Strong motion records from several reinforced concrete structures were recovered after the 1987 Whittier, California earthquake. Most of these records showed significant amplification of the acceleration with height. Some of the records come from buildings that were either rebuilt or seismically strengthened following the 1971 San Fernando earthquake. This study will review the available data from reinforced concrete buildings, to select representative buildings, and to analyze these buildings using available computer codes for the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete structures. By comparing the results of the computer analysis to the available data, conclusions will be drawn regarding the applicability and validity of available analytical models, the amplification of earthquake motion as related to building type and height, and the effectiveness of seismic strengthening. This study would provide a valuable evaluation of current analytical models and seismic strengthening techniques for reinforced concrete buildings.
