The seismic microzonation of the city of Catania (Italy) for the maximum expected scenario earthquake of January 11, 1693

Safety against earthquake hazards presents two aspects: structural safety against potentially destructive dynamic forces and site safety related to geotechnical phenomena, such as amplification, landsliding and soil liquefaction. The correct evaluation of seismic hazard is, therefore, highly affected by risk factors due to geological nature and geotechnical properties of soils. In response to these new developments, several attempts have been made to identify and appraise geotechnical hazards and to represent them in the form of zoning maps, in which locations or zones with different levels of hazard potential are identified. The geotechnical zonation of the subsoil of the city of Catania (Italy) suggests a high vulnerability of the physical environment added to site amplification of the ground motion phenomena. The ground response analysis at the surface, in terms of time history and response spectra, has been obtained by some 1D equivalent linear models and by a 2D linear model, using a design scenario earthquake as input at the conventional bedrock. In particular, the study has regarded the evaluation of site effects in correspondence of the database of about 1200 boreholes and water-wells available in the data-bank of the Catania area. According to the response spectra obtained through the application of the 1D and 2D models, the city of Catania has been divided into some zones with different peak ground acceleration at the surface, to which corresponds a different value of the Seismic Geotechnical Hazard. A seismic microzoning map of the urban area of the city of Catania has been obtained. The map represents an important tool for the seismic improvement of the buildings, indispensable for the mitigation of the seismic risk.     

Linear Amplification of Horizontal Strong Ground Motion in Zagreb (Croatia) for a Realistic Range of Scaled Point Sources

— The linear amplification of the larger horizontal component of strong ground motion along a selected profile in the city of Zagreb is estimated by examining the synthetic waveforms corresponding to a suite of 16 realistically chosen scaled point sources. The accelerograms, computed for the average bedrock model by modal summation, are propagated through local laterally heterogeneous anelastic models by the finite-difference algorithm. The ratio of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and of the response spectra (RS), obtained by using local and bedrock models, define the PGA and RS amplification AMP(PGA) and AMP(RS), respectively. Even variations of the order of commonly observed uncertainties of only dip and rake angles of the causative fault show that both AMP(PGA) and AMP(RS) vary at some sites by more than a factor of two. It follows that, especially for strongly laterally heterogeneous structures, local effects must be determined for each of the relevant sources considering all associated uncertainties as completely as possible. Such a conclusion certainly holds for the case of the microzonation of Zagreb, where the local geology is quite complex, and the seismicity is not confined to a single seismic source zone.     

PART I: Theoretical Site Response Estimation for Microzoning Purposes

— We estimate the theoretical site response along seven cross sections located in the city of Thessaloniki (Greece). For this purpose the 2-D structural models used are based on the known geometry and the dynamic soil properties derived from borehole measurements and other geophysical techniques. Several double-couple sources have been employed to generate the seismic wavefield, and a hybrid method that combines the modal summation with finite differences, has been deployed to produce synthetic accelerograms to a maximum frequency of 6 Hz for all components of motion. The ratios between the response spectra of signals derived for the 2-D local model and the corresponding spectra of signals derived for the 1-D bedrock reference model at the same site, allow us to estimate the site response due to lateral heterogeneities. We interpret the results in terms of both geological and geometrical features of the models and of the characteristics of the wave propagation. The cases discussed confirm that the geometry and depth of the rock basement, along with the impedance contrast, are responsible for ground amplification phenomena such as edge effects and generation and entrapment of local surface waves. Our analysis also confirms that the peak ground acceleration is not well correlated with damage and that a substantially better estimator for possible damage is the spectral amplification.     

The new accelerograph network for Santa Fe De Bogota, Colombia and implications for microzonation

The new accelerographic network of Santa Fe de Bogotá is composed of 29 three-component stations with sensors at the surface and three additional six-component borehole stations with three sensors at the surface and three at depth (115, 126 and 184 m). In total, 32 stations have been operative in the metropolitan area of Bogotá since 1999. During this period of time, a significant number of weak motion are recorded and used for a preliminary analysis of local site effects. Using the SH-wave response spectra we verify the behavior of the different seismic zones proposed by the previous microzonation study of the city. A comparison between normalized SH-wave response spectra and the normalized design spectra for each zone clearly depicts that parts of the design spectra should be revised, as well as the boundaries between different zones may require some changes. The spectral amplification levels reach up to a factor of 5. The predominant periods obtained by the amplification spectra in different stations in the city, show variability from 0.3 to 3.0 s. A comparison is also made between the predominant periods obtained using H/V spectral ratios of microtremors and those using weak motion. In general, microtremors tend to predict slightly lower values of dominant periods than those calculated by the weak motion spectra. However, there is a general correlation between the two data sets. Using the data recorded by one of the borehole station, an equivalent linear seismic response analysis was conducted. The modeled and recorded response spectra show similarities in period peaks, however, the modeled soil amplification is underestimated for periods less than 0.8 s. Since the available record is weak motion which represents mostly the linear response of the soils, further analysis is required.     

Seismic microzonation of Dehradun City using geophysical and geotechnical characteristics in the upper 30 m of soil column

The understanding of geotechnical characteristics of near-surface material is of fundamental interest in seismic microzonation. Shear wave velocity (Vs), one of the most important soil properties for soil response modeling, has been evaluated through seismic profiling using the multichannel analysis of surface waves in the city of Dehradun situated along the foothills of northwest Himalaya. Fifty sites in the city have been investigated with survey lines between 72 and 96 m in length. Multiple 1-D and interpolated 2-D profiles have been generated up to a depth of 30–40 m. The Vs were used in the SHAKE2000 software in combination with seismic input motion of the recent Chamoli earthquake to obtain site response and amplification spectra. The estimated Vs are higher in the northern part of the study area (i.e., 200–700 m/s from the surface to a depth of about 30 m) as compared to the south and southwestern parts of the city (i.e., 180–400 m/s for the same depth range). The response spectra suggest that spectral acceleration values for two-story structures are three to eight times higher than peak ground acceleration at bedrock. The analysis also suggests peak amplification at 3–4, 2–2.5, and 1–1.5 Hz in the northern, central, and south-southwestern parts of the city, respectively. The spatial distributions of Vs and spectral accelerations provide valuable information for the seismic microzonation in different parts of the urban area of Dehradun.     

地铁隧道群对地震动的放大作用

本文采用有限元方法在时域内研究了基岩上均匀场地中隧道群对地震动的放大作用,分析了隧道间距、人射地震波频谱等因素对隧道群附近地表地震动反应谱的影响.研究表明,隧道群对地震动具有显著的放大作用,放大作用的大小与隧道间距和人射地震波频谱有着密切关系;隧道之间存在相互作用,加速度峰值的最大值多大于单隧道情况,且水平加速度峰值的...     

Site Effects and Design Provisions: The Case of Euroseistest

—?Modern seismic codes usually include provisions for site effects by considering different coefficients chosen on the basis of soil properties at the surface and an estimate of the depth of bedrock. However, complex local geology may generate site amplification on soft soils significantly larger than what would be expected if we assume that the subsoil consists of plane soil layers overlaying a homogeneous half-space. This paper takes advantage of the large number of previous studies of site effects done at Euroseistest (northern Greece). Those studies have supplied a very detailed knowledge of the geometry and properties of the materials filling this shallow valley. In this paper we discuss the differences between site effects evaluated at the surface using simple 1-D computations and those evaluated using a very detailed 2-D model of the subsoil structure. The 2-D model produces an additional amplification in response spectra that cannot be accounted for without reference to the lateral heterogeneity of the valley structure. Our numerical results are extensively compared with observations, which show that the additional amplification computed from the 2-D model is real and affects by a significant factor response spectra, and thus suggests that some kind of aggravation factor due to the complexity of local geology is worthy of consideration in microzonation studies and seismic codes.     

层状半空间中洞室对平面SH波的放大作用

利用间接边界元法,求解了弹性层状半空间中洞室对入射平面SH波的放大作用问题,并以基岩上单一土层中洞室对入射平面SH波的放大作用为例进行了数值计算分析。本文模型的特点之一是考虑了层状场地的动力特性,因而更接近于实际工程;特点之二是计算精度非常高。研究表明,层状半空间中洞室对波的放大作用与均匀半空间中情况有着本质的差别;层状半空间中洞室附近地表动力响应由土层动力特性和洞室对波的散射二者共同决定。土层动力特性不仅影响洞室附近地表位移的幅值,还会影响地表位移的频谱。在土层的前几阶共振频率附近,随着基岩与土层剪切波速比的增大,土层的影响随之增大,而随着土层厚度的增加,土层的影响随之减小,并逐渐趋于均匀半空间情况。     

2012年唐山4.8级地震强震动记录特征及场地相关特性分析

2012年5月28日河北省唐山市古冶区与滦县交界发生4.8级地震, 国家强震动台网中心在河北、 天津和北京的94个强震动台站记录到了本次地震的加速度。 本文给出了获取记录的强震动台站分布及强震动记录结果, 统计了强震动记录数量随震中距的变化, 给出了3个较小震中距台站记录到的加速度时程; 绘制了空间地震动峰值加速度等值线图及周期0.2 s、 2.0 s加速度反应谱值的等值线, 发现峰值加速度等值线与长周期加速度反应谱等值线极值分布具有明显地域差异, 分析认为是由于厚沉积层对长周期地震动具有放大作用造成的。 通过强震动记录与适用于本区的三个衰减关系对比, 分析了此次地震的峰值加速度衰减特征, 同时研究了周期0.2 s、 2.0 s加速度反应谱值的衰减特征, 周期2.0 s反应谱值随震中距的衰减与衰减关系能较好地对应, 然而在震中距100～130 km沉积层较厚的集中地区, 表现出了实际记录较衰减关系值偏大的现象, 认为同样是由于厚沉积层对地震动加速度反应谱长周期的放大作用导致的。 研究了震中距差别不大的情况下, 场地类型与沉积层厚度对反应谱特征周期的影响, 对比基岩台站与软弱地基土层台站的强震动记录反应谱, 发现软弱土层台站的土层对地震动有一定的放大作用, 导致中长周期地震动被放大, 对比位于沉积层较薄的隆起区台站与位于沉积层较厚的凹陷区台站强震动记录反应谱, 发现厚的沉积层不仅对反应谱长周期有放大的作用, 同时也会使得反应谱特征周期值变大。     

Influence of geological factors on seismic ground-motions (seismic microzoning of Prague)

Summary Seismic microzoning of Prague was performed using geological data and seismic response (ground shaking) computations. The Prague territory was covered by a square grid, each square 250 m×250 m being characterized by a simplified geological cross-section from the Earth's surface to the bedrock boundary. The data were obtained from detailed engineering-geological maps 1:5000. The geological cross-sections were transformed into a set of layered models, specified by the thicknesses of individual layers and corresponding compressional and shear-wave velocities, densities and parameters of the causal absorption. The seismic responses were computed by the matrix method. The main amplitude and frequency characteristics of the responses are demonstrated in the form of microzoning maps. The maps do not depend on the specific type of seismic excitation. They make it possible to predict the relative amplification of P and S waves, with respect to the bedrock outcrop, all over the city.     

不同阻尼比反应谱的转换关系

不同阻尼比的反应谱的转换关系在我国各类抗震设计规范中有重要应用。以大崎顺彦的转换关系为数学模型,以包含可靠长周期信息的260条基岩记录为基础,进行统计分析,得到新的0.04—10 s的不同阻尼比反应谱的转换关系。新转换关系弥补了4—10 s的长周期部分,并首次考虑了距离对强震持时的影响,可以应用于阻尼比连续变化的反应谱的转换。先对0.04—4 s内的数据回归出结果,与大崎顺彦的结果作对比。然后,再对0.04—10 s内的数据回归出结果,再与大崎顺彦的结果作对比。与大崎顺彦的结果虽有差异,但随阻尼比、震级的增大而基本趋于一致。新的转换关系将为《核电厂抗震设计规范》、《建筑抗震设计规范》、《电力设施抗震设计规范》等相关规范的制订和修改提供参考。     

Response spectra for the deep sediment-filled Rhône Valley in the Swiss Alps

We present numerical modeling of earthquake ground motion for various profiles across the Swiss Rhône Valley and characterize the seismic response in terms of spectral acceleration. First, we evaluate the relative amplification of 2D with respect to 1D response. Then, we show how the selected bedrock spectrum influences the response spectra of the valley sites. Particular attention is paid to how the internal sediment structure and the often weakly constrained Q-factor shape the seismic response. Results obtained for the different profiles are compared with reference spectra (Swiss building code and Eurocode 8) and for one profile with recorded data as well. From this comparison, we infer that the surficial layer strongly influences spectral acceleration values between 0.1 and 1 s. The total thickness of sediments significantly affects the seismic response at longer periods around the fundamental period of the studied valley sections between 1.8 and 3.6 s.     

Side effect of using response spectral amplification ratios for soil sites—variability and earthquake-magnitude and source-distance dependent amplification ratios for soil sites

We investigate a special type of variability in response spectral amplification ratios computed from numerical “engineering” models for a soft soil site. The engineering models are defined by shallow soil layers over “engineering” bedrock with a shear-wave velocity over 600–700 m/s and the model is subjected to vertical propagating shear waves. The variability, perhaps unique in earthquake engineering, is a result of the “perfectly accurate” computational procedure. For example, an engineering soil site model, subjected to two rock site records or the two horizontal components of a rock site record, produces different response spectral amplification ratios. We use a large number of strong-motion records from “engineering” rock sites, with a reasonably balanced distribution with respect to magnitude and source distance, generated by subduction earthquakes in Japan, to investigate the nature of the variability. In order to avoid any approximation in removing the effect of soil nonlinear response, we use a simple model, a single horizontal soil layer over a bedrock, modelled as elastic. We then demonstrate that a similar type of variability observed in the one- or two-dimensional nonlinear soil models is caused by the nature of response spectral amplification ratios, not a direct result of soil nonlinear response. Examination of variability reveals that the average of response spectral amplification ratios systematically depends on both earthquake magnitude and source distance. We find that, at periods much longer than the site natural periods of the soil sites, the scatter of the amplification ratios decreases with increasing magnitude and source distance. These findings may have a potential impact in establishing design spectra for soft soil sites using strong-motion attenuation models or dynamic numerical modelling.     

1-D and 2-D analyses of weak motion data in Fraser Delta from 1966 Duvall earthquake

The 1996 Duvall earthquake in Washington State triggered ground motion stations in the Fraser Delta, British Columbia, located on varying depths of Holocene and Pleistocene soils to a maximum depth of 800 m and one station on bedrock. Recorded ground motions were used to examine the applicability of 1-D and 2-D site response analyses for amplification studies in the Delta. 1-D response analysis gave a good indication of the period of peak response. Response spectra computed by 1-D analysis did not compare well with recorded spectra except at very deep sites. The use of 2-D analyses to include buried topography generally improved the predictions of site response spectra at the shallow sites. However, for the shallow earth sites, the recorded motions showed a strong spectral response at short periods in the range of 0.1–0.25 s. Neither 1-D nor 2-D analysis predicted this response.     

Coupling of topographic and stratigraphic effects on seismic response of slopes through 2D linear and equivalent linear analyses

In this paper the seismic response of simple slope geometries under vertically propagating in-plane shear waves (SV waves) is assessed through two-dimensional finite element analyses to investigate the amplification of the ground motion induced by soil topography. Topographic horizontal and vertical amplification factors were evaluated through different sets of analyses focused on slopes in homogeneous half space and on slopes overlying either a rigid or a compliant bedrock. Soil was assumed to behave as a linear visco-elastic or as an equivalent-linear visco-elastic material. In the analyses the effects of slope inclination and of the characteristics of the input motion were also investigated.In order to calibrate the numerical model, the results obtained in linear visco-elastic analyses were compared with the results of parametric numerical analyses available in the literature, showing a good agreement. The results confirmed that a complex interaction exists between stratigraphic and topographic effects on the amplification of the ground motion and that the two effects cannot be evaluated independently and easily uncoupled. In the case of compliant bedrock the effect of the impedance ratio was also investigated.The results of the equivalent-linear analyses pointed out the remarkable dependence on soil non-linear behavior and, when compared to the results of linear visco-elastic analyses, showed that without accounting for soil non-linear behavior, topographic amplification factors may result underestimated.     

Local site effects and dynamic soil behavior

Amplitudes of seismic waves increase significantly as they pass through soft soil layers near the earth's surface. This phenomenon, commonly known as site amplification, is a major factor influencing the extent of damage on structures. It is crucial that site amplification is accounted for when designing structures on soft soils. The characteristics of site amplification at a given site can be estimated by analytical models, as well as field tests. Analytical models require as inputs the geometry of all soil layers from surface to bedrock, their dynamic properties (e.g. density, wave velocity, damping), and the incident bedrock motions. Field tests involve recording and analyzing the dynamic response of sites to artificial excitations, ambient forces, and actual earthquakes. The most reliable estimates of site amplification are obtained by analyzing the recorded motions of the site during strong earthquakes. This paper presents a review of the types and the generating mechanisms of site amplification, and the models and methods that are used to characterize them from earthquake records.     

Seismic microzoning from synthetic ground motion earthquake scenarios parameters: The case study of the city of Catania (Italy)

The city of Catania (Italy) in the South-Eastern Sicily has been affected in past times by several destroying earthquakes with high values of estimated magnitude. The seismogenic area to the south of Volcano Etna, known as Iblean Area, is placed between the African and the Euro-Asiatic plates on the west of the Ibleo-Maltese escarpment, to the south of the Graben of the Sicilian channel and on the east of the overlapping front of Gela. Basing on the seismic history of Catania, the following earthquake scenarios have been considered: the “Val di Noto” earthquake of January 11, 1693 (with intensity X-XI on MCS scale, magnitude M_W=7.41 and epicentral distance of about 13 km); the “Etna” earthquake of February 20, 1818 (with intensity IX on MCS scale, magnitude M_W=6.23 and epicentral distance of about 10 km). The soil response analysis at the surface, in terms of time history and response spectra, has been obtained by 1-D equivalent linear models for about 1200 borings location available in the data-bank of the central area of Catania of about 50 km², using deterministic design scenario earthquakes as input at the conventional bedrock.Seismic microzoning maps of the city of Catania have been obtained in terms of different peak ground acceleration at the surface and in terms of amplification ratios for given values of frequency.     

Estimating non‐linear site response by single period approximation

Site effects characterize the filtering mechanisms within the soil sedimentary layers overlying bedrock. In regions of high seismicity such as California where strong motion records are relatively abundant, site coefficients can be developed by regression of recorded ground shaking parameters. In regions of low‐to‐moderate seismicity or of high seismicity but with a paucity of recorded strong motion data, such empirical models cannot be obtained in the same way. This study describes the theoretical development of a simple, rational manual procedure to calculate site coefficients, based on a single period approximation (SPA), and to construct displacement response spectra (RSD) for soil sites. The proposed simplified model, which takes into account the non‐linear behaviour of soil that is dependent on the level of shaking, impedance contrast at the soil–bedrock interface and the plasticity of soil material, has been verified by comparison with results obtained from non‐linear shear wave analyses and data recorded during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The proposed model is believed to be a convenient tool for calculating non‐linear site responses and constructing site‐specific response spectra, which has the potential of being incorporated into code provisions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于反演基岩地震波的场地调整系数估计

基于KiK-net台阵中73个台站的一维土层模型和从不同地震中筛选的262条地表加速度记录,按照峰值加速度的分档标准和场地分类原则,将这些记录分成了28组.采用一维土层地震反应分析的等效线性化方法,反演计算了基岩输入加速度.通过分别计算各组基于有效峰值加速度EPA的场地放大倍数,并得到了各类场地的有效峰值加速度的调整系...     

渤海海域软土层土对地震动参数的影响研究

渤海海域软土层土对场地设计地震动参数取值具有显著影响.选取渤海中部钻孔剖面作为计算场地模型基础,分别构建软土和硬土场地模型,并通过改变软土层厚度,构造新的场地模型.采用等效线性化方法(EL法)和非线性计算方法(NL法)分别对场地模型进行地震反应分析,分析了海底软土层土对地震动参数的影响.研究结果表明:海底软土层土对地震...