1997 UBC Earthquake Design - Base Shear Terms Page 1 of 7

 CENE 437: The Class: Loads: Lateral Loads: Seismic Loads: UBC '97: Base
Shear Terms

1997 UBC Earthquake Design

Base Shear Terms

In this section, the various terms of the static base shear equation
are examined in more detail.

Z = seismic zone factor.

 Effective peak ground accelerations with 10%
probability of being exceeded in 50 yrs.
 Given as a percentage of acceleration due to gravity.

For example, consider zone 4, where Z = .4 ⇒
horizontal ground acceleration is predicted
at .4g at bedrock.
 Doesn't account for building dynamic properties or
local soil conditions.
 '97 UBC Figure 16.2 ⇒ seismic zone map.
 Table 16.I ⇒ Z values as given below:
Zone Z
0 0
1 .075
2A .15

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2B .20
3 .30
4 .40

I = importance factor.
 Classifying buildings according to use and importance.

Essential facilities, hazardous facilities, special
occupancy structures, standard occupancy
structures, miscellaneous structures.

Essential facilities mean that the building must
remain functioning in a catastrophe.

Essential facilities include: hospitals,
communication centers, fire and police stations.

Design for greater safety.
 '97 UBC Table 164K.

I = 1.25 for essential and hazardous facilities.

I = 1.0 all others.

T = building's fundamental period of vibration.

 Fundamental period of vibration is the length of time,
in seconds, it takes a structure to move through one
complete cycle of free vibration in the first mode.

 There are two methods to estimate T:

Method A:

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Method B: (an iterative approach not generally

used in regular structures)

Using Method A, the fundamental period of

vibrations for masonry buildings is estimated at:

Height (ft) Period (seconds)

20 .19
40 .32
60 .43
120 .73
160 .90

C and C = seismic dynamic response spectrum values.

a v
 Accounts for how the building and soil can amplify the
basic ground acceleration or velocity.
 C and C are determined from respectively '97 UBC
a v
tables 164Q and 164R as a function of Z, underlying
soil conditions, and proximity to a fault.

Using method A,
 Soil profile type:

The soil layers beneath a structure effects the
way that structure responds to the earthquake

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motion.

When the period of vibration of the building is

close to the period of vibration of the underlying
soil, the bedrock motion is amplified. The
building experiences larger motions than that
predicted by Z alone. The following are
generalizations about building response as a
function of building flexibility and underlying soil
stiffness.

Building Soil Induced Seismic

Description Description Force
Flexible (Large
Soft (big S) Higher
T's)
Flexible Stiff Lower
Stiff Soft Higher
Flexible Stiff Lower

The soil profile types are:

Description Type

Hard Rock S
A

Rock S
B

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Very dense soil and soft rock SC

Stiff soil S
D

Soft soil S
E

See '97 UBC 1629.3.1 S

F

Specific details about each type can be found in

'97 UBC Table 164J and '97 UBC 1629.3.1.
 In the absence of a geotechnical site investigation,
use S . This is in accordance with '97 UBC 1629.3
D
 Do not confuse this requirement with the one
stated in '97 UBC 1630.2.3.2 which applies
ONLY when using the simplified design base
shear procedures of '97 UBC 1630.2.3. This
web site is NOT using these simplified
procedures, but is using 1630.2.1.

R = response modification factor.

 A judgement factor that accounts for building ductiltiy,
damping, and over4strength.

Ductility = ability to deform in the inelastic range
prior to fracture:

Damping = resistance to motion provided by

internal material friction.

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Over4strength = the extra or reserve strength in

the structural system. It comes from the
practice of designing every member in a group
according to the forces in the most critical
member of that group.

 Structural systems with larger R = better seismic

performance.
 In '97 UBC Table 164N, R range from 2.8 (light steel
frame bearing walls with tension bracing) to 8.5
(special SMRFS of steel or concrete and some dual
systems).
 For bearing wall systems where the wall elements
resist both lateral and vertical loads:

Wood shear panel buildings with 3 or less
stories: R = 5.5

Masonry shear walls: R = 4.5.

N and N = near source factors that are applicable in only

v a
seismic zone 4. They account for the very large ground
accelerations that occur near the seismic source (the fault).
 N is generally used with C for structures located <
v v
9.3 miles (15km) from the fault.

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N is found in '97 UBC Table 164T

v
 N is used with C for structures located < 6.2 miles
a a
(10 km) from the fault.

N is found in '97 UBC Table 164S.
a
 Both N and N are based upon the type of seismic
a v
source, A4C. This source type, and location of fault,
must be established using approved geotechnical data
like a current USGS survey.

Send Email to Deb Larson at Debra.Larson@nau.edu

Web site created by the NAU OTLE Faculty Studio

Copyright 1998 Northern Arizona University
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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