Response Spectrum

Dynamics of a Simple Structure

The Single-Degree-Of-Freedom (SDOF) Equation

References
Elements Of Earthquake Engineering And Structural Dynamics, Andr Filiatrault,
Polytechnic International Press, Montral, Canada, ISBN 2-553-00629-4 (Section 4.2.3).

Dynamics of Structures, Anil K. Chopra, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, ISBN 0-13-855214-2
(Chapter 3).

Equation of motion (external force)

Free-body diagram
fI
p(t)

fS
fD
fs

fD
k

fI + fD + fs = p(t)

fD = c

fs = k u

mu cu ku p( t )
u(t)
c

p(t)
m

fD

fI

p(t)

fS

FBD
Mass-spring damper system

Earthquake Ground Motion

fI + fD + fs = 0
fI = m u t = m(u g + u )

m(u u g ) cu ku 0

mu cu ku mu g
ug(t)

You may note that

External
force
(t)

Earthquake
Excitation

Fixed base

ug(t)
4

Undamped natural frequency

Property of structure when allowed to vibrate freely without external excitation

k Undamped natural circular frequency of vibration (radians/second)

m

w
2p

1
natural period of vibration (second)
f

natural cyclic frequency of vibration (cycles/second or 1/second or Hz)

T is the time required for one cycle of free vibration

If damping is present, replace w by wD

where w D w 1 x 2
x

natural frequency , and

c
fraction of critical damping coefficient
w
2m

c
(dimensionless measure of damping) called damping ratio
cc

c
2 km

c c 2mw 2 km
5

in terms of x
mu cu ku mu g
u

c
k
u u u g
m
m

u 2xwu w 2 u u g

In general x < 0.2, i.e., wD w , fD f, T = TD

cc least damping that prevents oscillation

cc or larger
x1

x may be in the range of 0.02 0.2 or 2% - 20%

5% is sometimes a typical value.

e.g., damper on a swinging door

Note: After the phase of forced vibration (due to external force or base excitation, or initial
conditions), the structure continues to vibrate in a free vibration mode till it stops due to
damping. The ratio between amplitude in two successive cycles is
ui
e 2 px
u i 1

where we define the logarithmic decrement as

u
2px ln i if you measure a free vibration response you can find x.
u i 1

ui
Note: for peaks j cycles apart

ui+1

u
ln i j 2 jpx
ui j

Free vibration

Critical viscous damping

The free vibration equation may be written as
mx c x kx 0

and the general solution is

2
2

c c k t
c c k t
2m
2m
2m m
2m m

x C1 e
C2 e

k
c
if
, the radical part of the exponent will vanish. This will produce aperiodic
m
2m
response (non-oscillatory). In this case
c2
( 2m) 2

since w

k
or c 2 km c c
m

k
2
, cc is also equal to 2mw (note that 2 km 2 mw m 2mw )
m
2
and also c c 2 km 2 k (k / w )

2k
w
8

 k1 ( w u1g ) k 2 ( w u 2g ) 0
mw

u1g u 2g u g

(k1 k 2 ) w k1u1g k 2 u 2g
mw

if

c
x
cc

(k1 k 2 )w (k1 k 2 )u g
mw

(0.05 for example)

c c 2 ( k1 k 2 ) m

but w = u + ug

mu (k1 k 2 )u g (k1 k 2 )u mu g (k1 k 2 )u g

or

mu (k1 k 2 )u mu g
9

Singapore, Elgamal

Deformation Response Spectrum

For a given EQ excitation calculate |umax|
from SDOF response with a certain x
and within a range of natural periods or
frequencies.
|umax| for each frequency will be found
from the computed u(t) history at this frequency.
A plot of |umax| vs. natural period is constructed
representing the deformation (or displacement)
response spectrum (Sd).
From this figure, one can directly read the
maximum relative displacement of any structure
of natural period T (and a particular value of x
as damping)

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures, A Primer

10

Concept of Equivalent lateral force fs

If fs is applied as a static force, it would cause the deformation u.
Thus at any instant of time:
fs = ku(t) , or in terms of the mass fs(t) =
The maximum force will be
f s,max mw 2 u max ku max

Sa

k
Sd
m

mw2u(t)

k
m

mS a kS d

Sa w2Sd

Sd = deformation or displacement response spectrum

Sa w2Sd = pseudo-acceleration response spectrum

The maximum strain energy Emax stored in the structure during shaking is:

E max

1 2
1
1 k 2 2 1
1
2 2
2
ku max kSd2

mS
d
d
V
2
2
2 2
2
2

where S v wS d

From: Chopra,
Dynamics of Structures, A Primer

= pseudo-velocity response spectrum

11

Note that Sd, Sv and Sa are inter-related by

S a w 2 S d wS v

Sa, Sv are directly related to Sd

by w2 and w respectively or by (2pf)2 and 2pf;
2

2p
2p
or and as shown in Figure.
T
T
Due to this direct relation, a 4-way plot
is usually used to display Sa, Sv and Sd
on a single graph as shown in Figure.
In this figure, the logarithm of
period T, Sa, Sv and Sd is used.

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures, A Primer

12

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

13

In order to cover the damping

range of interest,
it is common to perform
the same calculations for
x =0.0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.10,
and 0.20 (see Figure)
Typical Notation:
Sv PSV V
Sa PSA A
Sd SD D
Example (El-Centro motion):
Find maximum displacement
and base shear of tower
with f = 2 Hz, x = 2%
and k = 1.5 MN/m
Period T = 1/f = 0.5 second
Sd = 2.5 inches = 0.0635 m
Forcemax = kumax

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures, A Primer

= 1.5 MN/m x 0.0635m = 95.25 kN

14

Inspection of this figure shows

that the maximum response
at short period
(high frequency stiff structure)
is controlled by the ground
acceleration, low frequency
(long period) by ground
displacement, and intermediate
period by ground velocity.
Get copy of El-Centro
(May 18, 1940)
earthquake record
S00E (N-S component)
ftp nisee.ce.berkeley.edu
(128.32.43.154)
login: anonymous
password: your_indent
cd pub/a.k.chopra
get el_centro.data
quit

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

15

Note that response spectrum

for relative velocity
may be obtained from
the SDOF response history,
and similarly for t =(+g).
These spectra are known
as relative velocity
and total acceleration
response spectra,
and are different from the
pseudo velocity
and pseudo acceleration
spectra Sv and Sa
(which are directly
related to Sd).
e.g. for x = 0%
m(+g) + ku = 0
or (+g) + w2u = 0
From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

16

Elastic Design Spectrum

Use recorded ground motions (available)

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

Use ground motions recorded at similar sites:

Magnitude of earthquake
Distance of site form earthquake fault
Fault mechanism
Local Soil Conditions
Geology/travel path of seismic waves

Motions recorded at the same location.

For design, we need an envelope. One way
is to take the average (mean) of these values
(use statistics to define curves for mean
and standard deviation, see next)

17

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

Mean response spectrum is smooth relative to any of the original contributing spectra

18

The periods and values in Table 6.9.1

were selected to give a good match
to a statistical curve such as Figure 6.9.2
based on an ensemble
of 50 earthquakes on competent soils.

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

19

From: Chopra, Dynamics of Structures

(Design Spectrum may include more than one earthquake scenario)

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