## 1 Introduction  
Recently, nonlinear dynamic analysis (NDA) has gained significant traction in the performance-based design and assessment of structures, as it is recognized as the most precise approach available. NDA takes into account energy absorption and force redistribution due to progressive deterioration in the inelastic range, as well as the influence of higher modes. To ensure the overall reliability of NDA, it is essential to both develop a robust nonlinear structural model and select ground motion (GM) records that align with the seismic hazard of the area being studied [1, 2, 3]. The use of actual GM records from prior earthquake events is the most common practice for NDA, as these records encapsulate the seismic GM characteristics effectively [4, 5, 6, 7]. Spectral matching is a widely employed technique for the selection of actual ground motions (GMs). This method focuses on the spectral compatibility between the spectra of selected GMs and the designated spectral target. There are mainly two approaches associated with this technique: scenario-based and target-based. In the former approach, seismological and site parameters related to specific earthquake scenarios of interest are primarily taken into account. Subsequently, efforts are made to achieve the necessary compatibility with the spectral target. In the latter approach, GM selection is performed based on the compatibility with the spectral target, initially considering the relevant earthquake magnitude, distance, and local soil class. The uniform hazard spectrum (UHS) is commonly used as the target spectrum. As an alternative to the UHS, the conditional mean spectrum or scenario-based spectra can be used [8; 9; 10]. Various procedures have been used for real GM selection based on spectral matching regardless of the target spectrum [11; 12]. Modern seismic codes have also recommended spectral matching-based GM selection [13; 14; 15] and provide simplified guidelines for selection and scaling. To establish the necessary alignment between the mean and/or individual spectrum of selected GMs and the relevant target spectrum, the amplitudes of the GMs are consistently scaled [16; 17; 18; 19]. GM selection procedures may vary according to structural typology. GM component sets are necessary for uni-directional analyses of 2D models where one of the horizontal axes is critical. In certain instances, bi-directional analyses of 3D models for particularly irregular buildings are essential [20]. For this purpose, GM component pair sets, consisting of two horizontal components of a record, are utilized [21; 22; 23; 24]. The seismic response can significantly depend on the vertical component of ground motions for more complex structures, such as base-isolated buildings, long-span bridges, dams, and nuclear power plants [25; 26; 27]. These types of structures often exhibit greater sensitivity to acceleration compared to displacement. Additionally, the vertical component of seismic excitation can play a crucial role in the seismic performance of structures [28; 29]. Therefore, the vertical component of ground motions should be included in the nonlinear dynamic analyses, necessitating three-dimensional analyses [28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34]. Furthermore, depending on the research needs, one or two horizontal components of a record can be used for uni-directional analyses. For instance, two horizontal components of the records were used by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [35] to assess the capacity of both nonlinear static analysis and dynamic analysis for 2D archetype buildings. Also, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [36] used a 3D analysis model to capture acceleration demands for a plan irregular building and performed uni-directional analysis since the critical axes were determined as perpendicular to the floor eccentricity. Various GM record sets can be obtained by selecting and amplitude scaling from online GM record databases [37; 38; 39]. Seismic responses obtained from NDAs are directly influenced by the ground motion records used.