Evaluation of hard rock spectral models for the Taiwan region on the basis of the 1999 Chi–Chi earthquake data

We analyze the ability of different spectral models to describe the frequency content of ground motion during the 1999 Chi–Chi earthquake (M_W=7.6, Taiwan) and two large (M_L=6.8) aftershocks. The spectral models evaluated include the one-corner model of Brune applied with various key parameters (seismic moment and stress drop), and the two-corner-frequency models proposed for eastern North America [Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 83 (1993) 1778] and California [Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 90 (2000) 255]. The ground-motion spectra predicted by these spectral models for hypothetical very hard rock site were compared with the Chi–Chi earthquake data obtained on rock (class B) and soft rock or very dense soil (class C) sites. The approach also allows us evaluating the generalized empirical amplification function for class B and C sites in the region.

It has been found that, the amplitude spectra of recorded ground acceleration (the mainshock and aftershocks) for frequencies larger than 0.3–0.4 Hz agree with the modelled two-corner-frequency spectra calculated using the model proposed for California. The single-corner-frequency model also provides a good agreement with the observations when using so-called ‘short-period seismic moment’ [Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors 37 (1985) 108] instead of the reported values obtained from long-period waves. The key parameters used in the single-corner model coincide with parameters of subsources evaluated for the complicated mainshock source. Therefore, it is possible to confirm the suggestion that the short-period seismic waves, at least for the thrust earthquakes, are generated mainly from the fracture of small-scale heterogeneities. The use of two-corner-frequency source model for earthquake spectrum that is based on long-period seismic moment value is equivalent, for frequencies larger than 0.3–0.4 Hz, to the use of single-corner-frequency model that is based on the parameters of major subsource.     

On the selection of GMPEs for Vrancea subcrustal seismic source

The Vrancea subcrustal seismic source is characterized by large magnitude ( $M_{W} \ge 7$ ) intermediate-depth earthquakes that occur two or three times during a century on average. In this study several procedures are used to grade four candidate ground motion prediction equations proposed for Vrancea source in the SHARE project. In the work of Delavaud et al. (J Seismol 16(3):451–473, 2012) four ground motion prediction models developed for subduction zones (Zhao et al. in Bull Seism Soc Am 96(3):898–913, 2006; Atkinson and Boore in Bull Seism Soc Am 93(4):1703–1729, 2003; Youngs et al. in Seism Res Lett 68(1):58–73, 1997; Lin and Lee in Bull Seism Soc Am 98(1):220–240, 2008) are suggested as suitable for Vrancea subcrustal seismic source. The paper presents the appropriateness analysis of the four suggested ground motion prediction equations done using a dataset of 109 triaxial accelerograms recorded during seven Vrancea seismic events with moment magnitude $M_{W}$ between 5.4 and 7.4, occurred in the past 35 years. The strong ground motions were recorded in Romania, as well as in Bulgaria, Republic of Moldova and Serbia. Based on the ground motion dataset several goodness-of-fit measures are used in order to quantify how well the selected models match with the recorded data. The compatibility of the four ground motion prediction models with respect to magnitude scaling and distance scaling implied by strong ground motion dataset is investigated as well. The analyses show that the Youngs et al. (Seism Res Lett 68(1):58–73, 1997) and Zhao et al. (Bull Seism Soc Am 96(3):898–913, 2006) ground motion prediction models have a better fit with the data and can be candidate models for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment.     

Application of horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) Fourier spectral ratio for analysis of site effect on rock (NEHRP-class B) sites in Taiwan

The frequency-dependent amplification for rock (NEHRP-class B) sites was studied using earthquake ground-motion database collected in Taiwan during implementation of the Taiwan Strong Motion Instrumentation Program. The database used includes several hundred records from earthquakes of M_L 4.0–7.3 occurred between 1993 and 2004. The characteristics of amplification were evaluated using the well-known technique of horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectral ratio (H/V) of the S-wave phase [Lermo J, Chavez-Garcia FJ. Site effect evaluation using spectral ratios with only one station. Bull Seism Soc Am 1993;83:1574–94]. The study allows us to analyze peculiarities of rock sites amplification in Northern and Eastern Taiwan. It was suggested to divide the NEHRP-class B site amplification into four types based on frequency of maximum amplification and the shape of amplification function. The applicability of the technique was also checked for a few stiff and soft soil sites (NEHRP-classes D and E).     

Update of likelihood-based ground-motion model selection for seismic hazard analysis in western central Europe

Scherbaum et al. [(2004) Bull Seismolo Soc Am 94(6): 2164–2185] proposed a likelihood-based approach to select and rank ground-motion models for seismic hazard analysis in regions of low-seismicity. The results of their analysis were first used within the PEGASOS project [Abrahamson et al. (2002), In Proceedings of the 12 ECEE, London, 2002, Paper no. 633] so far the only application of a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) in Europe which was based on a SSHAC Level 4 procedure [(Budnitz et al. 1997, Recommendations for PSHA: guidance on uncertainty and use of experts. No. NUREG/CR-6372-V1). The outcome of this project have generated considerable discussion (Klügel 2005, Eng Geol 78:285–307, 2005b) Eng Geol 78: 285–307, (2005c) Eng Geol 82: 79–85 Musson et al. (2005) Eng Geol 82(1): 43–55]; Budnitz et al. (2005), Eng Geol 78(3–4): 285–307], a central part of which is related to the issue of ground-motion model selection and ranking. Since at the time of the study by Scherbaum et al. [(2004.) Bull Seismolo Soc Am 94(6): 2164–2185], only records from one earthquake were available for the study area, here we test the stability of their results using more recent data. Increasing the data set from 12 records of one earthquake in Scherbaum et al. [(2004) Bull Seismolo Soc Am 94(6): 2164–2185] to 61 records of 5 earthquakes, which have mainly occurred since the publication of the original study, does not change the set of the three top-ranked ground-motion models [Abrahamson and Silva (1997) Seismolo Res Latt 68(1): 94–127; Lussou et al. (2001) J Earthquake Eng 5(1):13–33; Berge-Thierry et al. (2003) Bull Seismolog Soc Am 95(2): 377–389. Only for the lower-ranked models do we obtain modifications in the ranking order. Furthermore, the records from the Waldkirch earthquake (Dec, 5th, 2004, M _w = 4.9) enabled us to develop a new stochastic model parameter set for the application of Campbell’s [(2003) Bull Seismolo Soc Am 93(3): 1012–1033] hybrid empirical model to SW Germany and neighbouring regions.     

Measurement of shallow shear wave velocities at a rock site using the ReMi technique

Shallow shear wave velocities beneath a rock site are characterized using the refraction microtremor (ReMi) technique developed by Louie [Faster, better: shear-wave velocity to 100 m depth from ReMi arrays. Bull Seism Soc Am 2001; 91: 347–64]. Ground motion from a passing train enabled capture of energy propagating parallel to the recording array. This allowed evaluation of the variation of the minimum phase-velocity of the dispersion curve envelope and better estimation of the true minimum velocity beneath the site. We use a new method to image and evaluate the dispersion curve envelope via power–slowness profiles through the slowness–frequency plots introduced by Louie [Faster, better: shear-wave velocity to 100 m depth from ReMi arrays. Bull Seism Soc Am 2001; 91: 347–64]. Data illustrated the frequency dependency of dispersion curve uncertainties, with greater uncertainty occurring at low frequencies. These uncertainties map directly into uncertainty of the inverted velocity–depth profile. Above 100 m depth velocities are well constrained with 10% variability. Variability is greatly reduced when the energy propagation is along the geophone array. Greater velocity variation is observed below 100 m depth.     

地震动衰减模型在玛多Mw7.3级地震影响场快速评估中的应用

2021年5月22日青海省玛多县发生M_w7.3级地震。震后,根据初步估计的断层走向和破裂长度,基于YU15地震动衰减模型和三种NGA-West2（Next Generation Attenuation-West2）地震动衰减模型快速产出地震区震动图及理论烈度图。在获得强震记录和地表破裂长度信息后,对预测结果进行修正。通过比较理论烈度与调查烈度,并结合震动图分布形态以及衰减模型在2016年新疆呼图壁M_w6.0地震中的应用情况对四种地震动衰减模型的适用性进行了分析。结果表明:在台网稀疏地区,基于地震动衰减模型可在震后快速获得地震动分布,并产出具有应用价值的地震影响场;NGA-West2模型在断层破裂较长的大震中表现优于YU15模型,而在中强地震中后者适用性更强;近实时强震动记录可用来检验模型的适用性并对预测结果进行修正;断层破裂尺度、震源机制和破裂过程等信息的准确估计可有效提高地震影响场预测精度。     

Validation of a kinematic and parametric approach to calculating intensity scenarios

We employ our semi-empirical kinematic model for shear body waves (KF) [Sirovich L. A simple algorithm for tracing out synthetic isoseismals. Bull Seism Soc Am 1996;86(4):1019–27; Sirovich L. Synthetic isoseismals of three earthquakes in California-Nevada. Soil Dyn Earthquake Eng 1997;16:353–62] to back-predict and then validate the regional intensity scenario of a destructive earthquake (Loma Prieta, California, M_s 7.1, October 17, 1989). Only the pre-1988 geological and seismotectonic knowledge was used to set the 11 source parameters of KF (in this sense, our procedure was deterministic). Then, the ranges of the pre-1988 uncertainties were explored by grid search and the parametric combination produced 59,049 sources. The quality of our prediction was measured using the field intensities of 1989 by the US Geological Survey (in the MMI scale). The squared scenario residuals are: 73 for the mean KF scenario and 123 for the best available empirical attenuation of MMI intensity. We stress that, before using KF in the forward mode, its automatic inverse application has already been validated by refinding a series of earthquake sources [Gentile F, Pettenati F, Sirovich L. Validation of the automatic nonlinear source inversion of the US geological survey intensities of the Whittier Narrows, 1987 Earthquake. Bull Seism Soc Am 2004;94(5):1737–47; Pettenati F, Sirovich L. Intensity-based source inversion of three destructive California earthquakes. Bull Seism Soc Am 2007;97(5):1587–606; Sirovich L, Pettenati F. Source inversion of intensity patterns of earthquakes: a destructive shock in 1936 in northeast Italy. J Geophys Res 2004;109:B10309, doi:10.1029/2003JB002919:1–16]. If our technique had been available at the time, the 1989 pattern of damage south of San Francisco would have been conservatively foreseen even from 1983 on.     

Stochastic modeling of Iranian earthquakes and estimation of ground motion for future earthquakes in Greater Tehran

Strong-motion data from eight significant well-documented earthquakes in Iran have been simulated using a stochastic modeling technique for finite faults proposed by Beresnev and Atkinson [Bull Seismol Soc Am 87 (1997) 67–84; Seism Res Lett 69 (1998) 27–32]. The database consists of 61 three-component records from eight earthquakes of magnitude ranging from M 6.3 to M 7.4, recorded at hypocentral distances up to 200 km. The model predictions are in good agreement with available Iranian strong-motion data as evidenced by near-zero average of differences between logarithms of the observed and predicted values for all frequencies. The strength factor, sfact, a quantity that controls the high-frequency radiation from the source is determined, on an event-by-event basis, by fitting simulated to observed response spectra.     

Ground motions observed during the 15 August 2007 Pisco, Peru, earthquake

A M_w 7.9 earthquake event occurred on 15 August 2007 off the coast of central Peru, 60 km west of the city of Pisco. This event is associated with subduction processes at the interface of the Nazca and South American plates, and was characterised by a complex source mechanism involving rupture on two main asperities, with unilateral rupture propagation to the southeast. The rupture process is clearly reflected in the ground motions recorded during this event, which include two separate episodes of strong shaking. The event triggered 18 accelerographic stations; the recordings are examined in terms of their characteristics and compared to the predictions of ground-motion prediction equations for subduction environments, using the maximum-likelihood-based method of Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 94(6):2164–2185, 2004). Additionally, macroseismic observations and damage patterns are examined and discussed in the light of local construction practices, drawing on field observations gathered during the post-earthquake reconnaissance missions.     

Strong motion uncertainty determined from observed records by dense network in Japan

The variation of ground motions at specific stations from events in six narrow areas was inspected by using K-NET and KiK-net records. A source-area factor for individual observation stations was calculated by averaging ratios between observed values for horizontal peak acceleration and velocity, as well as acceleration response spectra for 5% damping, and predicted values using a ground-motion model (usually known as an attenuation relation) by Kanno et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am, 96:879–897, 2006). Standard deviations between observed and predicted amplitudes after the correction factor are less than 0.2 on the logarithmic scale and decrease down to around 0.15 in the short-period range. Intra-event standard deviation clearly increases with decreasing distance due to differing paths around near source area. Standard deviations may increase with amplitude or decrease with magnitude; however, both amplitude and magnitude of the data are strongly correlated with distance. The standard deviation calculated in this study is obviously much smaller than that of the original ground-motion model, as epistemic uncertainties are minimized by grouping ground motions at specific stations. This result indicates that the accuracy of strong ground motion prediction could be improved if ground-motion models for specified region are determined individually. For this to be possible, it is necessary to have dense strong-motion networks in high-seismicity regions, such as K-NET and KiK-net.     

The 2014 Earthquake Model of the Middle East: ground motion model and uncertainties

We summarize the main elements of a ground-motion model, as built in three-year effort within the Earthquake Model of the Middle East (EMME) project. Together with the earthquake source, the ground-motion models are used for a probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) of a region covering eleven countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria and Turkey. Given the wide variety of ground-motion predictive models, selecting the appropriate ones for modeling the intrinsic epistemic uncertainty can be challenging. In this respect, we provide a strategy for ground-motion model selection based on data-driven testing and sensitivity analysis. Our testing procedure highlights the models of good performance in terms of both data-driven and non-data-driven testing criteria. The former aims at measuring the match between the ground-motion data and the prediction of each model, whereas the latter aims at identification of discrepancies between the models. The selected set of ground models were directly used in the sensitivity analyses that eventually led to decisions on the final logic tree structure. The strategy described in great details hereafter was successfully applied to shallow active crustal regions, and the final logic tree consists of four models (Akkar and Ça?nan in Bull Seismol Soc Am 100:2978–2995, 2010; Akkar et al. in Bull Earthquake Eng 12(1):359–387, 2014; Chiou and Youngs in Earthq Spectra 24:173–215, 2008; Zhao et al. in Bull Seismol Soc Am 96:898–913, 2006). For other tectonic provinces in the considered region (i.e., subduction), we adopted the predictive models selected within the 2013 Euro-Mediterranean Seismic Hazard Model (Woessner et al. in Bull Earthq Eng 13(12):3553–3596, 2015). Finally, we believe that the framework of selecting and building a regional ground-motion model represents a step forward in ground-motion modeling, particularly for large-scale PSHA models.     

An evaluation of the applicability of the NGA models to ground-motion prediction in the Euro-Mediterranean region

The first phase of the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) project has now finished, resulting in the publication of five new sets of empirical ground-motion models for PGA, PGV and response spectral ordinates. These models mark a significant advancement in the state-of-the-art in empirical ground-motion modelling and include many effects that are not accounted for in existing European equations. Under the assumption that the Euro-Mediterranean database from which the European relationships are derived is unlikely to drastically change in the near future, a prudent question to ask is: can the NGA models be applied in Europe? In order to answer this question, the NGA model of Boore and Atkinson (PEER Report 2007/01, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Berkeley, CA, 234 pp., 2007), which is shown to be representative of the NGA models as a suite, is compared with the dataset used for the development of the most recent European empirical ground-motion models for response spectral ordinates and peak ground velocity. The comparisons are made using analyses of model residuals and the likelihood approach of Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seism Soc Am 94(6):2164–2185, 2004). The analyses indicate that for most engineering applications, and particularly for displacement-based approaches to seismic design, the NGA models may confidently be applied within Europe. Furthermore, it is recommended that they be used in conjunction with existing European models to provide constraint on finite-fault effects and non-linear site response within logic-tree frameworks. The findings also point to the potential benefits of merging the NGA and European datasets.     

Accounting for site effect in probabilistic assessment of seismic hazard for Romania and Bucharest: a case of deep seismicity in Vrancea zone

The paper presents recent achievements in evaluations of site-dependent seismic hazard in Romania and the capital city of Bucharest caused by the Vrancea focal zone (SE-Carpathians). The zone is characterized by a high rate of occurrence of large earthquakes in a narrow focal volume at depths 60–170 km. The database that was used for the hazard evaluation includes parameters of seismicity, ground-motion source scaling and attenuation models (Fourier amplitude spectra), and site-dependent spectral amplification functions. Ground-motion characteristics were evaluated on the basis of several hundred records from more than 120 small magnitude (M 3.5–5) earthquakes occurred in 1996–2001 and a few tens of acceleration records obtained during four large (M 7.4, 7.2, 6.9 and 6.3) earthquakes. The data provide a basis for probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in terms of peak ground acceleration, peak spectral acceleration and MSK intensity using Fourier amplitude spectra for various exceedance probabilities or average return periods. It has been shown that the influence of geological factors plays very important role in distribution of earthquake ground-motion parameters along the territory of Romania.     

Empirical equations for the prediction of PGA and pseudo spectral accelerations using Iranian strong-motion data

A recently compiled, comprehensive, and good-quality strong-motion database of the Iranian earthquakes has been used to develop local empirical equations for the prediction of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and 5%-damped pseudo-spectral accelerations (PSA) up to 4.0 s. The equations account for style of faulting and four site classes and use the horizontal distance from the surface projection of the rupture plane as a distance measure. The model predicts the geometric mean of horizontal components and the vertical-to-horizontal ratio. A total of 1551 free-field acceleration time histories recorded at distances of up to 200 km from 200 shallow earthquakes (depth < 30 km) with moment magnitudes ranging from M_w 4.0 to 7.3 are used to perform regression analysis using the random effects algorithm of Abrahamson and Youngs (Bull Seism Soc Am 82:505–510, 1992), which considers between-events as well as within-events errors. Due to the limited data used in the development of previous Iranian ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) and strong trade-offs between different terms of GMPEs, it is likely that the previously determined models might have less precision on their coefficients in comparison to the current study. The richer database of the current study allows improving on prior works by considering additional variables that could not previously be adequately constrained. Here, a functional form used by Boore and Atkinson (Earthquake Spect 24:99–138, 2008) and Bindi et al. (Bull Seism Soc Am 9:1899–1920, 2011) has been adopted that allows accounting for the saturation of ground motions at close distances. A regression has been also performed for the V/H in order to retrieve vertical components by scaling horizontal spectra. In order to take into account epistemic uncertainty, the new model can be used along with other appropriate GMPEs through a logic tree framework for seismic hazard assessment in Iran and Middle East region.     

Towards a new reference ground motion prediction equation for Italy: update of the Sabetta–Pugliese (1996)

A revised Italian strong motion archive has become available since July 2007, including all the records of the strongest events occurred from 1972 to 2004. It contains the uncorrected and corrected accelerograms and the metadata relevant to seismic events, recording stations and instruments added after a careful revision. The availability of this archive allowed us to perform a first step towards an update of the reference ground motion prediction equations for Italy, which were evaluated by Sabetta and Pugliese in (Bull Seismol Soc Am 77:1491–1513, 1987), for peak ground acceleration and velocity, and subsequently extended to the 5% damped pseudovelocity response spectra in 1996. A subset with the 27 major earthquakes occurred in Italy from 1972 to 2002, in the magnitude range 4.6–6.9, was extracted and 235 good quality waveforms were selected, recorded at distances up to 183 km. The goodness of fit of the Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seismol Soc Am 86:337–352, 1996) model was explored using two independent statistical approaches (Spudich et al. Bull Seismol Soc Am 89:1156–1170, 1999 and Scherbaum et al. Bull Seismol Soc Am 94:2164–2185, 2004). The results obtained show that the Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seismol Soc Am 77:1491–1513, 1987) does not adequately fit the new strong-motion data set, for its small standard deviation and its non-zero bias. In particular, the most noteworthy result is that the Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seismol Soc Am 77:1491–1513, 1987) over-predicts peak ground acceleration and velocity at rock sites. New coefficients for the prediction of horizontal peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity and acceleration response spectra, adopting the same functional form in Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seismol Soc Am 77:1491–1513, 1987), were then evaluated in order to fit the new data set. This paper illustrates the steps made to update the existing ground motion prediction equations for Italy, discusses their limitations and provides the basis for future developments.     

Stochastic ground-motion simulation of two Himalayan earthquakes: seismic hazard assessment perspective

The earthquakes in Uttarkashi (October 20, 1991, M _w 6.8) and Chamoli (March 8, 1999, M _w 6.4) are among the recent well-documented earthquakes that occurred in the Garhwal region of India and that caused extensive damage as well as loss of life. Using strong-motion data of these two earthquakes, we estimate their source, path, and site parameters. The quality factor (Q _β ) as a function of frequency is derived as Q _β (f) = 140f ^1.018. The site amplification functions are evaluated using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique. The ground motions of the Uttarkashi and Chamoli earthquakes are simulated using the stochastic method of Boore (Bull Seismol Soc Am 73:1865–1894, 1983). The estimated source, path, and site parameters are used as input for the simulation. The simulated time histories are generated for a few stations and compared with the observed data. The simulated response spectra at 5% damping are in fair agreement with the observed response spectra for most of the stations over a wide range of frequencies. Residual trends closely match the observed and simulated response spectra. The synthetic data are in rough agreement with the ground-motion attenuation equation available for the Himalayas (Sharma, Bull Seismol Soc Am 98:1063–1069, 1998).     

用连续GPS与远震体波联合反演2015年尼泊尔中部M_S8.1地震破裂过程

由于印度-欧亚板块碰撞,位于板块边界带的喜马拉雅地区大震频繁,但对其活动性的认识仍十分有限.2015年4月25日尼泊尔中东部地区时隔80年再次发生8级地震,为研究板缘地震提供了一次难得机遇.本文用西藏和尼泊尔的GPS连续观测数据和全球分布的远震地震波记录联合反演此次特大地震的破裂过程,结果显示此次地震发生在印度板块与青藏高原接触边界面——喜马拉雅主滑脱断层上.北倾11°、近东西(295°)走向的断层面破裂约100km长(博卡拉到加德满都),130km宽(从加德满都深入我国西藏吉隆县),破裂以逆冲滑动为主,平均幅度达到2.4m,释放的地震矩高达9.4×1020 N·m.反演结果还显示,震源体主要破裂分布深度范围为5~25km,应无地表破裂,属于一次盲地震.基于GPS资料推测的地壳现今运动速率及1833年地震的震源位置,我们推测地震在此次地震破裂区域复发的周期可能为150~200a,而极震区以南的深部滑脱断层仍保持闭锁,未来仍有导致灾害性大震的可能性.     

Analysis of the strong motion data of the 1995 Dinar, Turkey earthquake

Dinar earthquake (M_w=6.0, USGS) occurred on October 1, 1995 causing casualties and physical damage (I_o=VII–VIII MSK). The earthquake was associated with predominantly normal faulting. The PGA in Dinar was 0.33 g. Strong motion data associated with the mainshock and aftershocks of the 1995 Dinar, Turkey earthquake have been analyzed to investigate the source, attenuation and site response parameters. Strong motion data were baseline corrected, local magnitudes were computed and inelastic attenuation parameters, seismic moments and corner frequencies were assessed. A parametric analysis is attempted to understand the correlation of damage distribution with the fault parameters. It is believed that the obtained data will complement the relatively scarce earthquake data associated with extensional regimes.     

Regional adjustment factors for three NGA-West2 ground-motion prediction equations to be applicable in northern Iran

Ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are essential tools in seismic hazard studies to estimate ground motions generated by potential seismic sources. Global GMPEs which are based on well-compiled global strong-motion databanks, have certain advantages over local GMPEs, including more sophisticated parameters in terms of distance, faulting style, and site classification but cannot guarantee the local/region-specific propagation characteristics of shear wave (e.g., geometric spreading behavior, quality factor) for different seismic regions at larger distances (beyond about 80 km). Here, strong-motion records of northern Iran have been used to estimate the propagation characteristics of shear wave and determine the region-specific adjustment parameters for three of the NGA-West2 GMPEs to be applicable in northern Iran. The dataset consists of 260 three-component records from 28 earthquakes, recorded at 139 stations, with moment magnitudes between 4.9 and 7.4, horizontal distance to the surface projection of the rupture (R _JB) less than 200 km, and average shear-wave velocity over the top 30 m of the subsurface (V _S30) between 155 and 1500 m/s. The paper also presents the ranking results for three of the NGA-West2 GMPEs against strong motions recorded in northern Iran, before and after adjustment for region-dependent attenuation characteristics. The ranking is based on the likelihood and log-likelihood methods (LH and LLH) proposed by Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 94: 2164–2185, 2004, Bull Seismol Soc Am 99, 3234–3247, 2009, respectively), the Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (Nash and Sutcliffe, J Hydrol 10:282–290, 1970), and the EDR method of Kale and Akkar (Bull Seismol Soc Am 103:1069–1084, 2012). The best-fitting models over the whole frequency range are the ASK14 and BSSA14 models. Taking into account that the models’ performances were boosted after applying the adjustment factors, at least moderate regional variation of ground motions is highlighted. The regional adjustment based on the Iranian database reveals an upward trend (indicated as high Q factor) for the selected database. Further investigation to determine adjustment factors based on a much richer database of the Iranian strong-motion records is of utmost important for seismic hazard and risk analysis studies in northern Iran, containing major cities including the capital city of Tehran.