RESULTS OF SEVERAL EASTERN CANADA SITE RESPONSE ANALYSES

ABSTRACT: Seismic response analyses at sites in eastern Canada is becoming more common than in the past with the typical approach being to use an equivalent linear site response model. The authors conducted such site response analyses for several building and bridge projects in eastern Canada over the past years under a variety of design earthquake hazard levels, ground conditions and design objectives. The paper discusses the details of several case histories, the approaches used and observations on the outcomes achieved. Of interest will be the observation that in these cases the seismic ground response is lower than would have been achieved using code-specified spectral values or cyclic-stress ratios obtained using simpler methods of analyses. The results obtained represent valuable examples of the value of these types of analyses when properly done and would suggest that their more routine usage is warranted from a cost-benefit perspective.