Response Spectrum Analysis (RSA)
Concept of Response Spectrum
T1 T2 T3
T T T
• When idealized as Single Degree of Freedom (SDOF), the above
structures may be of different types but their dynamic
characteristics are defined by their time period (T) and
damping ( ζ ).
• If T1 = T2 = T3 = T , and ζ is also equal for above structures, then
their dynamic properties will be identical.
Concept of Response Spectrum
m1 m2 m3
k1 k2 k3
T1 T2 T3
• In such a case (T1 = T2 = T3), for a given component of earthquake
ground motion, maximum response is same for all the oscillators.
• Maximum response of linear single degree of freedom system to
any given component of earthquake motion depends only on the
natural frequency and damping.
Video of three oscillators
Concept of Response Spectrum
• Extremely useful concept in earthquake engineering
research and in applying the seismological knowledge of
strong earthquake to the design of structures
Use of Response Spectrum
• For engineering purposes, we are not especially
concerned with the time variation of the response
parameters
• Rather, it is their extreme value that convey the
crucial information
• They are related to the maximum forces, maximum
displacement and maximum deformation that
structures must be able to endure
Construction of Response Spectrum
T7
T6
T5
T4
T3
T2
T1
Construction of Response Spectrum
Response spectrum is a plot of
maximum response of linear single
degree of freedom system oscillators
as a function of natural period for a
given damping.
Response can be any of the
following:
1. Displacement
2. Velocity
3. Acceleration
El Centro 1940
• If we calculate the maximum
response for a range of values
of frequency and damping and
portray the results graphically,
we then have a spectrum chart
that shows the maximum
response of all possible single
degree of freedom systems to
that component of
earthquake.
RS is developed for an area and for
any structure in the area can be
analyzed for seismic design
Response may be defined as
displacement, velocity or
acceleration
Also, all the three responses
can be shown in one plot
called Tripartite plot
Tripartite Plot of RS
Example 6.2
A 12-ft-long vertical cantilever, a 4-in.-nominal-diameter standard steel pipe,
supports a 5200-lb weight attached at the tip as shown in Fig. E6.2. The properties
of the pipe are: outside diameter, do = 4.500 in., inside diameter di = 4.026 in.,
thickness t = 0.237 in., and second moment of cross-sectional area, I = 7.23 in4,
elastic modulus E = 29,000 ksi, and weight = 10.79 lb/foot length. Determine the
peak deformation and bending stress in the cantilever due to the El Centro ground
motion. Assume that ζ = 2%.
Re-calculations in Excel with do = 5” and t = 0.25”, giving T=1.31 sec
D = 4” A = 0.23
T = 1.31
Acceleration Response Spectrum
Design Response Spectra
• Design Spectrum is a design specification
o Accounts for issues that have bearing on
seismic safety
Over-strength, Redundancy, Ductility
• Design Spectrum must be accompanied by
o Load factors and permissible stresses
o Damping to be used in design
o Method of calculating T
o Type of detailing for ductility
Design Acceleration Response Spectrum
(Building Code of Pakistan)