1AppendixSto10CFRPart50appliestoapplicantsforadesigncertificationorcombinedlicensepursuantto10CFRPart52,“EarlySitePermits;StandardDesignCertifications;andCombinedLicensesforNuclearPowerPlants,”oraconstructionpermitoroperatinglicensepursuantto10CFRPart50afterJanuary10,1997.However,theearthquakeengineeringcriteriainSectionVIofAppendixAto10CFRPart100continuetoapplyforeitheranoperatinglicenseapplicantoranoperatinglicenseholderwhoseconstructionpermitwasissuedbeforeJanuary10,1997.TheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)issuesregulatoryguidestodescribeandmakeavailabletothepublicmethodsthattheNRCstaffconsidersacceptableforuseinimplementingspecificpartsoftheagency’sregulations,techniquesthatthestaffusesinevaluatingspecificproblemsorpostulatedaccidents,anddatathatthestaffneedinreviewingapplicationsforpermitsandlicenses.Regulatoryguidesarenotsubstitutesforregulations,andcompliancewiththemisnotrequired.MethodsandsolutionsthatdifferfromthosesetforthinregulatoryguideswillbedeemedacceptableiftheyprovideabasisforthefindingsrequiredfortheissuanceorcontinuanceofapermitorlicensebytheCommission.Thisguidewasissuedafterconsiderationofcommentsreceivedfromthepublic.TheNRCstaffencouragesandwelcomescommentsandsuggestionsinconnectionwithimprovementstopublishedregulatoryguides,aswellasitemsforinclusioninregulatoryguidesthatarecurrentlybeingdeveloped.TheNRCstaffwillreviseexistingguides,asappropriate,toaccommodatecommentsandtoreflectnewinformationorexperience.WrittencommentsmaybesubmittedtotheRulesandDirectivesBranch,OfficeofAdministration,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555-0001.Regulatoryguidesareissuedin10broaddivisions:1,PowerReactors;2,ResearchandTestReactors;3,FuelsandMaterialsFacilities;4,EnvironmentalandSiting;5,MaterialsandPlantProtection;6,Products;7,Transportation;8,OccupationalHealth;9,AntitrustandFinancialReview;and10,General.Requestsforsinglecopiesofdraftoractiveregulatoryguides(whichmaybereproduced)shouldbemadetotheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555,Attention:ReproductionandDistributionServicesSection,orbyfaxto(301)415-2289;orbyemailtoDistribution@nrc.gov.ElectroniccopiesofthisguideandotherrecentlyissuedguidesareavailablethroughtheNRC’spublicWebsiteundertheRegulatoryGuidesdocumentcollectionoftheNRC’sElectronicReadingRoomat’sAgencywideDocumentsAccessandManagementSystem(ADAMS)at(DraftwasissuedasDG-1127,datedFebruary2005)COMBININGMODALRESPONSESANDSPATIALCOMPONENTSINSEISMICRESPONSEANALYSISA.INTRODUCTIONThisrevisedregulatoryguideprovideslicenseesandapplicantswithimprovedguidanceconcerningmethodsthatthestaffoftheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)considersacceptableforcombiningmodalresponsesandspatialcomponentsinseismicresponseanalysisofnuclearpowerplantstructures,systems,andcomponents(SSCs)thatareimportanttosafety.AppendixA,“GeneralDesignCriteriaforNuclearPowerPlants,”toTitle10,Part50,“DomesticLicensingofProductionandUtilizationFacilities,”totheCodeofFederalRegulations(10CFRPart50),Criterion2,“DesignBasesforProtectionAgainstNaturalPhenomena,”requires,inpart,thatnuclearpowerplantSSCsimportanttosafetymustbedesignedtowithstandtheeffectsofnaturalphenomena(suchasearthquakes)withoutlossofcapabilitytoperformtheirsafetyfunctions.SuchSSCsmustalsobedesignedtoaccommodatetheeffectsof,andbecompatiblewith,theenvironmentalconditionsassociatedwithnormaloperationandpostulatedaccidents.AppendixS,“EarthquakeEngineeringCriteriaforNuclearPowerPlants,”to10CFRPart50specifies,inpart,requirementsforimplementingGeneralDesignCriterion2withrespecttoearthquakes.1RG1.92,Rev.2,Page2ThisguidedescribesmethodsthattheNRCstaffconsidersacceptableforcomplyingwiththeagency’sregulationsregardingthefollowingaspectsofseismicresponseanalysis:(1)combiningtheresponsesofindividualmodes(inthecaseoftheresponsespectrummethod)toacomponentofthethreeorthogonalspatialcomponentsofearthquakemotion(twohorizontalandonevertical),tofindtherepresentativemaximumresponseofinterest(suchasdisplacement,acceleration,shear,moment,stress,orstrain)foragivenelementofanuclearpowerplantSSC(2)combiningthemaximumresponses(inthecaseofthetimehistorymethod)ortherepresentativemaximumresponses(inthecaseoftheresponsespectrummethod)ofanSSC,whensuchresponsesarecalculatedeitherseparately(fortheresponsespectrummethodorthetimehistorymethod)orsimultaneously(forthetimehistorymethod)foreachofthethreeorthogonalspatialcomponents(twohorizontalandonevertical)ofanearthquakeTheNRCissuesregulatoryguidestodescribetothepublicmethodsthatthestaffconsidersacceptableforuseinimplementingspecificpartsoftheagency’sregulations,toexplaintechniquesthatthestaffusesinevaluatingspecificproblemsorpostulatedaccidents,andtoprovideguidancetoapplicants.Regulatoryguidesarenotsubstitutesforregulations,andcompliancewithregulatoryguidesisnotrequired.Thisregulatoryguideco