Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) model for the seismic parameters of code-based earthquake response spectra

Abstract

The response spectra defined in seismic design codes include crisp classifications of seismic parameters, which directly affect the spectra’s shape and greatly alter seismic design loads. The optimum design phase seismic forces have an important role in the efficiency of the construction costs and structural safety. Various parameters are used to calculate the seismic design forces, especially presented in the codes with earthquake design spectra. This study presents a rule-based fuzzy inference model with fuzzy sets to determine these parameters using fuzzy inference system (FIS) modelling, which is the most appropriate approach among the different alternatives because both the input and output variables have numerical and linguistic uncertainties in the earthquake problem. Using the seismic zone factor of the region and shear wave velocity of the soil profile as inputs, the model generates the seismic coefficients and peak ground acceleration values of the response spectra specified in the Uniform Building Code (UBC, 1997). The response spectra in this code can be easily generated with these seismic coefficients after their fuzzification. Response spectra of twenty-five different sample cases with and without the FIS model are generated, which provide comparisons for the model superiority assessment. Significant differences are observed between the crisp logic and the FIS model-generated spectra. It is suggested that the FIS model can be modified and applied to various parameters to generate response spectra in different seismic design codes.