design response spectra for large dams and important structures in iran

the present paper has been prepared in connection with “implementation of a probabilistic approach to the assessment of risk, the role of data bases in reducing uncertainty”. to study the dynamic behavior of a dam during strong earthquakes and then design it safe and economical, it is necessary to consider the effects of strong ground motion characteristics at the location where the structure is to be built. the peak ground acceleration alone cannot show the extent of the effect of vibrations of a structure. other factors such as strong motion duration, site geology, frequency content of strong ground motion of the site and the corresponding structural behavior and, in all, the amount of the released energy govern the extent of detraction or damage suffered by a structure. should the dominant frequency of the resulting spectrum from an earthquake at a certain location be close to the range of the vibration frequency of a structure, the vibration of the structure will be amplified and will result in more damages.