Strong-Motion Records Selection for French Paraseismic Engineering Database

Abstract eng:
For earthquake resistance assessment of existing structures as well as for new constructions design, observed strong motion records are commonly used as input either for laboratories shacking table experiment or for computer modelling. Until the early 1990s, strong-motion data was relatively difficult to obtain and process and, in addition, the amount of, particularly near-source, strong-motion was limited. Therefore using standard records was often the only option. However, since then a number of large well-recorded earthquakes have occurred and thus there are many new strong-motion data sources available. The purpose of the work presented here is to constitute a database of natural time-histories extract from the European Strong-Motion Database adapted to the French earthquake regulation code. This database will offer to the French engineers a quick and easy access to well adapted real records. The constitution of the database benefits from the setting up of the new European earthquake regulation EC8 in France. The task has been carried out in the frame of a working group managed by the SETRA (a technical department for transport, roads and bridges engineering and road safety of the French ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Spatial Planning). For each seismicity level of the French metropolitan zoning (weak, moderate and medium) and each soil type (A, B, C, D, E) we propose up to five 3-component accelerometric records selected by their PGA (Peak ground Acceleration) and spectral shape. Because of the non-completeness of the European database, it has been necessary to apply to certain records an amplification factor to increase the observed PGA in order to better fit the regulation code. Nevertheless, this amplification factor never exceeds the database standard deviation on PGA. Through this simple selection procedure, 61 time-histories have been chosen.

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