View Important Policies and System Requirements for this course
Interested in registering 5 or more engineers for a course? Contact us for information and rates.
INSTRUCTOR:
Praveen K. Malhotra, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Purpose and Background
According to ASCE 7, buildings must be designed to avoid collapse under MCER (Maximum Considered Earthquake Risk-Targeted) ground motions, multiplied by the importance factor Ie. These motions are represented using a 5% damping elastic response spectrum. However, since buildings are not expected to remain elastic under MCER × Ie shaking, the elastic spectrum provides limited insight into their actual seismic behavior.
In practice, engineers reduce the strength demands derived from the elastic spectrum by applying 1.5 × R-factors (of up to 12). This approach introduces a degree of arbitrariness into seismic design.
This course introduces the use of inelastic response spectra of MCER × Ie ground motions, which can be applied directly to seismic design-eliminating the need for arbitrary R and Cd factors. We will also explore methods for explicitly incorporating cyclic demand.
Class material will be presented in an intuitive way, with active participation and questions strongly encouraged.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the role of plastic toughness in seismic design
- Generate site-specific ground motions for performance-based seismic design
- Distinguish between prescriptive and performance-based seismic design approaches
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).
Who Should Attend?
- Structural and geotechnical engineers
- Architects
- Seismologists
- Building code officials
- Insurers
- Educators and students
Outline
Day 1
- Ground motion histories
- Elastic response spectra
- Deformation
- Pseudo-acceleration
- Pseudo-velocity
- Tripartite representation
- Acceleration–deformation response spectrum
- Smooth spectra from PGA, PGV, and PGD
- Response spectra for varying damping ratios
- Inelastic response spectra
- Plastic deformation
- Plastic toughness
- Number of cycles
- Site-specific MCER spectrum
- MCER ground motion histories
- MCER spectra for varying damping ratios
- MCER spectrum of vertical ground motion
- Plastic deformation spectrum of MCER ground motion
- Plastic toughness spectrum of MCER ground motion
- Cyclic-demand spectrum of MCER ground motion
Day 2
- Performance-based seismic design of a 3-story building
- Toughness, deformation, and cyclic demands
- Preliminary design and confirmation
- Performance-based seismic design of a 20-story building
- Toughness, deformation, and cyclic demands
- Preliminary design and confirmation
How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs
This course is worth 1.4 CEUs /14 PDHs. To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 30 days of the course.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]
Add to calendar