by Bolt)
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 9

Typical
Accelerograms

From Dynamics of Structures

by A K Chopra, Prentice Hall

Time, sec

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March 2013

Slide 10

Response Spectrum (contd)

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

T=2 sec,
Damping =2%
a(t)/g

Ground motion time history

Sudhir K. Jain

Time, sec
March 2013

Slide 11

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

Sudhir K. Jain

See next slide

March 2013

Slide 12

Response Spectrum (contd)

Maximum response = 7.47 in.

d(t)
Time, sec

Time History of Deformation (relative displacement

of mass with respect to base) response

T=2 sec,
Damping =2%

a(t)/g
Time, sec

Ground motion time history

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 13

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.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 14

Response Spectrum (contd)

Displacement
Response
Spectrum for
the above time
history

ag(t)/g

Time, sec

T=0.5 sec
=2%
d(t)/g

dmax

T=1.0 sec
=2% d(t)/g

T=2.0 sec
=2% d(t)/g

Time, sec
Sudhir K. Jain

Figure After Chopra, 2001

March 2013

T, sec
Slide 15

Response Spectrum (contd)

Response Spectrum is useful to obtain maximum

response of any SDOF system for that
accelerogram and for that value of damping.
See example on next slide

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 16

Acceleration, g

Example
Mass = 10,000kg
Natural Period T=1 sec

From Response Spectrum:

Spectral Acceleration (for T=1sec) = 0.48 g
Max. Base Shear = Mass x Spectral Accln.
=(10,000kg) x (0.48x9.81m/sec2)
= 47,000 N = 47 kN
Max. Base Moment

Undamped Natural Period T (sec)

Acceleration Response Spectrum for the
above accelerogram for 5% damping
(Fig. from Seed and Idriss, 1982)

=(47kN) x (3m) = 141 kN-m

Sudhir K. Jain

Time (sec)
Ground Acceleration Time History

Maximum Acceleration, g

Damping =5% of critical

3m

March 2013

Slide 17

Response Spectrum (contd)

May repeat the entire process for different values of

damping

Velocity response spectra

for N-S component of 1940
El Centro record (damping
values of 0, 2, 5 and 10%)
Fig From Housner, 1970
Sudhir K. Jain

Maximum Velocity, in/sec

Natural Period T (sec)

March 2013

Slide 18

Response Spectrum (contd)

Unless otherwise mentioned, response spectrum

is based on a linear elastic system

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March 2013

Slide 19

Response Spectrum (contd)

By response we may mean any response

quantity of interest to us, for example:

Absolute acceleration of the mass

Relative velocity of the mass with respect to

base

Termed as Velocity Response Spectrum

Relative displacement of the mass with respect

to base

Termed as Acceleration Response Spectrum

Termed as Displacement Response Spectrum

Word Spectra is used to denote plural of

Spectrum.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 20

10

Response Spectrum (contd)

Since SDOF system responds maximum to the

waves of frequency near its own natural
frequency,

Response spectrum is also a very good way to

characterize the strong ground motion from
engineering view point.

For instance, relative strength of low frequency versus high

frequency waves

See example on next slide

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 21

Velocity, ft/sec

Example: Velocity spectra from two accelerograms

Natural Period T (sec)

Note that the two response spectra above show very different frequency content. Ground
motion B has more energy at low periods. An expert may be able to make out from these
spectra that B is recorded at a short distance (say 15km) from a small earthquake, while A
is recorded from a large earthquake at a large distance (say 100km) (Fig. edited from
Housner, 1970)
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 22

11

Response Spectrum (contd)

Response spectrum is a very powerful tool.

Uses of response spectrum:

Sudhir K. Jain

To obtain maximum response of a SDOF system

(to the original accelerogram using which
response spectrum was obtained)
To obtain maximum response in a particular
mode of vibration of a multi degree of freedom
(MDOF) system
It tells about the characteristics of the ground
motion (accelerogram)

March 2013

Slide 23

Response Spectrum (contd)

Different terms used in IS:1893

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 .

It is better if the code uses the term

consistently.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 24

12

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

We will discuss this later.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 25

Smooth Response Spectrum (contd)

Period (sec)

Acceleration Spectra

Period (sec)

Velocity Spectra

Period (sec)

Displacement Spectra

Shown here are typical smooth spectra used in design

for different values of damping
(Fig. from Housner, 1970)

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 26

13

Ground Acceleration (contd...)

Note the term Peak Ground Acceleration

(PGA) is max acceleration of ground.
Because of deformation in the structure, the
motion of its base and the superstructure will be
different
Max acceleration experienced by mass of the
structure will be different from the PGA (except if
the structure is rigid)

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 27

Ground Acceleration

ZPA stands for Zero Period Acceleration.

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Implies max acceleration experienced by a

structure having zero natural period (T=0).

March 2013

Slide 28

14

Zero Period Acceleration

An infinitely rigid structure

Has zero natural period (T=0)

Does not deform:

No relative motion between its mass and its base

Mass has same acceleration as of the ground

Hence, ZPA is same as Peak Ground

Acceleration

Sudhir K. Jain

For very low values of period, acceleration

spectrum tends to be equal to PGA.
We should be able to read the value of PGA
from an acceleration spectrum.
March 2013

Slide 29

Peak Ground Acceleration (contd)

Average shape of acceleration response

spectrum for 5% damping (Fig. on next slide)

There can be a stray peak in the ground motion;

i.e., unusually large peak.

Ordinate at 0.1 to 0.3 sec ~ 2.5 times the PGA

Such a peak does not affect most of the

response spectrum and needs to be ignored.

Effective Peak Ground Acceleration

(EPGA) defined as 0.40 times the spectral
acceleration in 0.1 to 0.3 sec range (cl. 3.11)

Sudhir K. Jain

There are also other definitions of EPGA, but we

will not concern ourselves with those.
March 2013

Slide 30

15

Typical shape of acceleration spectrum

1.80
1.60

Spectral Acceleration (g)

1.40
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40

PGA = 0.6g

0.20
0.00
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0
2.5
Period (sec)

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Typical shape of acceleration response spectrum

Spectral acceleration at zero period (T=0) gives PGA
Value at 0.1-0.3 sec is ~ 2.5 times PGA value (for 5% damping)
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 31

What is Design Spectrum

Seismic Design Force can be specified in terms

of Response Spectrum:

Sudhir K. Jain

Termed as Design Spectrum

March 2013

Slide 32

16

Response Spectrum versus Design Spectrum

Spectral Acceleration, g

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

Undamped Natural Period T (sec)

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 33

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

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 34

17

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.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 35

Spectral Acceleration, g

Design Spectrum (contd)

Natural vibration period Tn, sec

Fig. from Dynamics of Structures by Chopra, 2001
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 36

18

Design Spectrum (contd)

Design Spectrum is a design specification

It must take into account any issues that have
bearing on seismic safety.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 37

Design Spectrum (contd)

Design Spectrum must be accompanied by:

Load factors or permissible stresses that must be

used

Damping to be used in design

Depending on modeling assumptions, one can get different

values of natural period.

Type of detailing for ductility

Sudhir K. Jain

Variation in the value of damping used will affect the design

force.

Method of calculation of natural period

Different choice of load factors will give different seismic

safety to the structure

Design force can be lowered if structure has higher ductility.

March 2013

Slide 38

19

Soil Effect

Recorded earthquake motions show that

response spectrum shape differs for different
type of soil profile at the site

Fig. from
Geotechnical
Earthquake
Engineering, by
Kramer, 1996

Period (sec)
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 39

Soil Effect (contd)

This variation in ground motion characteristic for

different sites is now accounted for through different
shapes of response spectrum for three types of sites.
Spectral Acceleration Coefficient (Sa /g)

Fig. from
IS:1893-2002

Period(s)
Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 40

20

Shape of Design Spectrum

The three curves in Fig. 2 have been drawn
based on general trends of average response
spectra shapes.
In recent years, the US codes (UBC, NEHRP and
IBC) have provided more sophistication wherein
the shape of design spectrum varies from area
to area depending on the ground motion
characteristics expected.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 41

Design Spectrum for Stiff Structures

For very stiff structures (T < 0.1sec), ductility is not helpful in

reducing the design force.
As a stiff structure gets
damaged during the
Design spectrum assumes peak
extends to T=0
shaking, its period
Actual shape of response spectrum
elongates
(may be used for higher modes only)

i.e., during the same

ground shaking, a very
stiff structure may ride
up the ascending part
of the graph.
Codes tend to
disallow the reduction
in force in the period
range of T < 0.1sec
Spectral acceleration

T(seconds)

Concept sometimes used by the codes for

response spectrum in low period range.

Sudhir K. Jain

March 2013

Slide 42

21