SCEC Award Number 11134 View PDF
Proposal Category Individual Proposal (Integration and Theory)
Proposal Title Assessment of Collapse Safety of Steel Moment Resisting Frames in Los Angeles During Extreme Events Using Simulated Ground Motions
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Farzin Zareian University of California, Irvine
Other Participants Graves, Robert
SCEC Priorities B4, B6, B5 SCEC Groups SHRA, GMP
Report Due Date 02/29/2012 Date Report Submitted N/A
Project Abstract
 The study presented here is the continuation of similar studies by the author toward the engineering validation of Graves and Pitarka’s (2010) hybrid broadband ground motion simulation methodology for four historical earthquakes: 1979 Mw 6.5 Imperial Valley, 1989 Mw 6.8 Loma Prieta, 1992 Mw 7.2 Landers, and 1994 Mw 6.7 Northridge. We provide a comparison between seismic demands of five Special Moment Resisting Frame (SMRF) Systems i.e. 2-, 4-, 8-, 12-, and 20-story SMRFs, subjected to past events using simulations and actual recordings. These buildings are designed according to the latest steel building design codes (ASCE 7-05, AISC 360-05, AISC 341-05, and AISC 358-05), and are modeled in OpenSees structural analysis software to utilize state-of-the-art linear/nonlinear structural elements. The models include both gravity and lateral load resisting systems in order to accurately capture all significant contributions to strength and stiffness of selected structures.

The results from this study highlight the similarities and differences between synthetic and real records in terms of median and intra-event standard deviation of seismic demands for few SMRFs. The general agreement, in a broad range of moderate and long periods, may provide confidence in the use of the ground motion simulation method used in this study for engineering applications while the discrepancies may help in addressing improvements in generation of synthetic records.Caution is warranted when extrapolating the result of this study given the limited number of SMRF models used.
Intellectual Merit A ground motion simulation validation methodology that incorporates building response is created in this study. This validation tool provides feed back to SCEC scientist involved in development of ground motion simulation techniques. The result of this study can help increase the accuracy of ground motion simulations.
Broader Impacts Results of this study increases the confidence in using simulated ground motions in engineering practice.
Exemplary Figure Figure 4. Comparison between estimates of maximum interstory drift ratio along the height of the 12-story SMRF using simulated and recorded ground motions: (a) Northridge event, (b) Imperial Valley event, (c) Landers event, (d) Loma Prieta event.