Comparison study of total displacements of multi-story buildings subjected to earthquake using synthetic timehistory records compatible with Syrian code

Response spectrum analysis and equivalent static analysis is widely used by engineers and engineering offices to estimate buildings and structures response to earthquakes. But performance based procedures to evaluate buildings and new designs according to Syrian code and other international codes require response analysis using smallest of earthquake records, where we can estimate engineeringdemandparameters(EDPs)— floordisplacements,storydrifts,memberforces,memberdeformations,etc.— ofbuildingsandspecialstructuressubjectedtogroundmotions, consecutively to verify required performance criteria. Theserecordsshouldbeproperlyselectedandscaledincompliancewithsitespecifichazardconditionstoestimate (EDPs) and ensure that they verify ―expected‖ median demands. In this study, background, selection procedures compatible with Syrian code, and review of most scaling methods were introduced. The structural response was studied by comparing displacements due to response spectrum analysis, scaled records using PGA, and synthetic time histories records in time domain and frequency domain (generated according to Syrian response spectrum). Tow three-dimensional models of real buildings in Lattakia city were used as study cases, the results obtained by 20 analysis processes. The results show that analysis using synthetic records compatible with Syrian code give noticeably less displacements estimates comparing with response spectrum analysis and analysis using records scaled by PGA scaling.