Uncertainty in the design of earthquake resistent structures

ABSTRACT

In examining the safety of structures it is commonly assumed that, once an earthquake loading had been defined, the reliability that can be attributed to the resulting structural design is identical with, or similar to that for a design for gravity loading. As the design processes differ in many ways it is difficult to see how this can be so. It is also apparent that the specification of load does not take into account uncertainties in the structural design process and modify the earthquake loading in order to make some compensation, as this loading is commonly defined without participation of structural engineers. A study of the significant parameters is presented.(AU)