Inelastic seismic response of building-foundation systems

The investigation reported in this paper studies the effects of soil-structure interaction (SSI) on the inelastic seismic response of building-foundation systems. A basic approach in this study is the use of a simple structure for analyzing the overall seismic behavior of multistory building structures. This structure responds as a SDOF in its fixed-base condition. A parametric study is conducted using the EW component of the ground acceleration recorded at the SCT station in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Peak response parameters chosen for this study were the roof displacement relative to the base and the hysteretic energy dissipated by the simple structural model. These parameters are often related to seismic damage in buildings. The results indicated that in most cases of inelastic response SSI effects are not very significant.