Earthquake Ground Motion

Divided into two parts, the first deals with issues relating to the characterisation and the rational definition of seismic input and begins with a study of earthquake records that leads to the identification of their damage potential parameters such as the peak ground acceleration and the strong motion duration. Subsequent chapters concern themselves with the deterministic and probabilistic methodologies for producing seismic inputs. Further chapters are dedicated to the generation of artificial seismic input on the basis of stochastic or probabilistic approaches. The second part of this volume deals with ground motion effects on foundation elements and structural integrity. Particular emphasis is given to the interaction of foundation piles with vibrating soils, homogeneous or heterogeneous. The final two chapters are concerned with the possible connection between soil structure interaction (SSI) and structural damage. In both instances records of actual earthquake induce motion are used for such assessments.