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Validation of ground motion simulations through simple proxies for the response of engineered systems

Lynne S. Burks, & Jack W. Baker

Published July 15, 2014, SCEC Contribution #1793

We propose a list of ground motion parameters that are empirically robust and important to engineering analysis, and can therefore be used as a validation tool for new methods of ground motion simulation. The primary list of parameters includes correlation of e across periods, ratio of SaRotD100 to SaRotD50, and the ratio of inelastic to elastic displacement, all of which have reliable empirical models against which simulations can be compared. We also describe several secondary parameters, such as directivity pulses and structural collapse capacity, that do not have a robust empirical model but are very important for engineering analysis. We then demonstrate the application of these parameters to example simulations from the SCEC Broadband study 13.6 computed using a variety of methods, like stochastic finite fault (EXSIM), Graves-Pitarka hybrid broadband (GP), and composite source model (CSM). In general, each simulation method matches the empirical model for certain parameters and not others, indicating that engineers need to carefully validate all parameters relevant to their application before using ground motion simulations.

Citation
Burks, L. S., & Baker, J. W. (2014). Validation of ground motion simulations through simple proxies for the response of engineered systems. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 104(4), 1930-1946. doi: 10.1785/0120130276 .


Related Projects & Working Groups
Earthquake Engineering Implementation Interface