Seismic loading is one of the basic concepts of earthquake engineering which means application of an earthquake-generated agitation to a structure. It happens at contact surfaces of a structure either with the ground,The Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Portal or with adjacent structures,Seismic Pounding between Adjacent Building Structures or with gravity waves from tsunami.
Seismic loading depends, primarily, on:
Anticipated earthquake's parameters at the site – known as seismic hazard Geotechnical parameters of the site Structure's parameters Characteristics of the anticipated gravity waves from tsunami (if applicable).
Sometimes, seismic load exceeds ability of a structure to resist it without being broken, partially or completely Due to their mutual interaction, seismic loading and seismic performance of a structure are intimately related.
See also Earthquake engineering structures
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