Ground Motion Parameters

Part -II
Lecture-14
1
Other Spectral Parameters
RMS acceleration : This is the parameter that includes the effects of
amplitude and frequency, defined as
( ) | | } =
d
T
0
2
d
dt t a
T
1
rms
a
Where a(t) is the acceleration over the time domain and T
d
is the duration of
strong motion
AI - The Arias Intensity is a measure of the total energy at the recording
station and is proportional to the sum of the squared acceleration. It is
defined as
( ) | | dt t a
g
AI
2
0
2
}

=
t
2
SI - The Spectrum Intensity is defined as the integral of the psuedo-Spectral
velocity curve (also known as the velocity response spectrum), integrated
between periods of 0.1 - 2.5 seconds. These quantities are motivated by the
need to examine the response of structures to ground motion, as many
structures have fundamental periods between 0.1 and 2.5 sec. The SI can be
calculated for any structural damping ratio.
Dominant frequency of ground motion (F_d) is defined as the frequency
corresponding to the peak value in the amplitude spectrum. Thus, F_d indicates
the frequency for which the ground motion has the most energy. The amplitude
spectrum has to be smoothed before determining F_d.
Other Spectral Parameters
3
Bandwidth BW - of the dominant frequency; measured where the amplitude
falls to 0.707 (1 /\2) of the amplitude of the dominant frequency. Again, this is
based on a smoothed amplitude spectrum.
Period
F
o
u
r
i
e
r

A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

A
max

(1/\2) A
max

Other Spectral Parameters
Band
4
Spatial variability of ground motions
The ground motion parameters at any site depend upon the magnitude of
earthquake and the distance of the site from epicenter.
The ground motion parameters measured at a site have been used to develop
empirical relationships to predict the parameters as functions of earthquake
magnitude and source-to-site distance. But these predictions are not accurate.
For structures that extend over considerable distance (such as bridges and
pipelines), the ground motion parameters will be different at different part of the
structure, causing differential movement of the supports. Local variation of
ground motion parameters need to be considered for the design of such
structures.
5
One of the most important decisions in carrying out proper design is to select a
design earthquake that adequately represents the ground motion expected at a
particular site and in particular the motion that would drive the structure to its
critical response, resulting in the highest damage potential.
The quantification of such ground motion is not easy. It requires a good
understanding of the ground motion parameters that characterize the severity
and the damage potential of the earthquake ground motion and the
seismological, geological, and topographic factors that affect them.
Ground Motion Parameters
6
PHA is the most important strong motion
parameter.

In a stiff structure, the maximum value of
the induced force is equal to PHA Mass

Earthquake force is directly related to the
magnitude and intensity.

Why is PHA important?
7
Structures have gravity acting against vertical
accelerations due to earthquake. Static forced
induced due to gravity provide adequate resistance
to dynamic forces induced due to vertical
accelerations during earthquake.
PVA ~ 2/3 PHA
PVA > 2/3 PHA near epicenter
PVA < 2/3 PHA at distances far from epicenter

Why vertical accelerations are not very
important?
8
Many times, very high peak accelerations occur at
high frequencies If these frequencies are higher
than the natural frequency of the structure, then
the damage to the structure is little.

Why high peak accelerations cause little
damage?
9
Although peak amplitude is a very useful parameter, it provides no
information on the frequency content or duration. Sometimes
acceleration time histories are characterized by single cycle peak
amplitudes, that are much greater than amplitudes of other cycles

Why cant peak amplitudes quantify
destruction?
Ground motion 1
time time
Ground motion 2
10
Peak accelerations correspond to the highest acceleration value
recorded during earthquake at a specific location.
Effective acceleration is the acceleration which is most effective in
causing damage to structure.
Peak acceleration is independent of structural response. Effective
acceleration is based on structural response
In a free field, effective and peak accelerations are equal
Near the structure, effective acceleration is generally less than
the peak acceleration.
Peak acceleration and effective
acceleration
11
Effective acceleration
Effective acceleration is a function of size of
loaded area, frequency content, weight,
embedment, damping characteristics of the
structure and its foundation
12
Many researchers tried to correlate PHA to
earthquake intensity and magnitude
Though this procedure is not accurate, many times,
these relations are useful to obtain PHA from
Mercallis intensity, especially for earthquakes
which have occurred prior to strong motion
instruments were available.
PHA and earthquake Intensity
13
Peak acceleration and peak velocity do not occur at same frequencies Peak
accelerations are associated with higher frequencies and peak velocities are
associated with intermediate frequencies.
Since PHA (a
max
) and PHV (v
max
) are associated with motions of different
frequencies, the frequency content of earthquake can be related to the quantity
V
max
/a
max
PHA and PHV
14
V
max
/a
max =
T/2 p

Time Period T = 2 p V
max
/a
max
This is the period of vibration of equivalent
harmonic wave. It produces information about
which periods of the ground motions are more
significant. Hence T is called predominant
period
Site V
max
/a
max
T
Rock 0.056 0.35
Stiff soil 0.112 0.7
Soft soil 0.2 1.25

V
max
/a
max
15
Estimation of Ground Motion Parameters
Ground motion parameters are usually estimated through predictive
relationships. These relationships express ground motion parameter in
terms of the quantities that affect it strongly.
Predictive relationships play important role in seismic hazard analysis.
The functional form of the predictive relationship is usually selected to
reflect the mechanism of the ground motion process as closely as
possible
This minimizes the number of empirical coefficients and allows to apply
the relationship with greater confidence to ground conditions that are
poorly represented in the database.
Predictive relationships are often arrived at by the regression analysis of
the available strong motion data
These relationships have to be updated time to time after major
earthquakes in the region.
16
Estimation of Ground Motion Parameters
Common forms of predictive relations are based on the following
observations:
1. Peak values of strong motion parameters are usually lognormally
distributed.
2. Earthquake magnitude M is typically defined as the logarithm of some peak
ground motion parameter Y. Thus M proportional to ln Y
3. The spreading of stress waves as they travel away from the earthquake
source attenuates the body wave and surface wave amplitudes
4. The area over which the fault rupture occurs, increases with increase in the
earthquake magnitude. Thus the effective distance R increases with the
earthquake magnitude
5. The material damping decreases the ground motion amplitudes with
distance exponentially
6. Ground motion parameters may be influenced by source characteristics like
type of fault or the site characteristics like the type of soil and topography
of the region.
17
Typical Predictive relationship
Campbell (1981) used worldwide data to obtain a relationship for the
mean PHA for sites within 50 km of fault rupture in magnitude 5.0 to 7.7
earthquakes as:
ln PHA (gals) = -4.141 + 0.868 M 1.09 ln [R+ 0.0606 exp (0.7 M)]
Note 1 gal = 981 cm/sec
2

Where M is the local magnitude for magnitude less than 6 or surface
wave magnitude for magnitude less than 7 and R is the closest distance
to the fault rupture in kilometers.
Several other predictive relationships are available in literature, which
are developed for different regions


18
Estimation of Ground Motion Parameters
A typical ground motion predictive relationship has the form:
ln Y = C
1
+ C
2
M + C
3
M C
4
+ C
5
ln [ R + C
6
exp (C
7
M)] + C
8
R + f(source) +
f(site)
o
lnY
= C
9
Some predictive relationships use all these terms and more and some
may not use all.
o
lnY
describes the uncertainty involved in the prediction.
The parameters M and R should be carefully defined and used to reduce
the errors associated with the prediction.
Predictive relationships are developed through regression analysis of
the data for a particular region. Using them for other regions requires
checking their relevance to the region of interest in order to obtain
reasonably accurate predictions.
19
Predictive relationships for India
The following generalized predictive relationship has been proposed for
peninsular India by Iyengar and Raghukanth (2004)

ln Y = C
1
+ C
2
(M-6) + C
3
(M-6)
2
ln R C
4
R + ln c

where Y, M, and R refer to PGA(g), moment magnitude, and hypocentral
distance, respectively

Koyna-Warna Region:
C
1
= 1.7615; C
2
= 0.9325; C
3
=-0.0706; C
4
= 0.0086; o(ln c) = 0.3292

Western-central Region:
C
1
= 1.7236 ; C
2
= 0.9453; C
3
=-0.0740; C
4
= 0.0064; o(ln c) = 0.3439

Southern Region:
C
1
= 1.7816; C
2
= 0.9205; C
3
=-0.0673; C
4
= 0.0035; o(ln c) = 0.3136
20
Predictive relationships for India
The following predictive relationship has been proposed for Himalayan
Region of India by Sharma (2000).

log (A) = -2.87 + 0.634 M 1.16 log (X + e
0.62M
)

where A, M, and X refer to PGA(g), moment magnitude, and hypocentral
distance, respectively

The database consisting of 66 peak ground vertical accelerations from
five earthquakes recorded by Strong Motion Arrays in India have been
used to develop the relationship.

21
Example Problem
No. Acceleration
(g)
Velocity
(cm/sec)
Displacement
(cm)
No. Acceleration
(g)
Velocity
(cm/sec)
Displacement
(cm)
1 -0.01 0.00 0.00 17 -0.26 -8.60 -18.52
2 -0.02 -15.59 -0.05 18 -0.01 -14.63 -18.23
3 0.01 -19.08 -0.21 19 0.03 -16.49 -17.49
4 -0.05 -21.44 -0.52 20 -0.20 -31.36 -16.79
5 0.03 -22.48 -0.99 21 -0.16 -48.31 -17.20
6 0.02 -23.57 -1.63 22 0.49 -27.86 -18.59
7 -0.01 -19.73 -2.44 23 -0.33 -3.09 -19.61
8 0.18 -9.83 -3.42 24 -0.02 -4.11 -20.08
9 0.08 -0.01 -4.65 25 0.12 -16.42 -20.52
10 0.02 3.48 -6.14 26 0.12 -17.17 -21.97
11 -0.02 10.43 -7.90 27 -0.11 -12.13 -23.64
12 -0.14 1.63 -9.84 28 -0.06 -5.24 -25.83
13 -0.16 -10.44 -12.11 29 0.01 -0.12 -29.81
14 0.04 -12.78 -14.37 30 0.01 1.25 -34.22
15 0.10 -5.41 -16.48 31 -0.04 4.66 -35.04
16 0.01 -6.36 -18.14
The strong motion data of an earthquake recorded for 3 seconds near epicenter with a
sampling interval of 0.1 sec is given in table. Plot acceleration-time history of the
earthquake. Find out PHA, PVA, v
max
, maximum displacement, bracketed duration,
predominant period, sustained maximum acceleration (peaks need not be successive)
and local magnitude of the earthquake [M
L
= log
10
A (A in micrometers)]. Comment on the
intensity of this earthquake and expected hazards.

22
Solution
-0.40
-0.30
-0.20
-0.10
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
0.05 g
0.05 g
1 cycle
2
3
PHA = 0.49 g
PVA = 2/3 PHA = 0.327 g
Bracketed duration = 2.7-0.3 = 2.4 sec
vmax = 48.31cm/sec
predominant period = 2 t vmax/amax = 0.63 sec
(amax = 0.49 g = 480.69 cm/sec2)
sustained max. acceleration ( 3cycle) = 0.2 g (3rd
highest)
maximum displacement = 35.04 cm
1st exceedence of
2nd exceedence of

23
Exercise Problems
1. If an earthquake is recorded at four equally spaced locations along a
straight line, show the variation of all the following parameters along
the straight line if the epicenter lies on the straight line, dividing it into
two equal parts
(a) Magnitude (b) PHA (c) Duration (d) Predominant period
2. Obtain the time-acceleration response for any earthquake.
Determine the bracketed duration, predominant period and Arias
intensity
3. Download the software Seismosignal, which is a freeware. Analyze
any earthquake record in the program and obtain all possible ground
motion parameters.


24
Kramer (1996) Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Prentice Hall.
Iyengar, R.N. and Raghu kanth, S.T.G. (2004) Attenuation of Strong Ground
Motion in Peninsular India. Seismological Research Letters, 75(4), 530-540
Sharma, M. L. (2000) Attenuation relationship for estimation of peak ground
vertical acceleration using data from strong motion arrays in India. 12th World
conference on Earthquake Engineering, New Zealand, 1964/ 4 / A, pp1-8.
Stein, S. and Wysession, M. (2003). An introduction to seismology, earthquakes,
and earth structure, Blackwell Science.
http://webshaker.ucsd.edu/homework/Ground_motion_parameters.pdf
(Accessed on 30 March 2012)
Download free software for the estimation of ground motion parameters :
http://www.seismosoft.com/en/SeismoSignal.aspx
References
25