How to import an earthquake ground motion acceleration data into Robot for THA

[Anonymous]

Hello dear friends

I am going to do Time History Analysis on a structure in Robot. I tried to import an earthquake acceleration data in txt format but I couldn't. The format that Robot accepts is "thf". Does anybody know how to import an external ground motion acceleration data (saved as Excel or txt file). If we cannot import txt or excel file, how can we convert txt file to "thf" file? As far as I know, in SAP2000 and Etabs, we can import an external ground motion data into the software for Time History Analysis. Any help and guidance will be kindly appreciated in advance.

Thank u so much

[Romanich]

Hi @Anonymous 

Try to open thf file with the Notepad.

Also please check this thread

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/robot-structural-analysis-forum/synthetic-accelerogram/m-p/5318545#M27066

[Anonymous]

Thank u so much for your response. In looked at the link but I didn't get it. You mentioned that I should try to open thf file with the Notepad, but I don't have the thf file. I have only a text file. I attached the acceleration time history text file and the Robot file here. I want to apply the acceleration time history in X, Y and Z directions of this structure to evaluate its behavior in terms of different parameters such as Max displacement, storey drift, etc. Your help is kindly appreciated in advance

[Romanich]

@Anonymous , please check attached file.

[Anonymous]

Dear Romanich

Thank u so much for your helps and I am so sorry for my late response since I didn't have access to Internet. I used the file (thf) that you sent it to me, but when I used it, the output is Zero in Robot. For example I apply this acceleration time history (ground motion data) to my structure in only Z direction to simulate the transportation induced vibration forces, but the displacement is zero. But when I used "Vrancea_1, Vrancea_2 and Vrancea_3" which are some acceleration data from Robot library, they worked and the displacement of my structure was not zero. I might do some mistake. I don't actually know. I attached some images below from what I did. Your guidance and comments are kindly appreciated. Thank u so much

[Anonymous]

I have his same problem/doubt.

How can one create a .thf file? I have tried with Excel, Notepad, Seismosignal and other softwares but it seems that none can create such a file.

What should I do?

EDIT: I've managed to create the .thf file by having as model 'vrancea.thf' file found in Autodesk\Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2019\System\Cfg

You must create a text file (Notepad, for example) were the first line is 'FUNCTION', the second line should have the function name, the third line should specify the number of rows excluding the first three (n_tot - 3) and then the data must be written in rows of 2 columns. For example:

FUNCTION

LOMAPRIETA
6

0     0

0.2  0.7

0.4  0.5

0.6  0.3

0.8  1.0

1.0   0.4

[Anonymous]

Hello, I saw your suggestion about converting the txt file to the excel file. If I do this, will the notepad turn to a thf file automatically?  Or after all these written methods, I should do another saving method? 

Please help me! 

Thanks