Hazard, ground motions, and code-based structural assessment: a few proposals and yet unfulfilled needs

Code-based structural assessment via nonlinear dynamic analysis requires seismic input believed to be a representation of the seismic threat to the site with respect to the limit-state of interest. Codes often are only slightly more specific than that, except prescribing to match a design spectral shape. Therefore, in record selection, several options, hearsays and beliefs may render the job especially hard for the analyst or, on the other side, heuristically simple, yet potentially inadequate to the scope. This paper, given the current European codes’ procedures, tries to discuss some tools which may help to address some basic issues related to seismic input selection. In fact, some recent achievements are reviewed first, these include: automated selection of real record sets; design earthquake maps from hazard disaggregation; conditional hazard maps to include secondary ground motion intensity measures (IMs) in definition of seismic action; and the use of alternate types of spectrum matching records. Furthermore, possible advancements, desirable to be accounted for by future codes, are also discussed: advanced ground motion IMs, and near-source pulse-like records. Only hints are given herein, while pointing to other papers most of them presented at this same conference.