Experimental Study of a Structure Under Stress Pulse Simulating Vertical Ground Motion

This article is an attempt to study the effects of a stress pulse simulating strong vertical excitation, particularly at the first steps of the mode of propagation. The structural model represents a two-story single column, having two pairs of cantilever beams on either side. The study is carried out by means of the experimental method of caustics. The areas of maximum stress concentration, as well as the wave front direction within the horizontal elements of the structure, are determined. The influence of the wave and the reflected effects on the top of the column are also studied. The experimental results are compared with the corresponding results obtained by finite element analysis. The results could be used for the development of rules for the effects of the vertical component.