Correlation between seismic intensity measures and engineering demand parameters of reinforced concrete frame buildings through nonlinear time history analysis

In this paper, the correlation between different seismic intensity measures (IM) and engineering demand parameters (EDP) of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings was evaluated by means of nonlinear dynamic analyses (NLDA). The Costa Rican ground motion database and four RC buildings (4-, 6-, 8-and 10-stories) were considered in this research. Estimations of conventional IMs were derived directly from the ground motion re-cords as well as from the response of a single degree of freedom (SDOF) linear oscillator, with a period equal to that of the fundamental period of the buildings. NLDAs were performed using unscaled and scaled records to account for different intensity levels, and the performance of the buildings was characterized in terms of three EDPs: the average inter-story drift ratio, the maximum inter-story drift ratio, and the Park & Ang damage index. Results demonstrate a significant improvement in the correlation between IMs and EDPs when the dynamic characteristics of the structure are accounted for through the response of the SDOF oscillator. On the other hand, the peak ground velocity turned out to be an effective IM, independent of the dynamic characteristics of the buildings. This is very useful when assessing potential seismic damage both for immediate decision-making and for the characterization of the seismic hazard of a region.