1.7. Response of Structures to Ground Motion

Try these first

1. 1.

   What does base excitation refer to?

   Hint

   Think about what happens to a building when the ground shakes.

2. 2.

   Define relative displacement.

   Hint

   What do we call the displacement of the structure compared to the ground?

3. 3.

   What is the primary model used to describe the response of structures to ground motion?

   • Static load model
   • Base excitation model
   • Linear model

   Hint

   Think about how we represent forces acting at the base.

4. 4.

   True or False: Relative displacement is not important in earthquake engineering.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider how buildings would react if we ignored this concept.

5. 5.

   Given a building with a height of 100m and average sway during an earthquake of 0.5m, calculate the relative displacement if the ground moves 0.3m.

   Hint

   What is the difference between the two measurements?

6. 6.

   Discuss how engineers can utilize response spectrum analysis to design a new skyscraper in an earthquake-prone area.

   Hint

   Consider what factors influence the engineering design in such scenarios.