9

Chapter 9 Glossary

The following terms are used in Chapter 9 Seismic Design for Railway Structures and are placed here in alphabetical order for
your convenience.

Amplitude
Maximum value of a function as it varies with time.

Attenuation
A decrease in amplitude of the seismic waves with distance due to geometric spreading, energy absorption and scattering.

Collapse
Major change in the geometry of a bridge rendering it unfit for use.

Damping 1
Resistance which reduces vibrations by energy absorption.

Ductility
Property of a member or connection that allows inelastic response.

Ductility Ratio
3
The ratio between the maximum displacement for elastoplastic behavior and the displacement corresponding to yield point.

Dynamic Magnification
An increase in the induced lateral forces in a structure due to frequency matching between the ground and structure.

Elasticity
The ability of a material to return immediately to its original form or condition after removal of the loads.

Elastoplastic
Implies elastic behavior for a force that does not exceed a maximum value and plastic behavior above this maximum.

Epicenter
The point on the Earth’s surface located vertically above the point where the first rupture and the first earthquake motion
occur.

Fault
A fracture or fracture zone in the earth along which there has been displacement of the two sides relative to one another and
which is parallel to the fracture.

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Seismic Design for Railway Structures

Flexible Structure
A structure that will sustain relatively large displacements without failure.

Fundamental Period
The longest period (duration in time of one full cycle of oscillatory motion) of vibration of a structure which has several
modes of vibration, each with a different period.

Ground Movement
Term that refers to all aspects of ground motion, e.g. particle acceleration, velocity, displacement due to earthquakes.

Hoop Reinforcement
Circular or rectangular transverse reinforcement capable of confining the concrete core after the concrete cover has spalled
off. Circular hoop reinforcement shall either be welded or mechanically coupled with no lap splices. Rectangular hoop
reinforcement shall consist of single or multiple overlapping stirrups which are closed by 135° hooks around a longitudinal
reinforcing bar with no lap splices and cross-ties consisting of single-leg stirrups with a 90° hook around a longitudinal
reinforcing bar on one end and a 135° hook around a longitudinal reinforcing bar on the other end. Cross-ties shall be
alternated end for end along the longitudinal reinforcement.

Inelastic Behavior
Behavior of a member beyond its elastic limit.

Intensity
Qualitative or quantitative measure of the severity of seismic ground motion at a specific site. The most common intensity
scale used in the United States today is the Modified Mercalli, 1956 version.

Limit State
A condition beyond which a bridge, member or connection ceases to satisfy the performance requirements for which it was
designed.

Liquefaction
Transformation of a granular soil from a solid state into a liquefied state as a consequence of increased pore-water pressure
induced by vibrations.

Magnitude
Qualitative measure of the size of an earthquake, related indirectly to the energy released, which is independent of the place
of observation, e.g. Richter Magnitude Scale.

Mean Return Period, T

The average time (in years) between occurrences of an event of a given size or a condition associated with a given severity.
The inverse of the mean return period is the average annual probability of exceedance. For an estimate of the probability of
exceedance, p, during an exposure time, t (in years), the following relation may be used: p = 1–(1–1/T)t. An event with a
particular mean return period has a 63% probability of being exceeded during an exposure time equal to that return period.

Natural Frequency
The frequency (number of cycles per second) of free vibration of a structure if damping effects are neglected. Sometimes
expressed in radians per second.

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9-G-2 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering
 Glossary

Natural Period
The time interval (in seconds) for a vibrating structure in free vibration to do one oscillation. The inverse of the natural
period is the natural frequency.

Occupancy Rate
Average number of persons occupying a structure each 24-hour day of the year.

Predominant Periods
The most significant periods of the earthquake ground motion.

Regular Bridge
A bridge that has no abrupt or unusual changes in mass stiffness or geometry along its span and has no large differences in
these parameters between adjacent supports.

Resonance
A state of maximum amplitude of vibration caused by the matching of the excitation frequency with the natural frequency
of the structure itself.

Response Spectrum
A plot showing maximum earthquake response with respect to natural period or frequency of the structure for a given
damping. It reflects the response of an infinite series of single-degree-of-freedom systems subjected to a time history of
earthquake ground motion. 1

Richter Magnitude Scale

A measure of the magnitude of an earthquake. The measure is determined by taking the common logarithm (base 10) of the
largest ground motion amplitude observed and applying a standard correction for distance to the epicenter.

Seismic Hazard 3
The probability that given ground motion parameters at the site of a given bridge will be exceeded during a specified
exposure time. May also be expressed in terms of average annual probability of exceedance of mean return period.

Seismicity
Frequency of occurrence of earthquakes per unit area in a given region.
4
Serviceability Limit State
Limit state that relates to maximum stresses and deformations within the elastic range that ensures safety of trains traveling
at reduced speeds.

Survivability Limit State

Limit state that relates to bridge collapse.

Tsunami
A sea-wave caused by an earthquake, or a submarine landslide or eruption.

Ultimate Limit State

Limit state that relates to ultimate strength of material and stability of critical members. Structural damage that can be
repaired within a short period of time is allowed.

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Seismic Design for Railway Structures

Vulnerability
Amount of damage induced by a given degree of hazard.

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