EFFECTS OF NEAR-FIELD PULSE-LIKE GROUND MOTIONS ON TALL BUILDINGS

Response of tall buildings to near-field ground motions with distinct low-frequency pulses can differ dramatically from, for example, the response to the 1940 El Centro ground motion. For the same peak ground acceleration (PGA) and duration of shaking, ground motions with a pulse-like characteristic can generate much higher base shear, inter-story drifts and roof displacement in a high-rise building as compared to ground motions without the characteristic pulse. Also, the ductility demand is much higher and the effectiveness of supplemental damping is lower for pulse-like ground motions. This paper presents a simple interpretation of the response characteristics for two recorded and one synthetic near-field pulse-like ground motions.