35.15. Peak Acceleration on Structures vs Ground

Try these first

1. 1.

   What does PGA stand for in earthquake engineering?

   Hint

   Think about the maximum acceleration of the ground.

2. 2.

   What can floor accelerations exceed compared to PGA during seismic activity?

   Hint

   Remember the resonance effects!

3. 3.

   What is Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA)?

   • The maximum ground velocity.
   • The maximum ground acceleration.
   • The minimum vertical acceleration.

   Hint

   Focus on the term 'maximum'.

4. 4.

   True or False: Floor accelerations can be lower than PGA.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider the effect of resonance.

5. 5.

   Given a building with a height of 30 meters during an earthquake where PGA is recorded at 0.25g, estimate the potential floor acceleration at the roof level, considering resonance may increase it by 3 times.

   Hint

   Use the rule of tripling for floors above ground in seismic scenarios.

6. 6.

   Discuss how a building’s design might change if the PGA is higher than anticipated and how this affects planning for non-structural systems.

   Hint

   Relate back to the reactions of buildings during major earthquakes.