Rigid block sliding to idealized acceleration pulses

New analytical solutions are derived for the frictional sliding of rigid blocks to idealized ground acceleration pulses. These excitations are indicative of near-fault earthquake motions affected by forward fault-rupture directivity, which may inflict large permanent displacements in the absence of substantial frictional resistance at the sliding interface. The scope of this study is threefold: (1) to derive analytical solutions for a wide set of idealized pulses; (2) to investigate the effects of symmetric and asymmetric sliding under both unilateral and bilateral excitation conditions; and (3) to explore alternative normalization schemes of peak sliding with reference to peak pulse acceleration, velocity, duration, and shape. A generalized exponential function, capable of simulating an infinite number of pulse waveforms based on a single parameter, is employed to this end. Results are presented in the form of dimensionless closed-form expressions and graphs that provide insight into the physics of the nonlinear problem.