Numerical simulation of ground acceleration spectra and accelerograms for engineering application

A numerical approach to the earthquake ground motion analysis is proposed for regions where no accelerograms are available. Using Haskell matrix techniques, the response spectra of a layered substratum for SV waves were calculated and then multiplied by the spectra corresponding to Brune's type pulses. The ground acceleration spectra were obtained for different angles of pulse incidence at the substratum base. The spectrum shape depends upon the substratum response and the pulse shape, while its level was related to the maximum ground acceleration corresponding to the expected maximum intensity. Transformation of the ground spectra into the time domain produced numerical accelerograms for horizontal and vertical components and for different angles of pulse incidence. Finally, a standard statistical procedure was applied to obtain the design response spectra used in engineering applications.