Stochastic seismic analysis of multidegree of freedom systems

Abstract A unconditionally stable step-by-step procedure is proposed to evaluate the mean square response of a linear system with several degrees of freedom, subjected to earthquake ground motion. A non-stationary modulated random process, obtained as the product of a deterministic time envelope function and a stationary noise, is used to simulate earthquake acceleration. The accuracy of the procedure and its extension to nonlinear systems are discussed. Numerical examples are given for a hysteretic system, a duffing oscillator and a linear system with several degrees of freedom.