ENDURANCE TIME METHOD: EXERCISE TEST APPLIED TO STRUCTURES

Endurance Time (ET) method is a new dynamic analysis procedure that aims at estimating seismic performance of structures by subjecting them to predesigned intensifying acceleration. These acceleration functions are designed in a way that they approximately simulate earthquakes with different intensities through their duration. Performance of the structure is judged based on its behavior for different intensity measures through time. A set of three acceleration functions have been produced using the ET concept by applying optimization techniques. These acceleration functions are designed in such a way that their response spectrum, while complying with typical code design spectra, intensify uniformly with their duration. Potential applications of this method are described by evaluating the performance of sample SDOF and MDOF systems. The pros and cons of ET method are investigated. The feasibility of application of ET method as a tool in performance based seismic analysis and design is discussed.