Interdependency between seismic acceleration parameters and the behaviour of structures

The first part of this article describes some strong motion acceleration parameters of seismic excitations. Furthermore, a classification of the ground motions at a site according to their damage potential is presented. The second part deals with a nonlinear dynamic analysis of a six storey reinforced concrete plane frame. Damage indicators in the form of cross sectional ductility demand are evaluated and correlated with the strong motion characteristics. The aim is to extract among the several seismic parameters, those which have drastic affection on the damage indicators of the structures. The attention is focused on earthquake acceleration time histories, recorded in Greece, Central and North America, which are well-known sites with strong seismic activity.