Behavior of moment-resisting frame structures subjected to near-fault ground motions

Near-fault ground motions impose large demands on structures compared to 'ordinary' ground motions. Recordings suggest that near-fault ground motions with 'forward' directivity are characterized by a large pulse, which is mostly orientated perpendicular to the fault. This study is intended to provide quantitative knowledge on important response characteristics of elastic and inelastic frame structures subjected to near-fault ground motions. Generic frame models are used to represent MDOF structures. Near-fault ground motions are represented by equivalent pulses, which have a comparable effect on structural response, but whose characteristics are defined by a small number of parameters. The results demonstrate that structures with a period longer than the pulse period respond very differently from structures with a shorter period. For the former, early yielding occurs in higher stories but the high ductility demands migrate to the bottom stories as the ground motion becomes more severe. For the latter, the maximum demand always occurs in the bottom stories. Preliminary regression equations are proposed that relate the parameters of the equivalent pulse to magnitude and distance. The equivalent pulse concept is used to estimate the base shear strength required to limit story ductility demands to specific target values. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.