The capacity spectrum method is a technique used in earthquake engineering to estimate the response of structures to seismic waves based on their stiffness and strength characteristics. It involves plotting the structural capacity curve, which represents the relationship between the lateral force that a structure can resist and the corresponding deformation, against the demand curve, which represents the lateral force exerted by the earthquake at different levels of displacement. The intersection point of these two curves indicates the maximum displacement that the structure can sustain without collapsing. The method helps engineers to understand the behavior of structures during earthquakes and make informed decisions about their design and retrofitting.
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