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Abstract

A method for representing and synthesizing strong motion accelerograms is proposed in this thesis. The procedure models an acceleration time-history as a non-stationary second order autoregressive (AR) process. Three AR parameters are determined from the data in a time-adaptive manner. They provide a quantitative description of the time-varying spectral content of the recording. The AB parameters may also be utilized as prediction filter coefficients, enabling one to generate a suite of artificial accelerograms, each having the same time-dependent spectral content as the target record. The simulated time-histories may be used for computing structural response in earthquake-prone areas. This analysis has been extended to include a number of recordings obtained during earthquakes of various magnitudes (M) at a variety of epicentral distances (D). As a result, 'type curves' representing the empirical behaviour of the three AB parameters have been determined. Although incomplete, this information may be used to generate artificial accelerograms for arbitrary combinations of M and D.