The role of Hilbert-Huang Transform in earthquake engineering

This study uses the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) to analyze ground acceleration recordings and then shows the role in studies of seismology and earthquake engineering via the 1994 Northridge and 1999 Kocaeli Turkey earthquakes. In particular, this paper examines (1) the physical significance of HHT-based component, namely Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF), of earthquake recordings as they relate to source mechanisms; and (2) the features of HHT-based ground motion correlated to the motion's damage potential to civil structures, which are primarily related to the appropriate individual index of motion and the representation of the low-frequency pulse-like wave signals extracted from acceleration as opposed to the conventional one from velocity.