A review of ground motion record selection strategies for dynamic structural analysis Iunio Iervolino † and Gaetano Manfredi † † Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale, Universit` a degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Via Claudio 21, 80125, Naples, Italy. Abstract Non-linear dynamic analysis is recognized as the more accurate tool for seismic evaluation of structures in the case of both probabilistic assessment and design. The key issue in performing this kind of analysis is the selection of appropriate seismic input (e.g. ground motion signals), which should allow for a correct and accurate estimation of the seismic performance on the basis of the hazard at the site where the structure is located. To this aim several procedures have been proposed, they require specific characterization of real ground motion records via the so called ground motion intensity measures (mainly related with elastic spectral features of the record) proven to be generally efficient in the estimation of the structural performance. This kind of approach requires specific skills as well as detailed probabilistic evaluation of the seismic threat to be available to the engineers. For this and other reasons codes worldwide, in many cases, try to acknowledge these procedures in an approximate fashion. In this paper recent and advanced literature on the topic is presented and dis- cussed. The current best practice in record selection is reviewed for the case of probabilistic seismic risk analysis and for code- based seismic assessment and de- sign with special attention to the prescriptions of Eurocode 8 for both buildings and bridges. Finally, some light is briefly shaded on the effects of time scaling of records and its use in shake-table structural testing. 1 Introduction The issue of selecting the seismic input is seen to be one of the most critical in the seismic assessment of structures via non-linear dynamic analysis. It is sometimes considered more important even than structural modeling. Therefore, this problem has been the subject of large research recently. In general, the signals that can be used for the seismic structural analysis are of three types: (1) artificial waveforms; (2) simulated accelerograms; and (3) natural records (Bommer and Acevedo, 2004). Spectrum-compatible signals of type (1) are obtained, for example, generating a power spectral density function from a code-specified response spectrum, and deriving signals compatible to that. However, this approach may lead to accelerograms not reflecting the real phasing of seismic waves and cycles of motion, and therefore energy. Simulation 1 Iervolino I., Manfredi G. A review of ground motion record selection strategies for dynamic structural analysis. In Modern Testing Techniques of Mechanical and Structural Systems , Oreste S. Bursi, David J. Wagg (Editors), CISM Courses and Lectures 502, Springer, 2008.