Ground Motion Prediction Equation (“Attenuation Relationship”) for Inelastic Response Spectra

Abstract

This paper presents the process and fundamental results of a comprehensive ground motion prediction equation (GMPE, or “attenuation” relationship) developed for inelastic response spectra. We used over 3,100 horizontal ground motions recorded in 64 earthquakes with moment magnitudes ranging from 4.3–7.9 and rupture distances ranging from 0.1–199 km. For each record, we computed inelastic spectra for ductility ranging from one (elastic response) to eight. Our GMPE correlates inelastic spectral ordinates to earthquake magnitude, site-to-source distance, fault mechanism, local soil properties, and basin effects. The developed GMPE is used in both deterministic and probabilistic hazard analyses to directly generate inelastic spectra. This is in contrast to developing “attenuation” relationships for elastic response spectra, carrying out a hazard analysis, and subsequently adopting approximate rules to derive inelastic response from elastic spectra.