Statistical analysis between intensity measures at the bedrock and the seismic response of the site

Abstract

This research work focuses on the seismic response of sites considering uncertainties. There are two main objectives. The first consists on assessing the effectiveness of intensity measures to predict properties of the expected wave motion at the surface. According to recent studies, special attention has been paid to predicting velocity-related ground motion parameters, which are highly correlated to the nonlinear dynamic response of civil infrastructures. The second objective is to analyse the evolution of the dynamic properties of the soil because of seismic waves. The main database of acceleration records in Colombia has been analysed, as well as three soil profiles that correspond to real building projects designed and built in the same country. From this information, a series of site seismic response analyses have been carried out using the equivalent linear method. Then, using statistical regression techniques, the correlation between input variables (parameters of the seismic records) and output results (intensity measures at the surface, maximum soil deformations, damping and shear wave velocity variations) have been evaluated. The paper shows that a series of highly correlated variables can be used to incorporate, in a simplified manner, site effects in the analysis of seismic risk at a regional scale.

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