1.

: Data are presented to show that in many cases the characteristics of ground
surface motions during earthquakes, and the corresponding forms of the response
spectra, vary with soil conditions in a reasonably predictable way. A method of
analysis, based on a knowledge of the shear moduli and damping factors of soil s
trata is presented. It is shown that appropriate values of both the shear modulu
s and the damping factor of a soil are strain dependent. Thus behavior observed
during small earthquakes, inducing small strains, is not necessarily indicative
of the behavior of the same soil deposit during a large earthquake with the asso
ciated large strains. Furthermore in any analysis it is important to ensure comp
atibility of the soil characteristics with the magnitude of the induced strains.
It is also shown that the characteristics of the ground motions at the surface
of a soil deposit are greatly influenced by the magnitude and epicentral distanc
e of the earthquake inducing them. It is concluded that for many sites, appropri
ate analyses can provide a useful guide in evaluating the characteristics of the
surface motions likely to be induced by earthquakes.( Seed HB, Idriss IM. Influ
ence of soil conditions on ground motions during
earthquakes. J Soil Mech Found Div, ASCE 1979;95:99 137)
2.1
Effect of Magnitude
In other words, earthquakes
having magnitudes more than six show a considerably larger acceleration magnific
ation than
those having fewer magnitudes.
2.21.6 Effect of Epicentral Distance
It can be seen that an increase in epicentral distance results in larger amplifi
cation factors
in long periods and smaller factors in short periods. This change occurs in a pe
riod between
0.2 and 0.3 sec. In some period ranges the response spectrum of epicentral dista
nces less
than 10km shows larger values than that of 10 to 20km in periods longer that 0.5
sec.
2.3Effect of Ductility
increasing the ductility ratio, decreases the spectral acceleration, and
consequently, decreases the design base shear of the structure. It is observed t
hat the spectral
values at very short periods decrease from 1.0 for ductility of 1.0 (linear stat
e) to about 0.75
for ductility equal to 8.0
2.4 Effect of Strong Motion Duration
It is clear that with longer strong motion duration, the energy transferred to t
he
structure increases significantly, and the maximum input energy increases in lon
ger period
structures. Hence, from energy point of view, the design earthquake for all stru
ctures
(including short- or long-period ones) should be selected from records having lo
nger strong
2.5
Effect of Soil Conditions
As the earthquake waves cross the different layers of soil, the frequencies near
to layer ones
will be amplified and others reduced. Hence, it is expected that the earthquakes
recorded in
soft soils have a higher content of lower frequencies.It is seen that softer soi
ls
produce larger amplification factors in periods longer than about 0.4 sec. In pe
riods less than

0.2 sec however, the amplification factors for hard soils are greater than those
for soft soils
As
motion durations