Stochastic seismic response analysis of structures exhibiting high nonlinearity

A physical stochastic ground motion model and the extended Bouc–Wen model are incorporated into the probability density evolution method for stochastic seismic response analysis of structures exhibiting high nonlinearity. Fundamentals and numerical algorithms for the synthesized method are described. Case studies demonstrate that coupling of nonlinearity and randomness will greatly change the response characteristics of the structure. The popular viewpoint that randomness of structural parameters is trivial compared to that of excitations is overthrown. Besides, whether localization or dispersion of nonlinearity will occur in the structure depends mainly on the configuration of the structural parameters.