Discussion on the influence of truncation of ground motion residual distribution on probabilistic seismic hazard assessment

Recent studies on assessment of a very low annual probability of exceeding (APE) ground motions, 10-4 or less, have highlighted the importance of the upper bound of ground motions when very low probability results are acquired. The truncation level adopted in probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) should be determined by an aleatory uncertainty model (i.e., distribution model) of ground motions and the possible maximum and minimum ground motion values of a specific earthquake. However, at the present ...     

Seismic Hazard Assessment: Issues and Alternatives

Seismic hazard and risk are two very important concepts in engineering design and other policy considerations. Although seismic hazard and risk have often been used interchangeably, they are fundamentally different. Furthermore, seismic risk is more important in engineering design and other policy considerations. Seismic hazard assessment is an effort by earth scientists to quantify seismic hazard and its associated uncertainty in time and space and to provide seismic hazard estimates for seismic risk assessment and other applications. Although seismic hazard assessment is more a scientific issue, it deserves special attention because of its significant implication to society. Two approaches, probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) and deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA), are commonly used for seismic hazard assessment. Although PSHA has been proclaimed as the best approach for seismic hazard assessment, it is scientifically flawed (i.e., the physics and mathematics that PSHA is based on are not valid). Use of PSHA could lead to either unsafe or overly conservative engineering design or public policy, each of which has dire consequences to society. On the other hand, DSHA is a viable approach for seismic hazard assessment even though it has been labeled as unreliable. The biggest drawback of DSHA is that the temporal characteristics (i.e., earthquake frequency of occurrence and the associated uncertainty) are often neglected. An alternative, seismic hazard analysis (SHA), utilizes earthquake science and statistics directly and provides a seismic hazard estimate that can be readily used for seismic risk assessment and other applications.     

福建台网接入台湾台站对定位台湾中深源地震精度影响分析

福建台网负责监测中国台湾地区地震。对于中深源地震使用何种定位方法能获得较好的地震参数,这直接影响到地震定位精度。利用JOPENS系统中交互分析软件MSDP提供的定位方法,对同一地震进行两次定位,即不使用和使用接入的台湾台站,将福建台网得出的两次结果与中国台湾公布的地震参数进行对比,分析定位精度,进而找出适用于台湾地区中深源地震的定位方法,以便进一步判断在地震速报中使用这些台站进行辅助定位的可行性,并给出相关的操作方法及建议。     

A Probabilistic Assessment of Earthquake Hazard Parameters in NW Himalaya and the Adjoining Regions

The maximum likelihood estimation method is applied to study the geographical distribution of earthquake hazard parameters and seismicity in 28 seismogenic source zones of NW Himalaya and the adjoining regions. For this purpose, we have prepared a reliable, homogeneous and complete earthquake catalogue during the period 1500–2010. The technique used here allows the data to contain either historical or instrumental era or even a combination of the both. In this study, the earthquake hazard parameters, which include maximum regional magnitude (M _max), mean seismic activity rate (λ), the parameter b (or β?=?b/log e) of Gutenberg–Richter (G–R) frequency-magnitude relationship, the return periods of earthquakes with a certain threshold magnitude along with their probabilities of occurrences have been calculated using only instrumental earthquake data during the period 1900–2010. The uncertainties in magnitude have been also taken into consideration during the calculation of hazard parameters. The earthquake hazard in the whole NW Himalaya region has been calculated in 28 seismogenic source zones delineated on the basis of seismicity level, tectonics and focal mechanism. The annual probability of exceedance of earthquake (activity rate) of certain magnitude is also calculated for all seismogenic source zones. The obtained earthquake hazard parameters were geographically distributed in all 28 seismogenic source zones to analyze the spatial variation of localized seismicity parameters. It is observed that seismic hazard level is high in Quetta-Kirthar-Sulaiman region in Pakistan, Hindukush-Pamir Himalaya region and Uttarkashi-Chamoli region in Himalayan Frontal Thrust belt. The source zones that are expected to have maximum regional magnitude (M _max) of more than 8.0 are Quetta, southern Pamir, Caucasus and Kashmir-Himanchal Pradesh which have experienced such magnitude of earthquakes in the past. It is observed that seismic hazard level varies spatially from one zone to another which suggests that the examined regions have high crustal heterogeneity and seismotectonic complexity.     

Earthquake Hazard Parameters Estimated in Crete Island and the Adjacent Area

—?Earthquake hazard parameters are estimated by the application of the maximum likelihood method. The technique is based on a procedure which utilizes data of different quality, e.g., those in which the uncertainty in the assessment of the magnitudes is great and those in which the magnitudes are computed with great precision. In other words the data were extracted from both historical (incomplete) and recorded (complete) files. The historical part of the catalogue contains only the strongest events, whereas the complete part can be divided into several sub-catalogues; each one assumed to be complete above a specified magnitude threshold. Uncertainty in the determination of magnitudes has also been taken into account. The method allows us to estimate the earthquake hazard parameters which are the maximum regional magnitude, M _max, the activity rate, λ, of the seismic events and the well known value β (b=β?log?e), which is the slope of the magnitude-frequency relationship. All these parameters are of physical significance. The mean return periods, RP, of earthquakes with a certain lower magnitude M?≥?m are also determined. The method is applied in the Island of Crete and the adjacent area, where catastrophic earthquakes are known from the historical era. The earthquake hazard of the whole area is divided in a cellular manner which allow the analysis of the localized hazard parameters and the representation of their regional variation. The seismic hazard analysis, which is expressed by: (a) The annual probability of exceedance of a specified value of magnitude and (b) the return periods (in years) that are expected for given magnitudes, for shallow events is finally performed for shallow events. This hazard analysis is useful for both theoretical and practical reasons and provides a tool for earthquake resistant design in both areas of low and high seismicity.     

Seismic Hazard and Risk Assessments for Beijing�CTianjin�CTangshan, China, Area

Seismic hazard and risk in the Beijing?CTianjin?CTangshan, China, area were estimated from 500-year intensity observations. First, we digitized the intensity observations (maps) using ArcGIS with a cell size of 0.1?×?0.1°. Second, we performed a statistical analysis on the digitized intensity data, determined an average b value (0.39), and derived the intensity?Cfrequency relationship (hazard curve) for each cell. Finally, based on a Poisson model for earthquake occurrence, we calculated seismic risk in terms of a probability of I????7, 8, or 9 in 50?years. We also calculated the corresponding 10 percent probability of exceedance of these intensities in 50?years. The advantages of assessing seismic hazard and risk from intensity records are that (1) fewer assumptions (i.e., earthquake source and ground motion attenuation) are made, and (2) site-effect is included. Our study shows that the area has high seismic hazard and risk. Our study also suggests that current design peak ground acceleration or intensity for the area may not be adequate.     

Earthquake hazard and risk assessment based on Unified Scaling Law for Earthquakes: Greater Caucasus and Crimea

We continue applying the general concept of seismic risk analysis in a number of seismic regions worldwide by constructing regional seismic hazard maps based on morphostructural analysis, pattern recognition, and the Unified Scaling Law for Earthquakes (USLE), which generalizes the Gutenberg-Richter relationship making use of naturally fractal distribution of earthquake sources of different size in a seismic region. The USLE stands for an empirical relationship log₁₀N(M, L)?=?A?+?B·(5 – M)?+?C·log₁₀L, where N(M, L) is the expected annual number of earthquakes of a certain magnitude M within a seismically prone area of linear dimension L. We use parameters A, B, and C of USLE to estimate, first, the expected maximum magnitude in a time interval at seismically prone nodes of the morphostructural scheme of the region under study, then map the corresponding expected ground shaking parameters (e.g., peak ground acceleration, PGA, or macro-seismic intensity). After a rigorous verification against the available seismic evidences in the past (usually, the observed instrumental PGA or the historically reported macro-seismic intensity), such a seismic hazard map is used to generate maps of specific earthquake risks for population, cities, and infrastructures (e.g., those based on census of population, buildings inventory). The methodology of seismic hazard and risk assessment is illustrated by application to the territory of Greater Caucasus and Crimea.     

Convex set theory-based seismic hazard analysis of low seismicity area

Historical seismic data and seismogenic information are quite scarce for the low seismicity region, and modeling the parameters uncertainties based on probabilistic model is suspicious. The convex set theory-based seismic hazard analysis approach is proposed. The uncertainties of b value, the annual occurrence rate v and the upper bound magnitude M_u are described by the envelop bound convex model and the ellipsoidal bound convex model. Convex analysis method and China probabilistic seismic hazard analysis methodology are combined to perform a bound seismic hazard analysis for Ningbo city, China. The seismic intensity interval obtained using the bound seismic hazard analysis is compared with that calculated using China probabilistic seismic hazard analysis methodology. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the interval of seismic intensity is most sensitive to the annual occurrence rate v. Furthermore, the different convex models have little effect on the interval of seismic intensity.     

K-means cluster analysis and seismicity partitioning for Pakistan

Pakistan and the western Himalaya is a region of high seismic activity located at the triple junction between the Arabian, Eurasian and Indian plates. Four devastating earthquakes have resulted in significant numbers of fatalities in Pakistan and the surrounding region in the past century (Quetta, 1935; Makran, 1945; Pattan, 1974 and the recent 2005 Kashmir earthquake). It is therefore necessary to develop an understanding of the spatial distribution of seismicity and the potential seismogenic sources across the region. This forms an important basis for the calculation of seismic hazard; a crucial input in seismic design codes needed to begin to effectively mitigate the high earthquake risk in Pakistan. The development of seismogenic source zones for seismic hazard analysis is driven by both geological and seismotectonic inputs. Despite the many developments in seismic hazard in recent decades, the manner in which seismotectonic information feeds the definition of the seismic source can, in many parts of the world including Pakistan and the surrounding regions, remain a subjective process driven primarily by expert judgment. Whilst much research is ongoing to map and characterise active faults in Pakistan, knowledge of the seismogenic properties of the active faults is still incomplete in much of the region. Consequently, seismicity, both historical and instrumental, remains a primary guide to the seismogenic sources of Pakistan. This study utilises a cluster analysis approach for the purposes of identifying spatial differences in seismicity, which can be utilised to form a basis for delineating seismogenic source regions. An effort is made to examine seismicity partitioning for Pakistan with respect to earthquake database, seismic cluster analysis and seismic partitions in a seismic hazard context. A magnitude homogenous earthquake catalogue has been compiled using various available earthquake data. The earthquake catalogue covers a time span from 1930 to 2007 and an area from 23.00° to 39.00°N and 59.00° to 80.00°E. A threshold magnitude of 5.2 is considered for K-means cluster analysis. The current study uses the traditional metrics of cluster quality, in addition to a seismic hazard contextual metric to attempt to constrain the preferred number of clusters found in the data. The spatial distribution of earthquakes from the catalogue was used to define the seismic clusters for Pakistan, which can be used further in the process of defining seismogenic sources and corresponding earthquake recurrence models for estimates of seismic hazard and risk in Pakistan. Consideration of the different approaches to cluster validation in a seismic hazard context suggests that Pakistan may be divided into K?=?19 seismic clusters, including some portions of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and India.     

Seismic hazard and uncertainty analysis of the Taiwan area

The objectives of this paper are (1) to obtain estimates on the effect of uncertainties of the hazard model, and (2) to evaluate the seismic hazard in Taiwan for structural analysis and design purposes. The seismic hazard in the Taiwan area is presented in terms of an iso-acceleration map. Such a map is developed for return periods of peak ground acceleration of 225 years and 475 years. The contour map of b-values and mean occurence rates for this region is also presented. Uncertainty analyses of model parameters in hazard analysis are concentrated on the analysis of dispersion of PGA values and the probabilistic modeling of stationary and nonstationary Poisson models of occurrences. Th e overall results are considered to be conservative since for most uncertainty analyses the more conservative values are used.     

Evaluating Tsunami Hazard in the Northwestern Indian Ocean

We evaluate here the tsunami hazard in the northwestern Indian Ocean. The maximum regional earthquake calculated from seismic hazard analysis, was used as the characteristic earthquake for our tsunami hazard assessment. This earthquake, with a moment magnitude of M _w 8.3 and a return period of about 1000 years, was moved along the Makran subduction zone (MSZ) and its possible tsunami wave height along various coasts was calculated via numerical simulation. Both seismic hazard analysis and numerical modeling of the tsunami were validated using historical observations of the Makran earthquake and tsunami of the 1945. Results showed that the possible tsunami may reach a maximum height of 9.6 m in the region. The distribution of tsunami wave height along various coasts is presented. We recommend the development of a tsunami warning system in the region, and emphasize the value of education as a measure to mitigate the death toll of a possible tsunami in this region.     

Probabilistic earthquake hazard analysis for Cairo,Egypt

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the world. It was founded in the tenth century (969 ad) and is 1046 years old. It has long been a center of the region’s political and cultural life. Therefore, the earthquake risk assessment for Cairo has a great importance. The present work aims to analysis the earthquake hazard of Cairo as a key input’s element for the risk assessment. The regional seismotectonics setting shows that Cairo could be affected by both far- and near-field seismic sources. The seismic hazard of Cairo has been estimated using the probabilistic seismic hazard approach. The logic tree frame work was used during the calculations. Epistemic uncertainties were considered into account by using alternative seismotectonics models and alternative ground motion prediction equations. Seismic hazard values have been estimated within a grid of 0.1°?×?0.1 ° spacing for all of Cairo’s districts at different spectral periods and four return periods (224, 615, 1230, and 4745 years). Moreover, the uniform hazard spectra have been calculated at the same return periods. The pattern of the contour maps show that the highest values of the peak ground acceleration is concentrated in the eastern zone’s districts (e.g., El Nozha) and the lowest values at the northern and western zone’s districts (e.g., El Sharabiya and El Khalifa).     

地震活动参数似然比检验研究

在地震活动性参数估计中 ,对同一地区具有相同地震资料和相同统计方法的情况下 ,活动性参数会出现因人而异的估计结果。为了对这些参数的不同估计做出评价 ,文中从统计角度将似然比检验引入到地震活动性参数的不同估计的选优排序决策中 ,分析了似然比检验的基本特征 ,并以华北地区为例示范性地分析了似然比检验对地震活动性参数的决策性检验     

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in SE-Spain based on macroseismic site histories

In many countries such as Spain earthquake databases still mainly comprise macroseismic data from felt effects. The full exploit of this information is of basic importance for seismic risk assessment and emergency planning, given the strict link between macroseismic intensity and damage. A probabilistic procedure specifically developed to handle macroseismic data, mostly relying on site information and seismogenic-source free, has been applied to evaluate seismic hazard in SE-Spain (Alicante-Murcia region). Present seismicity is moderate-low with largest magnitudes slightly over Mw5.0. The historical record includes very destructive earthquakes, maximum EMS98 intensities reaching IX–X and X in the nineteenth century (e.g., Torrevieja 1829 earthquake). Very recently, two events in the area on 11 May 2011 (Mw4.5, Mw5.2) killed nine people, injured 300, and produced important damage in the city of Lorca. Regional hazard maps for the area together with specific hazard curves at selected localities are obtained. Results are compared with the maximum observed intensities in the period 1300–2012, and with the values in the seismic hazard map from the Spanish Building Code in force. In general, the maximum felt intensity values are closer to the hazard values calculated for 2 % probability of exceedance in 50 years, using felt and expected intensity. The intensity-based probabilistic hazard maps obtained through the applied approach reduce the inherent smoothing of those based on standard probabilistic seismic hazard assessment approaches for the region, allowing identifying possible over- or sub-estimates of site hazard values, providing very valuable information for risk reduction strategies or for future updates of the building code hazard maps.     

Probabilistic seismic hazard model for Cairo,Egypt: estimates and uncertainties

A new seismic hazard model for Cairo, the capital city of Egypt is developed herein based on comprehensive consideration of uncertainties in various components of the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. The proposed seismic hazard model is developed from an updated catalogue of historical and instrumental seismicity, geodetic strain rates derived from GPS-based velocity-field of the crust, and the geologic slip rates of active faults. The seismic source model consists of area sources and active faults characterised to forecast the seismic productivity in the region. Ground motion prediction models are selected to describe the expected ground motion at the sites of interest. The model accounts for inherent epistemic uncertainties of statistical earthquake recurrence; maximum magnitude; ground motion prediction models, and their propagation toward the obtained results. The proposed model is applied to a site-specific hazard analysis for Kottamiya, Rehab City and Zahraa-Madinat-Nasr (hereinafter referred to as Zahraa) to the East of Cairo (Egypt). The site-specific analysis accounts for the site response, through the parameterization of the sites in terms of average 30-m shear-wave velocity (Vs30). The present seismic hazard model can be considered as a reference model for earthquake risk mitigation and proper resilience planning.     

设定地震及其烈度影响判别

设定地震常用于震害预测、地震小区划和重大工程选址,烈度衰减模型反映了地震引起的地面震动及其影响的强弱程度分布。设定地震包括确定性和非确定性设定两种方法,确定性方法基于构造或历史地震,非确定性方法是基于概率危险性方法,用于估计区域或城市未来可能遭遇的地震危险。缺失等震线或震害记载不详的历史地震和概率设定地震都不能确切地反映地震破坏影响,借助于烈度衰减关系模型和GIS,可直观地判别其影响分布情况,便于设定地震的取舍。     

Seismic hazard model for loss estimation and risk management in Taiwan

We developed a seismic hazard model for Taiwan that integrates all available tectonic, seismicity, and seismic hazard information in the region to provide risk managers and engineers with a model they can use to estimate earthquake losses and manage seismic risk in Taiwan. The seismic hazard model is composed of two major components: a seismotectonic model and a ground-shaking model. The seismotectonic model incorporates earthquakes that are expected to occur on the Ryukyu and Manila subduction zones, on the intermediate-depth Wadati-Benioff seismicity zones, on the active crustal faults, and within seismotectonic provinces. The active crustal faults include the Chelungpu fault zone, the source of the damaging M_W 7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake, and the Huangchi-Hsiaoyukeng fault zone that forms the western boundary of the Taipei Basin. The ground-shaking model uses both US, worldwide, and Taiwanese attenuation relations to provide robust estimates of peak ground acceleration and response spectral acceleration on a reference site condition for shallow crustal and subduction zone earthquakes. The ground shaking for other site conditions is obtained by applying a nonlinear soil-amplification factor defined in terms of the average shear-wave velocity in the top 30 m of the soil profile, consistent with the methodology used in the current US and proposed Taiwan building codes.     

1604年泉州海外大地震及其海啸影响分析

由于史料记载的模糊和局限性, 1604年泉州海外8级大地震是否引发地震海啸灾难, 一直是有争议的。 该文从这次地震历史资料的辨别、 考证和分析研究认为, 泉州海外大地震并未引发地震海啸产生的显著灾害。 在相关的史料与台湾海峡发震构造的分析基础上, 通过潜在海啸源的鉴别以及海啸源参数的确定, 对泉州滨海断裂和台湾海峡浅滩南缘海啸源进行数值模拟计算。 在计算过程中, 利用了1994年台湾海峡浅滩南缘地震的海啸波验潮站资料, 对计算模型和方法进行了检验。 1604年泉州海外大地震的潜在海啸源(滨海断裂)的数值计算结果表明, 海啸波对泉州湾沿岸的增减水效应不足以造成灾难性的影响, 因此也为1604年泉州海外大地震未引发灾难性的海啸提供了新的证据。     

地震活动性的统计分析:由过去推测将来的可能性研究

为了由过去的地震活动性推测将来的地震活动性,引入了地震（震级≥m）的期望年发生率v（≥m）来描述一个地区的地震活动性．根据全球地震目录（1964-1994年）以及南加州（1932-1995年）和华北（1970-1994年）两个区域地震目录资料,以统计样本量作为目录记录时间长短的相对量度,对由不同的统计样本量计算得出的地震实际年发生率v（≥m,T,t）进行了统计分析,得到三点结沦：①在统计样本量n足够大的情况下,地震实际年发生率表现出准平稳时间过程的特征,可近似地看作地震期望年发生率,本文给出了这种近似的误差（离差系数）与统计样本量之间的定量关系;②离差系数与统计样本量之间的关系与震级无关,表现出不同震级层次的相似性;③统计样本量相同时,不同震级的地震期望年发生率之间满足logv（≥）=a－bm的关系,形式上与G－R关系相似,但它给出了由小地震的统计特征估计大地震的期望年发生率及其统计误差的方法．基于上述结论,进一步讨论了地震活动性的统计特征在地震危险性分析中的潜在应用。     

地震区划原则和方法的研究——以华北地区为例.

本文基于对我国华北地区地震活动在时间和空间不均匀分布的认识,吸收了近20年来地震预测方面的科研成果,采用目前国际通用的地震危险性概率分析方法,通过对华北区划的试验,对地震区划的原则和方法提出了如下改进: 1.以地震带作为地震活动性参数的统计单元.引入地震活动趋势估计因素,评定表征地震活动水平的年平均发生率,以使区划结果同预测未来时间段地震活动水平相适应; 2.采用按震级挡次分配各潜在震源区的年平均发生率,可以合理地评估高震级地震的危险程度; 3.采用以震级挡次为条件概率的空间分布函数,刻画地震带内各潜在震源区之间发生相应震级挡次地震的相对危险程度,使区划结果更好地反映地震活动在时间和空间上不均匀性分布的特点; 4.在地震危险性分析计算中,引入了方向性函数项,使得分析模型更接近我国地震震源的实际情况.