With conventional force-based seismic design, the most important information for the structural ~dSr5LUD
engineer has been the effective peak ground acceleration. This number is comparatively [Zrr)8A
insignificant in displacement-based or performance-based seismic design, where the key data are XG?8s
&
peak spectral response displacement, and the “corner” period at which this occurs. There appears Fs{*XKv&lH
to be a disagreement between seismologists on opposite sides of the Atlantic about these data, omFz@
which the structural engineer views with concern, since ductile structural response will often be in ~[
F`"
this region of the corner period. Dependable information on the reduction of displacement H.;Q+A,8^
response with damping or ductility is also needed for design approaches utilizing secant stiffness \!(zrfP{(
characterization. Other areas needing clarification include the issue of how to develop E@\e$?*X
accelerograms for time-history analysis compatible with the design seismicity using an acceptably LscGTs,
small number of accelerograms, and how to reconcile the statistical nature of seismicity GB^B r6
characterization with the structural engineer’s preference for deterministic analysis. There is some 5tnlrqC
evidence that a consequence of this is invalid averaging of response characteristics by structural lFkR=!?=
engineers.