The difference in phase and amplitude of ground motions recorded in different locations is generally known as spatial variation of seismic ground motions. This study focuses on the effects of spatial variation of earthquake ground motion on responses of adjacent buildings. The adjacent frame buildings are modeled considering soil-structure interaction (SSI) so that all the buildings can have interaction with each other under non-uniform ground motions. Based on Fast Fourier Transformation, spatially correlated non-uniform ground motions are generated compatible with known spectrum density function at different locations. Numerical analyses are carried out and the results are presented in terms of related parameters affecting the structural response using three different types of soil site classes. The results show that the effects of ground motion spatial variation are different for different site classes. The effect is more significant on rock site rather than clay site.

This paper presents the finite element (FE) response sensitivity and reliability analyses considering smooth constitutive material models. A reinforced concrete (RC) frame is modeled for FE sensitivity analysis followed by direct differentiation method (DDM) under both static and dynamic load cases. Later, the reliability analysis is performed to predict the seismic behavior of the frame. Displacement sensitivity discontinuities are observed along the pseudo-time axis using non-smooth reinforced steel model under quasi-static loading. However, the smooth steel material shows continuity in response sensitivity at elastic to plastic transition points. The normalized sensitivity results are also used to measure the relative importance of the material parameters on the structural responses. In FE reliability analysis, the influence of smoothness behavior of reinforced steel is carefully noticed. Cumulative distribution function (CDF) curves have shown minor change of failure probabilities due to the smoothness effect.