PENSIGNAL

User Manual

Gian Paolo Cimellaro

Sebastiano Marasco

Politecnico di Torino
 INTRODUCTION

OPENSIGNAL is a MATLAB computer program that applies methods

commonly used in earthquake engineering for seismic data processing and
ground motions selection. It represents an efficient way to process and
quickly search multiple ground motion records, obtaining simple and useful
output data. OPENSIGNAL joins together, in unique software, different
features such as: research and selection of ground motion records, signal
analysis, elastic response spectra definition, target spectrum definition,
spectral and waveform matching, ground motion selection and
approximated soil response analysis. The main scope is to provide users
with an instrument which can define completely the seismic input to be used
in structural engineering applications.

Further information and support may be obtained from:

Sebastiano Marasco
Department of Structural, Geotechnical & Building Engineering (DISEG)
Politecnico di Torino, Turin, ITA
e-mail: sebastiano.marasco@polito.it

Gian Paolo Cimellaro

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of California, Berkeley, Davis Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-1710,
USA
e-mail: gianpaolo.cimellaro@polito.it

Disclaimer: Although we have done our best to find and remove bugs and weaknesses, the software is used at your own
risk and neither the authors nor their organizations have any responsibility for the results that are obtained with the
software or the use of these results. If you use the software, please cite the papers:

Cimellaro, G. P. (2013). "Correlation in spectral accelerations for earthquakes in Europe." Earthquake Engineering &
Structural Dynamics, 42(4), 623-633.
Cimellaro, G. P., and Marasco, S. (2014). "OPENSIGNAL: A software framework for earthquake record processing
and selection." Second European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (2ECEES), Instanbul,
August 25-29, 2014.
 FEATURES

OPENSIGNAL software offers different features described below:

 Seismic signal processing and spectral analysis

 Target spectrum definition

- Code Design Spectrum (DS) according to NTC08, EC8, FEMA P-750
- Predicted Mean Spectrum (PMS) according to Ambraseys (1996), Campbell-
Bozogornia (2008), Boore-Atkinson (2007), Chiuo-Youngs (1997), Contreras-
Borosheck (2012) and Iyengar et al. (2010).

- Conditional Mean Spectrum (CMS)

- Uniform Hazard Spectrum (UHS)
- User Defined Spectrum (UDS)

 Ground motion selection and modification

- Waveform-based (Waveform matching)
- Spectral shape-based (Spectral matching)
- Energetic method-based (Real Time History)
- Wavelet-based stochastic model (Artificial Time History)
- SMSIM code-based (Synthetic Time History)

 Soil response analysis (approximated method)

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

System Requirements.................................................................................................. 4

Getting started ........................................................................................................... 5

Signal processing and spectral analysis ..................................................................... 6

3.1 Signal processing(“Signal Processing”) .......................................................................................................... 6
3.1.1 Input data........................................................................................................................................................... 6
3.1.2 Output data ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
3.3.3 Set of ground motions selection ........................................................................................................................ 9
3.2 Spectral analysis (“Response Spectrum Analysis”) ........................................................................................ 10

Target spectrum definition and seismic records selection ........................................ 11

4.1 Design spectrum definition (“DesignSpectrum”) ........................................................................................... 11
4.2 Conditional mean spectrum definition (“ConditionalMeanSpectrum”), Predicted mean spectrum
(“PredictedMeanSpectrum”) and Uniform hazard spectrum (“UniformHazardSpectrum”) ...................................... 14
4.3 Real time history selection .............................................................................................................................. 16
4.3.1 Waveform Matching (“WaveformMatching”)......................................................................... 17
4.3.2 Spectral matching (“SpectralMatching”) ................................................................................. 20
4.3.3 Energetic method to select and modify records (“GroundMotionSelectionAndModification”) ..................... 22
4.4 Artificial time history selection ....................................................................................................................... 25
4.5 Synthetic time history selection ....................................................................................................................... 26

Approximated Soil Response Analysis (“SoilResponseAnalysis”) ............................ 27

 CHAPTER 1

System Requirements
OPENSIGNAL is freely downloadable from:
http://areeweb.polito.it/ricerca/ICRED/Software/OpenSignal.php in a zip file named
OPENSIGNAL.zip containing the following files:
- OPENSIGNAL.prj indicates a project file which is opened by the generating program;
- OPENSIGNAL_pkg that defines the package of the software and it contains the whole
information for loading the program (startup file);
- OPENSIGNAL folder, containing the exe file, readme file and the _install batch file and
the Matlab Compiler Runtime (MCR).
The software is available for 64 and 32 bit Windows systems. In order to run the program, click on
the OPENSIGNAl_pkg. Verify that the MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR) is installed and
ensure you have installed version 8.0 (R2012b).
All the downloaded records to be used in the software analyses must be saved in dat file in the
current directory, that is, the folder in which the above-mentioned files are saved. All the output
files will be automatically generated and saved in the “Output” subdirectory. In addition, the toolbar
commands in each component of the software provide export the graphical results and the numeric
outputs in xls and dat formats.
 CHAPTER 2

Getting started
The homepage of the software which resumes the main information related to the software is
provided to the user (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Opensignal homepage.

The aim of the software’s homepage is to provide useful information to the user. The main features
of the software have been resumed into Signal Processing, Seismic Record Selection (which include
the definition of any target spectrum), and Site Response Analysis. All the software components and
capabilities are accessible from the homepage.
 CHAPTER 3

Signal processing and spectral analysis

3.1 Signal processing(“Signal Processing”)

The first component of the software is dedicated to the signal processing which can be used in the
next analyses.

3.1.1 Input data

All the acceleration histories can be downloaded from any database and, for this purpose,
OPENSIGNAL is able to recognise and read automatically each corrected and uncorrected record
coming from the Italian database (ITACA version 2.0), European database (ESMD), international
database (PEER) and Chilean database (UCHILE). In addition, for other types of records, the “free
format” setting can be chosen and the main related parameters must be inserted. A web research is
available for the PEER database in order to download and compile automatically the record by
setting its web path. In the latter case, a default dat file will be generated with the name of
“Acc_web”. If the selected database is not consistent with the format record, an error message will
be displayed.
The selection of the record to be processed can be carried out by means of the “File  Open”
button in the toolbar or by the insertion of the dat file name in the “Acc. name” space. After clicking
the “Read” button, the following information will appear in the “Record information” panel:
- File name;
- Description;
- Sampling time in seconds (dt);
- Header-line;
- Delimiter;
- Scale factor (equal to 1 if the accelerations are expressed in cm/s2).
The latter five listed information must be inserted in the “Free format” case, while they will be
automatically defined in other cases.
The default measure unit for acceleration is cm/s2, but it is possible to change it by a specific pop-
up menu. In addition, it is possible to set a specific scale factor for the imported acceleration
history.
By clicking on the checkbox for the baseline correction, the Butterworth filter (f max=25 Hz,
fmin=0.25 Hz and n=4) will be applied to the acceleration history. The three default parameters of
the Butterworth filter can be modified from “Options” in the toolbar.
With the “View” button the acceleration time history, the peak values, the time values, the RMS
values, the Arias intensity graph and Fourier transform graph are plotted in the “TIME HISTORIES”
and “SIGNAL ANALYSIS” panel for uncorrected (Original properties) or/and corrected (Modified
properties) records.
Figure 2 shows an example of importing a record by the toolbar.

Figure 2. Importing a record

The procedure to process the selected record is illustrated in Figure 3.

 Figure 3. Processing of the selected record

The number identifies the steps to be followed in order to obtain a correct processing procedure, and they are
summarized and discussed below:
1. Import the record with “Open” (Figure 2) or insert the name.dat of the file.
2. Select the correct database.
3. Push “Read” for reading the file and extracting of the main information.
4.a Select the measure units for the accelerations.
4.b Tip the “Bandpass and Bandstop” for filtering the signal.
5. Push “View” for loading the acceleration history and plotting the signal properties and the time
histories.
In the panel dedicated to the time history, by means of the buttons “Acc.”, “Vel.” and “Disp.” the acceleration
history, velocity history and displacement history are plotted for uncorrected or/and corrected records.

3.1.2 Output data

After clicking the “View” button the acceleration history is loaded and it will be saved (txt format) in the
subdirectory “Output” with the name added in the space “Output name” (Figure 4).
 Figure 4. Saving of the processed record

Every saved record will be loaded in the listbox of the “SET OF GROUND MOTIONS SELECTED” panel
(see next point). In addition, dat files with signal information are saved for corrected
(“Modified_properties.dat”) and uncorrected records (“Original_properties.dat”).

3.3.3 Set of ground motions selection

The above-mentioned procedure for processing and saving a record can be carried out for a large suite of
ground motions. This procedure allows to define a set of ground motions that will be saved in an xls file with
the specified name (Figure 5). After saving, the set will be loaded in the spectral analysis listbox and its
information will be plotted in the dedicated panel.

Figure 5. Set of ground motions

Thus, the simple procedure used to create a set is resumed below with reference to Figure 5:
1. Insert the set xls file name;
2. Push “Save”.
The output xls file is composed of three spreadsheets: “Acceleration”, “Velocity” and “Displacement”,
respectively. In each of them the related time history with the time values and with its name is reported.
3.2 Spectral analysis (“Response Spectrum Analysis”)
The definition of the elastic response spectra in terms of acceleration, velocity and displacement can be
carried out by loading the existing set and specifying the damping ratio. Different setting labels are available
in order to plot the spectra in bi-logarithmic, semi-logarithmic or linear scales. In addition the mean and
median acceleration spectra ±𝜎 are plotted in order to provide information about the dispersion for all
periods. Figure 6 shows the steps to be followed and the related results.

Figure 6. Spectral analysis

1. Open the existing set.

2. Fix the damping ratio (expressed in %).
3. Run the analysis (“Run”).
In the “Output” subdirectory the acceleration response spectra, velocity response spectra, displacement
response spectra and mean or median acceleration spectra are saved as “Acc_spectra.txt”, “Vel_spectra.txt”,
“Dis_spectra.txt” and “Acc_mean_median_spectrum.txt”, respectively. The first column of each output file
indicates the period values in seconds, while in the remaining columns the accelerations, velocities and
displacements are reported with the related record name.
 CHAPTER 4

Target spectrum definition and seismic records selection

The second feature of the software is represented by the real, artificial, and synthetic records.
Usually, the seismic records selection procedures require a target spectrum. OPENSIGNAL
provides different components aimed to define target spectra (left part in Figure 7) which can be
used in the proposed record selection approaches (right part in Figure 7). The software allows the
user to define a specific target spectrum which may be used in further structural or geotechnical
analyses.

Figure 7. Target spectrum definition and seismic records selection feature.

4.1 Design spectrum definition (“DesignSpectrum”)

This component is able to define the design spectrum (expressed in g) according to the Italian rules
(NTC2008) and European rules (EC8) for any site of National territory. The hazard parameters are
automatically defined for any point of Italy and the Limit State (LS), durability parameters, soil
category, topography category and damping ratio can be chosen by the user. The behaviour factor
(q) can be only fixed according NTC 2008 and for the Italian sites the amplification of the spectrum
due to the importance class is computed with reference to the Italian standards.
In addition, for any world site the design spectrum can be determined according to the European
Standards (EC8) and American Standards (FEMA 302) inserting the related hazard parameters, soil
category, damping ratio and importance class. As an example, Figure 8 illustrates the simple
procedure used to define the design spectrum for the Italian sites according to the NTC 2008:

Figure 8. Example of design spectrum definition for Italian site according to NTC 2008

1. Select the geography of the site in order to lock the panel associated to the other option.
2. Select the rule.
3. Insert the input data.
4. Push “Run” for starting the analysis.
As shown in the “Design acceleration” panel, OPENSIGNAL allows to calculate the acceleration (expressed
in g) for a fixed period. Similarly, the two following figures illustrate the definition of the design spectrum
for any site (Italian and not Italian site) according to the EC8 (Figure 9) and FEMA 302 (Figure 10).
 Figure 9. Design spectrum according to EC8

Figure 10. Design spectrum according to FEMA 302

The output files “Design_spectrum_NTC08”, “Design_spectrum_EC8” and “Design_spectrum_FEMA302”

will be generated for the Italian standard, the European rules and the American rules, respectively. In
addition, a specific button is located under the design spectrum plot in order to access to the fourth
component of the software (“Matching”).
4.2 Conditional mean spectrum definition
(“ConditionalMeanSpectrum”), Predicted mean spectrum
(“PredictedMeanSpectrum”) and Uniform hazard spectrum
(“UniformHazardSpectrum”)
This part of the software represents an innovative tool in the seismic analyses since it allows to define the
CMS and the PMS for any Italian site according to Ambraseys (1996) without searching the deaggregation
parameters (CASE 1). In addition this software component is able to define the CMS and PMS for any site
according to Ambraseys (1996), Campbell-Bozorgnia (2008) and Boore-Atkinson (2007) inserting the
deaggregation perameters requested by the attenuation model (CASE 2). The correlation coefficients can be
defined with reference to Cimellaro (2013), Baker and Jayaram (2008) and Chiou and Youngs (2008). An
interactive deaggregation search is expected in order to redirect the user to the Italian and American
geological institutes’ internet websites (INGV and USGS, respectively).
The steps listed below resume the procedure used to define the CMS and the PMS for CASE 1 (Figure 11)
and CASE 2.

Figure 11. CMS and PMS definition (CASE 1)

1a. Select the geological institute (INGV, Italy) providing the deaggregation parameters.
2. Select the attenuation model (Ambraseys, 1996).
4 Select the correlation coefficient model.
5 Insert the geographic coordinates.
6 Select the exceedance probability.
7 Select the referring period.
8 Run the analysis with “Load”.
When the analysis is completed the mean values of the deaggregation function of referring period, the mean
values of deaggregation function of PGA, the spectra and the main information about the CMS are plotted in
the spaces with blue contour.
A similar procedure can be applied in other different cases. The only difference is represented by the
insertion of the deagreggation parameters by means of a dialog box (Figure 12 refers to Campbell-Bozorgnia
attenuation model). In CASE 2 the deagreggation parameters cannot be searched with geographic coordinates
or by the imposition of exceedance probability.

Figure 13. CMS and PMS definition (CASE 2)

1a. Select the geological institute providing the deaggregation parameters.

2. Select the attenuation model.
3. Select the correlation coefficient model.
4. Select the exceedance probability.
5. Select the referring period.
6. Insert the mean values of deaggregation related to the referring period.
7. Run the analysis (“Load”).
The spectra and information about the CMS are plotted in the panel with blue contour.

When the analysis is completed the following output files will be generated in the “Output” subdirectory:
- “PMS_Ambraseys.txt”, “PMS_CB.txt”, “PMS_BA.txt” representing the PMS for the Ambraseys
(1996), the Campbell-Bozorgnia (2008) and the Boore-Atkinson (2007) attenuation model,
respectively.
- “PMS_mod_Ambraseys.txt”, “PMS_mod_CB.txt”, “PMS_mod_BA.txt” defining the
PMS+σ(T*)ε(T*) for the Ambraseys (1996), the Campbell- Bozorgnia (2008) and the Boore-
Atkinson (2007) attenuation model, respectively.
 - “sigmaMS_Ambraseys.txt”, “sigmaMS _CB.txt”, “sigmaMS _BA.txt” identifying the sigma
distribution in each period between the Ambraseys (1996), the Campbell- Bozorgnia (2008) and
the Boore-Atkinson (2007) attenuation model and UHS, respectively.
- “Correlation_Cimellaro.txt”, “Correlation_Baker_Jayaram.txt”,
“Correlation_Chiou_Youngs.txt” containing the correlation coefficients between each periods
and the referring period according to Cimellaro (2013), Baker-Jayaram (2008) and Chiou-
Youngs (2008), respectively.
- “CMS_Ambraseys.txt”, “CMS_CB.txt”, “CMS_BA.txt” representing the CMS for the Ambraseys
(1996), the Campbell- Bozorgnia (2008) and the Boore-Atkinson (2007) attenuation model,
respectively.
- “UHS.txt” is the UHS.
Each of the above-mentioned output files is composed of two columns: the first one identifies the period
values and the second or one represents the values of the observed parameter.
Also in this case a dedicated button is suitable in order to access to the “Matching” component of the
software. It is worth to mention that OPENSIGNAL allows the user to plot and save the Uniform Hazard
Spectrum (UHS) through the specific component (Figure 14).

Figure 14. UHS definition.

4.3 Real time history selection

OPENSIGNAL is capable to selection real records according to a waveform-based and source site-based
approaches or with a spectral shape-based criteria. The selection can be carried out with reference to PEER
database and ESMD. For each record found, its main characteristics are reported in the output files and, in
addition, for the PEER-based matching the internet link of the X, Y and Z component of the record is
available.
A further software component is able to select and modify ground motion records coming from PEER and
ESMD database (“GroundMotionSelectionAndModificatio”) through a new method based on energy content
in different frequency bands sampled at 0.5 Hz.

4.3.1 Waveform Matching (“WaveformMatching”)

For the ESMD the matching can be applied with reference to the horizontal and vertical components, while
selecting the PEER database, the horizontal geometric mean component (Equation(0)) is available.

a gm  ax  a y (0)

where agm represents the geometric mean component of the acceleration and ax and ay are the X acceleration
component and Y acceleration component, respectively. The waveform and source site parameters available
are summarized below:
- PGA in g.
- PGV in cm/s.
- PGD in cm.
- Mw (moment magnitude).
- R or Rjb (Joiner-Boore distance) in km.
- Soil category according to the Italian rules (NTC 2008).
By selecting the ESMD, the research is not performed for PGV and PGD values while all the parameters
above-listed are available for the PEER database.
When the search is completed, the results are automatically saved in the “Output” subdirectory and they can
be visible also in a table by clicking the “View Results” button. In this table, all the ground motions found
can be selected and deleted in order to give to the user a simple and efficient selection tool. In addition, the
“Download rec” button provides to download and save in the “Output” folder all the selected records in
order to obtain the related main characteristics and acceleration histories. Finally, the “Show spectra”
button is able to plot all the spectra of the matched records by selecting the desired component (X, Y or Z).
The ordered steps to be followed in the waveform matching are exposed (Figure 15) and discussed below.
 Figure 15. Waveform matching for PEER database

1. Select the database.

2. Select the record component.
3. Select the waveform and source site parameters.
4. Run the waveform matching procedure (“Search”).
5a. Click “View Results” to display all the information about the found records (Figure 16). The records
obtained by the matching approach are listed in a dedicated table in which some of them can be
deselected and deleted in order to have a user defined set of records.
5b. Search and save the acceleration histories of the selected set of records by means of the “Download
rec.” button.
6a. Select the record component.
6b. Show found spectra damped at 5 %.
Figure 16 shows a section of the table with the record found and their main characteristics. In the last column
the checkboxes allow to deselect all the undesired records (1. in Figure 16) while the button “Save” allows to
save all the selected ground motions (2. in Figure 16).
 Figure 16. Results of the matching procedure

At the end of the search (4. in Figure 15), a dat file containing all the information of the found records will
be generated with the format represented in Equation(0).

"Output _ Matching _ DATABASE _ COMPONENT " (0)

With reference to the example reported in Figure 15, the generated output file will be named
“Output_Matching_PEER_geomean.dat”. This output file is automatically modified after the deselection
procedure applied by the user after clicking “Save” in the table of the results (Figure 16).
The “Download rec.” button is able to find and save all the acceleration histories related to the found records
in a dat file for both X, Y and Z components with the format shown in Equation(0).

" Output _ Accelerograms _ Waveform _ DATABASE _ X / Y / Z " (0)

For the analized case the output files will be named “Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_X”,
“Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_Y” and “Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_Z”.
Finally, by clicking the “Show spectra” button a txt file will be saved in the “Output” subdirectory with the
format reported below (Equation(0)).

" Spectra _ X / Y / Z _ Waveform _ match " (0)

 4.3.2 Spectral matching (“SpectralMatching”)

A similar procedure and user graphical interface is used in the spectral matching approach applied for X, Y
and Z component of the records. It is important to observe that the spectral shape criteria are referred to the 5
% damped response spectra for all the records in the ESMD and PEER database. Figure 17 illustrates the
ordered steps to be followed in the spectral shape-based approach of matching.

Figure 17. Spectral matching for PEER database

1. Select the database.

2. Select the type of analysis. For this purpose, the “Single period”, “Multi period” and “Mean
deviation” are the different criteria to be applied.
3. Select the target spectrum. It is possible to insert also a specific elastic response spectraum
obtainedfrom the “Opensignal” inserting the spectrum name and the measure units in the panel
named “User defined spectra”.
4. Select the component.
5. Insert the Period/Periods.A period, up to three periods and two periods must be inserted according to
“Single period, “Multi period” and “Mean deviation” approach, respectively.
6. Insert the dispersion value. A percentage error must be inserted in the “Single period” and “Multi
period” approach, while a δ parameter must be inserted, according to Iervolino et al., for the “Mean
deviation” approach.
7. Run the spectral matching analysis (“Search”).
8a. Click “View Results” to display the results (similarly to the waveform matching case).
8b. Search and save the acceleration histories of the selected set of records (“Download rec.”).
 9. Show the spectra found damped at 5 %. In the panel dedicated to the spectra, a label choice is
available in order to select a specified parameter for the x-axis and y-axis.
Similar output file formats are used in the spectral matching and they are summarized below for the ground
motion information (Equation(0)), acceleration histories (Equation (0)) and spectra damped at 5% (Equation
(0)).

"Output _ SPECTRAL _ Matching _ DATABASE _ X / Y / Z _ component.dat " (0)

"Output _ Accelerograms _ SPECTRAL _ DATABASE _ X / Y / Z .dat " (0)

" Spectra _ X / Y / Z _ SPECTRAL _ match.txt " (0)

In order to provide the user with a simple instrument to understand all the format of the possible output files
generated in the Matching component of the software, Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3 are reported.

Table 1. Output format for the found records information

Matching Database Component Output record information
approach

Waveform ESMD Horizontal Output_Matching_ESMD_horizontal.dat

Vertical Output_Matching_ESMD_vertical.dat
PEER Geometric Output_Matching_PEER_geomean.dat
Mean
Spectral ESMD X Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_ESMD_X_component.dat

Y Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_ESMD_Y_component.dat
Z Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_ESMD_Z_component.dat
PEER X Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_PEER_X_component.dat
Y Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_PEER_X_component.dat
Z Output_SPECTRAL_Matching_PEER_X_component.dat
 Table 2. Output format for the acceleration histories
Matching Database Componen Output acceleration histories
approach t

Waveform ESMD X Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_ESMD_X.dat

Y Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_ESMD_Y.dat
Z Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_ESMD_Z.dat
PEER X Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_X.dat
Y Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_Y.dat
Z Output_Accelerograms_Waveform_PEER_Z.dat
Spectral ESMD X Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_ESMD_X.dat

Y Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_ESMD_Y.dat

Z Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_ESMD_Z.dat
PEER X Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_PEER_X.dat

Y Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_PEER_Y.dat
Z Output_Accelerograms_SPECTRAL_PEER_Z.dat

Table 3. Output spectra damped at 5%

Matching Component Output spectra damped at 5%
approach

Waveform X Spectra_X_Waveform_match.txt

Y Spectra_Y_Waveform_match.txt
Z Spectra_Z_Waveform_match.txt
Spectral X Spectra_X_SPECTRAL_match.txt

Y Spectra_Y_SPECTRAL_match.txt
Z Spectra_Z_SPECTRAL_match.txt

4.3.3 Energetic method to select and modify records

(“GroundMotionSelectionAndModification”)

A further software component is able to select and modify ground motion records coming from PEER and
ESMD database (“GroundMotionSelectionAndModificatio”) through a new method based on energy content
in different frequency bands sampled at 0.5 Hz. Setting magnitude and epicentral distance ranges, the
imposition of a given reference period, seven records or group of records (for geotechnical or structural
applications, respectively) will be find.
The procedure is carried out through the match of the acceleration of the target spectrum at the period of
interest Tref and selecting only the scaled spectra having an equal Housner intensity in the period range 0.2Tref
– 2Tref it order to obtain a set of ground motions with the same hysteretic energy demand.
As a result, this new proposed energetic approach allows to select a very representative set of ground motion
according to the spectrum-compatibility criterion, to the frequency content representativeness and to the
consistency of the expected structural damage for the given hazard scenario. With reference to Figure 18,
the ordered steps to be followed in the selection and modification of records, according to energetic method,
are exposed.

Figure 18. Ground Motion Selection and Modification according to energetic method

1. Select method (only energetic method is available). After selecting method, a new window
will appear in order to set all the requested parameters (Figure 17).
2. Select target spectrum (see point 3. of paragraph 6.1.2).
3. Insert maximum and minim scale factors.
4. Click “Run” to perform the analysis. When analysis is completed, the mean spectrum of the
selected record and the target spectrum are displayed (bottom left in Figure 18) and their
main waveform parameters are resumed in a dedicated table (top right in Figure 18).
5. Select acceleration history and associated component to be displayed.
6. Click “Plot” to display the given acceleration history with associate PGA (bottom right in
Figure 18).
 Figure 19. Input data window for energetic method

According to Figure 19, the following steps are given:

1. Select type of analysis to be performed with the records. For this purpose, the three available
approaches are:
- Structural dynamic analysis. In this case seven groups of records scaled at spectral
acceleration corresponding to the inserted reference period will be found (two horizontal
components for each record). Every selected record has a PGA value within the interval
PGAref   , where  is the maximum deviation from reference PGA ( PGAref ). This

term can be inserted in terms of percentage of PGAref .

- Soil response analysis [PGA scaled]. Seven records scaled at PGA inserted value will be
found.
- Soil response analysis [Sa(Tref) scaled]. Seven records scaled at spectral acceleration
corresponding to the inserted reference period will be found. Every selected record has a
PGA value within the interval PGAref   , where  is the maximum deviation from

reference PGA ( PGAref ). This term can be inserted in terms of percentage of PGAref .

2. Insert input data.

3. Click “OK”.

Selected records will be automatically saved in “Output” subdirectory as reported below:

 - Records_Scaled_SELECTED.dat: for structural analysis
- Records_Scaled_SELECTED_RSL.dat: for soil response analysis

4.4 Artificial time history selection

The decomposition of ground motion time-histories into wavelet packets and the reconstruction
of time-histories from wavelet packets has been applied in the creation of a stochastic ground-
motion model. Exploiting two groups of wavelet packets, 13 parameters are considered for
quantifying the time and frequency characteristics of the acceleration time histories. Such
parameters are predicted as a function of four predictor variables: the moment magnitude (Mw),
the hypocentral distance (Rhyp), rupture distance (Rrup), and average shear-wave velocity within
30 m depth (Vs30). In turn, the predictor variables are obtained by a two-stage regression
analysis. The Yamamoto method is based on a definition of a range of values that provides a
good match from the GMPEs. Those values are reported and implemented into the software
(Figure 20).

Figure 20. Generation of artificial time-histories according to the Yamamoto method.

The previously mentioned required INPUT DATA are inserted into the left column (Figure 20).
Through the “Run” button the selected number of artificial time histories are generated according to
the Yamamoto method. The OUTPUT DATA box allows the user to save the obtained set of
artificial records.
4.5 Synthetic time history selection
OPENSIGNAL allows the creation of synthetic time-histories exploiting the physic concepts
implemented in SMSIM code. The generation of a certain number of synthetic time histories
requires a large set of input data (Figure 21).

Figure 21. Required parameters for generation of synthetic time histories.

The aforementioned input parameters are below resumed:

- Target spectrum;
- Time envelope shape;
- Soil;
- Geometric spreading;
- Source duration;
- Diminuition factors;
- Spectrum control;
- Whole-path attenuation
 CHAPTER 5

Approximated Soil Response Analysis

(“SoilResponseAnalysis”)
Since the CMS and PMS are referred to horizontal soil with infinite stiffness, the compatible acceleration
histories obtained with the spectral matching approach will not be consistent. In order to take into account
the approximated effects of a layered soil column, a “SoilResponseAnalysis” component was developed and
it is accessible from the “Matching” component only.
One or more acceleration histories can be imported as input data for different source criteria. In fact, the
following points represent the three possible ways to import an accelerogram with reference to its origin
(Figure 22):
- Building set. The user can import any downloaded record similarly to the “Opensignal_v3_3”
component. In this case it is possible to define and name a desired set of record. The simple
procedure is resumed below:
1. Select the database.
2. Insert the name of the downloaded record.
3. Select the bandpass and bandfilter (this is an optional operation). The filtering procedure is carried
out with a default Butterworh filter (fmax=25 Hz, fmin=0.25 Hz, n=4).
4. Read and import the record. The duration, the PGA and the sampling time are indicated in the
dedicated panel.
5. Insert the output name of the record.
6. Save and import the record in the listbox for the set composition.
7. Insert the output set name when the number of imported records is greater than one.
8. Save the set.
- Existing set [Matching]. The set of acceleration histories comes from the applied matching
procedure. The following steps resume the procedure to be used in order to import and save a set
obtained with the matching procedure.
1. Select the database used in the “Matching”.
2. Select the type of matching used in the “Matching”.
3. Select the component used in the “Matching”.
4. Activate or deactivate the filtering process (default Butterworth filter).
5. Insert the output set name.
6. Import and save the set.
 - Existing set [Opensignal]. The set containing the record results coming from any analysis carried
out with “Opensignal_v3_3” can be used as input data for the soil response analysis:
1. Select the name of the existing set.
2. Select the measure units of the recordscontained in the set.

Figure 22. “Building set” (a), “Existing set [Matching]” (b) and “Existing set [Opensignal]” (c)

After defining the stratigraphy (1. in Figure 23) of the layered soils, the type of analysis must be selected:
“Single-analysis” for single record(s) or “Multi-analysis” for a set of record(s) (2. in Figure 23). By clicking
the “Run” button (3. in Figure 23), analysis is run and the related results will be plotted in terms of
acceleration histories, Fourier transforms and bi-logarithmic scale spectra. For a set of records, (only) the last
record information will be plotted only.

Figure 23. Soil response analysis for a set of records

The output acceleration histories will be automatically saved in the “Output” subdirectory with the name of
the imported set of records or the single record followed by “.soil_surface”, in xls or txt extension(s),
respectively. For example, let’s consider an input set named “SET_1.xls” and a single record named
“Northridge.txt”. The output files generated at the end of the analysis will be called “SET_1.soil_surface.xls”
and “Northridge.soil_surface.txt”, respectively; where the first element of each column represents the
sampling time, and the remaining values are the accelerations expressed in g.