| Abstract: | The Resonance Capacity Method is proposed for the earthquake response analysis of hysteretic structures. Resonance Capacity is a physical quantity of structures which is related to the hysteretic energy absorbed by structures in one cycle and is equated to the acceleration, velocity and displacement amplitudes α0, d0 and d0 of earthquake ground motions at resonance.1 According to the idealized trapezoidal approximation of earthquake ground motions in the logarithmic period–velocity plane as proposed by Veletsos and Newmark,8 the Resonance Capacity property applies in each period range, short, medium and long, where α0, v0 and d0 respectively are approximately constant. In the medium range of periods, the energy dissipated in hysteretic loops and the deformation amplitudes of a single-degree system with elasto–plastic force–deformation relationships are calculated for the case of El Centro 1940, 18 May earthquake, by this Resonance Capacity Method. The result is compared with results from conventional numerical response analyses obtained by Berg and Thomaides,14 Kato and Akiyama12 and Veletsos and Newmark,8 and the general agreement is seen to be good. Therefore, it may be possible to apply this Resonance Capacity Method over the entire range of periods. By means of this method the earthquake response analysis of hysteretic systems can be performed easily, and the hysteretic energy and fatigue characteristics of structures may be taken into account directly, up to the point of fracture. |
