The　special　spectral　characteristics　of　the　near-field　ground　motions　may　lead　to　severe　seismic　response　on　mid-to-long　period　structures.　Therefore,　analyses　on　Fourier　spectral　characteristics,　velocity　pulse　characteristics　and　response　spectrum　characteristics　of　140　near-field　ground　motions　were　conducted,　the　correlation　between　the　pulse　period　and　the　shape　of　response　spectra　were　studied,　and　the　design　response　spectra　of　near-fault　ground　motions　were　fitted　and　compared　with　the　seismic　design　spectra　of　Chinese　Codes.　The　results　show　that　pulse-like　ground　motions　contain　richer　spectra　contents　in　longer　period　regions,　as　compared　to　non-pulse-like　ground　motions,　and　single-degree-of-freedom　systems　with　natural　frequencies　in　the　vicinity　of　pulse　periods　are　prone　to　resonance　effects.　As　the　pulse　period　increases,　the　ratio　of　its　peak　velocity　and　acceleration　becomes　greater,　the　acceleration-sensitive　region　of　its　response　spectrum　lengthens,　the　displacement-sensitive　region　shortens,　and　the　peaks　of　the　velocity　and　displacement　spectrum　rises.　The　pulse　period　coincides　with　the　velocity-sensitive　and　displacement-sensitive　spectral　region　separator.　The　bimodal　characteristic　of　acceleration　spectrum　stems　from　the　peak　of　velocity　response　spectrum　of　the　ground　motion’s　pulse　component.　With　site　soil　getting　softer,　the　plateau　region　of　the　near-fault　seismic　design　spectrum　lengthens,　the　eigenperiod　increases,　the　spectral　value　at　the　descending　region　rises,　all　of　which　are　higher　than　that　of　the　design　spectra　defined　by　the　Chinese　Codes.　©　2023　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.