Incremental Factor In Design Parameters ForImportant Structures

This paper aims to provide a methodology to compute the seismic design coefficient increment for important structures. The approach is based on the total cost design criterion, including the initial cost as well as costs due to earthquakes. Three different sites are under study: a site close to a seismic source, a site distant from the source, and a third site at a moderate distance between these two. It is assumed that the incremental factor in the design parameter of important structures at one of the sites is optimum, and from that the corresponding factor at the other sites are computed. A single and several seismic sources are considered for the three sites under study. Results show that the incremental factor can vary according to the site seismicity.