NEHRP Clearinghouse

Title
Rocking Response of Rigid Blocks to Earthquakes.
File
PB80166002.pdf
Author(s)
Yim, C. S.; Chopra, A. K.; Penzien, J.
Source
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., January 1980, 75 p.
Identifying Number(s)
UCB/EERC-80/02
Abstract
This investigation deals with the rocking response of rigid blocks subjected to earthquake ground motion. A numerical procedure and computer program were developed to solve the nonlinear equations of motion governing the rocking motion of rigid blocks on rigid base subjected to horizontal and vertical ground motions. It is concluded that probabilistic estimates of the intensity of ground shaking may be obtained from its observed effects on monuments, minarets, tombstones and other similar objects provided suitable data in sufficient quantity is available, and the estimates are based on probabilistic analyses of the rocking response of rigid blocks, considering their nonlinear dynamic behavior.
Keywords
Random processes; Probability theory; Earthquake resistant structures; Blocks; Rigid frames; Dynamic response; Ground motion; Earthquake engineering; Earthquakes