Seismic Effects on Structures Located in the Region of Palestine

Abstract

A qualitative assessment of seismic effects on a regular building located in Palestine is presented. The assessment is based on two distinct approaches, one by following recommendations from the International and Uniform Building Codes (IBC and UBC) and the other using response spectra inferred from international historical records whose level of seismicity compares to those in Palestine. The study shows that both the IBC and UBC tend to underestimate the maximum response of structures whose fundamental period of vibration falls between 0.1s and 3s. The difference reduces gradually for periods above 3s. The rate of underestimating the seismic effects varies with the fundamental period of vibration of the structure and its distance from the Dead Sea Fault Line, but it can be up to ~ 50%. It thus appears necessary to address such differences by taking into account local seismic conditions in the region of Palestine through a new local design code.