NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Relative Motion of Two Surface Points During and Earthquake, Non-Linear and Coupled Seismic Effects, Report No. 1.
- File
- PB292986.pdf
- Author(s)
- Christian, J. T.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Applied Science and Research Applications., January 1973, 20 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- ['MIT-CE-R73-13', 'GEOTECHNICAL PUB-318']
- Abstract
- The maximum relative displacement between two points on the surface during an earthquake is often an important consideration in the design of structures in seismic areas. Several proposals for obtaining engineering estimates of this quantity are examined. It is concluded that use of the maximum ground motion is very conservative but use of the ground motion spectrum directly is unconservative. A simple proposal of Newmark's gives excellent results: the maximum relative displacement divided by the applicable wave velocity is equal to or less than the maximum ground velocity. At large separations, the maximum relative displacement is limited by the maximum ground displacement.
- Keywords
- Earth movements; Buildings; Earthquake engineering; Ground motion; Approximation; Soil dynamics; Displacement; Earthquakes