Site response - a critical problem in soil-structure interaction analyses for embedded structures

Soil-structure interaction analyses for embedded structures must necessarily be based on a knowledge of the manner in which the soil would behave in the absence of any structure - that is on a knowledge and understanding of the spatial distribution of motions in the ground within the depth of embedment of the structure. The nature of these spatial variations is discussed and illustrated by examples of recorded motions. It is shown that both the amplitude of peak acceleration and the form of the acceleration response spectrum for earthquake motions will necessarily vary with depth and failure to take these variations into account may introduce an unwarranted degree of conservatism into the soil-structure interaction analysis procedure