Ground motion amplification factors for the proposed 2005 edition of the National Building Code of Canada

Abstract

Foundation factors are used in seismic codes to capture the amplification effects of local soil conditions on ground motions and, hence, on seismic design forces. Recent developments in categorizing site conditions for seismic codes and assigning intensity- and frequency-dependent amplification factors to the various site classes are presented to provide a basis for understanding the new foundation factors proposed for the 2005 edition of the National Building Code of Canada.Key words: design spectra, site characterization, amplification factors.