Dimensional Response Analysis of Multistory Regular Steel MRF Subjected to Pulselike Earthquake Ground Motions

Abstract

An alternative and efficient procedure to estimate the maximum inelastic roof displacement and the maximum inelastic interstory drift ratio along the height of regular multistory steel MRF subjected to pulselike ground motions is proposed. The method and the normalized response quantities emerge from formal dimensional analysis which makes use of the distinct time scale and length scale that characterize the most energetic component of the ground shaking. Such time and length scales emerge naturally from the distinguishable pulses which dominate a wide class of strong earthquake records and can be formally extracted with validated mathematical models published in literature. The proposed method is liberated from the maximum displacement of the elastic single-degree-of-freedom structure since the self-similar master curve which results from dimensional analysis involves solely the shear strength and yield roof displacement of the inelastic multidegree-of-freedom system in association with the duration and acceleration amplitude of the dominant pulse. The estimated inelastic response quantities are in superior agreement with the results from nonlinear time-history analysis than any inelastic response estimation published previously.