Site response in Tecoman,Colima, Mexico—I: Comparison of results from different instruments and analysis techniques

This paper presents a study of site effects in the urban area of Tecoman in Colima, Mexico. A variety of instruments (both accelerometers and seismometers) were used to record earthquakes and ambient vibration throughout the city. Earthquake records were analysed using several techniques to estimate site effects: spectral ratios relative to a reference station, spectral ratios of the horizontal components relative to the vertical recorded at the same site, and a parametric inversion of Fourier spectra. Ambient noise records were used to estimate a local transfer function using horizontal to vertical spectral ratios. The results show that local amplification at Tecoman is significant. Dominant frequency varies between 0.5 and 0.7 Hz, suggesting a large thickness of the soft sedimentary deposits. We did not observe systematic variations throughout the city. Our more reliable estimates indicate that maximum amplification is comprised between a factor 6 and 8. Comparisons among different sensors and recorders show that all combinations between velocimeters, accelerometers, and recorders provide reliable results provided that the electronic noise is smaller than the noise being recorded. This is notably not the case for accelerometers at quiet sites and for frequencies smaller than 2 Hz. This explains why previous studies disagree as to the usefulness of accelerometers to record ambient noise for site effect studies. This factor is, however, a function of noise amplitude at each site.     

Seismic evaluation of existing nuclear facility using ambient vibration test to characterize dynamic behavior of the structure and microtremor measurements to characterize the soil: a case study

The methods used for a building seismic hazard evaluation are presented with the associated results. The goals of the study are (1) to check the soil nature and the existence or not of a possible site effect around the installation and (2) to characterize the dynamic behavior of the building using ambient vibration records.

The results of the soil study with the Nakamura method are very difficult to interpret because they are not stable in space and time. The spectral ratios method has been used with regional earthquake records. The results of the application of this method allowed us to conclude that the installation was free of site effect.

The ambient vibration measurements on the building brought the conclusion to determine the first and second modes of the structure. These results have been used to calibrate numerical model. The modal shapes in plan (high roof) and in elevation (main column) have been evaluated. The damping of the building has been computed using ambient vibration records.     

Dynamic properties of the Quaternary sedimentary rocks and their influence on seismic site effects. Case study in Bucharest City,Romania

Bucharest is one of the cities most affected by earthquakes in Europe. Situated at 150–170 km distance from Vrancea epicentral zone, Bucharest had suffered many damages due to high energy Vrancea intermediate-depth earthquakes. For example, the 4 March 1977 event produced the collapse of 32 buildings with 8–12 levels, while more than 150 old buildings with 6–9 levels were seriously damaged. The studies done after this earthquake had shown the importance of the surface geological structure upon ground motion parameters. New seismic measurements are performed in Bucharest area aiming at defining better elastic and dynamic properties of the shallow sedimentary rocks. Down-hole seismic measurements were performed in a number of 10 cased boreholes drilled in the Bucharest City area. Processing and interpretation of the data lead to the conclusion that shallow sedimentary rocks can be considered weak in the area, down to 150–200 m depth. Seismic wave velocity values and bulk density values presented in the paper associated with local geology are useful primary data in the seismic microzonation of Bucharest City. They are used as 1D models to derive transfer functions and response spectra for the stack of sedimentary rocks in several parts of Bucharest area, leading to a better knowledge of the local site amplification and associated frequency spectra. In a recent study the H/V spectral ratio using Nakamura’s method was applied on the seismic noise measurements in 22 sites in Bucharest City in order to derive the fundamental period associated with these sites. The values confirm the previous results, showing a dominant resonance in the period range of 1.25–1.75 s. The fundamental periods obtained with Nakamura’s method are in good agreement with those computed on the basis of geological and geotechnical data in boreholes, which show an increase of the fundamental period in the Bucharest area from south to north, in the same direction as the increase of the thickness of the Quaternary deposits above the Fratesti layer which is considered the bedrock in the area.     

四川地区场地放大系数特征分析及在强地震动模拟中的应用——以2022年芦山MS6.1地震为例

基于四川地区62个强震动台站的场地资料, 依据中国抗震规范及美国下一代衰减的Geomatrix(GMX)场地分类方法将台站场地进行了划分, 并以台站的场地放大系数和高频衰减参数(κ₀)为基础数据, 研究了不同场地类型的场地放大系数平均特征.结果显示, 在中国Ⅱ类场地中, 受狭窄山间谷底地形效应影响, 满足GMX的C类场地在大于10 Hz的高频段有明显放大; 受深厚软弱沉积层影响, 满足GMX的D类场地在小于5 Hz的低频段放大效应显著.考虑震源滑动模型、山区和盆地品质因子差异、局部场地效应, 采用区域内余震平均应力降, 通过随机有限断层法模拟了2022年芦山M_S6.1地震中9个断层距(R_rup)＜100 km的强震动台站的加速度时程、傅里叶振幅谱(FAS)和反应谱(PSA).结果显示, 模拟结果与观测加速度时程的S波部分符合良好.在8 s以下周期范围内模拟与观测FAS和PSA形状和幅值基本一致.较好地模拟结果支持此次地震为2013年芦山M_S7.0芦山地震的一次余震.另外, 模拟结果体现了此次地震在R_rup＜35 km范围内有明显的方向性效应, 与观测数据相符.最后, 考虑各类场地的场地放大系数和κ₀的平均特性, 比较了此次地震中R_rup＜150 km的167个盆地和130个山区烈度台观测和模拟峰值加速度(PGA)和峰值速度(PGV), 以及周期为0.5 s、1.0 s、5.0 s和8.0 s的PSA幅值随断层距的衰减特性.结果显示, 山区和盆地的地震动参数随距离的衰减特性较为相似, 山区和盆地的PGA、PGV强度相当.但是, 在周期大于1.0 s的长周期段, 盆地的反应谱幅值整体上大于山区.

     

应用微动H/V谱比法和台阵技术探测场地响应和浅层速度结构

为了快速而且廉价地获取北京市详细的场地响应和浅层速度结构,应用于地震动模拟和地震灾害预防,我们开展了微动观测技术和处理方法研究.本文利用2007年夏季北京五棵松地区进行的几个微动观测实验数据,使用单台H/V谱比法分析场地的卓越频率及其对应的放大系数,并对比了不同地震仪和观测时间对H/V曲线的影响;应用高分辨率F-K频谱分析方法从微动台阵数据中得到Rayleigh波的频散曲线并使用邻域算法反演出浅层速度结构.H/V结果表明该地区卓越频率在2.1～2.2 Hz之间,对应的放大系数下限约为3;利用微动H/V方法得到的场地卓越频率具有较高的稳定性.微动台阵反演结果给出了比较合理的波阻抗界面深度和层平均速度结构,认为地下80多米处的波阻抗界面是决定场地卓越频率和其场地放大系数的主要界面.本研究表明微动技术应用于评估城市地震场地响应和浅层速度结构是可行且易于实施的.     

Evidence for fault-related directionality and localized site effects from strong motion recordings of the 2003 Boumerdes (Algeria) earthquake: Consequences on damage distribution and the Algerian seismic code

The Algiers–Boumerdes region has been struck by a destructive magnitude 6.8 (M_w) earthquake on May 21, 2003. The study presented in this paper is based on main shock strong motions from 13 stations of the Algerian accelerograph network. A maximum 0.58g peak ground acceleration (PGA) has been recorded at 20 km from the epicenter, only about 150 m away from a PGA of 0.34g, with both a central frequency around 5 Hz, explained by a strong very localized site effect, confirmed by receiver function technique results showing peaks at 5 Hz with amplitudes changing by a factor of 2. Soil amplifications are also evidenced at stations located in the quaternary Mitidja basin, explaining the higher PGA values recorded at these stations than at stations located on firm soil at similar distances from the epicenter. A fault-related directionality effect observed on the strong motion records and confirmed by the study of the seismic movement anisotropy, in agreement with the N65 fault plan direction, explains the SW–NE orientation of the main damage zone. In the near field, strong motions present a high-frequency content starting at 3 Hz with a central frequency around 8 Hz, while in the far field their central frequency is around 3 Hz, explaining the high level of damage in the 3- to 4-story buildings in the epicentral zone. The design spectra overestimate the recorded mean response spectra, and its high corner frequency is less than the recorded one, leading to a re-examination of the seismic design code that should definitively integrate site-related coefficient, to account for the up to now neglected site amplification, as well as a re-modeling of the actual design spectra. Finally, both the proposed Algerian attenuation law and the worldwide laws usually used in Algeria underestimate the recorded accelerations of the 6.8 (M_w) Boumerdes earthquake, clearly showing that it is not possible to extrapolate the proposed Algerian law to major earthquakes.     

A study on the characteristics of the information dimension D 1 of the temporal and spatial distributions of earthquakes in an active fault zone

The research of the information dimension (D ₁) in an active fault zone considers the contribution of each seismic event to information and reflects the characteristics of the temporal and spatial distributions of earthquakes from a new point of view, avoiding some short-comings of the research about the capacity dimension (D ₀). The results of calculation show that the information dimension of the temporal distribution in Xianshuihe active fault zone before Luhuo large earthquake isD ₁=0.1051. It is a consult creterion of large earthquakes in future in the fault zone. The information dimensions of the temporal distribution of the earthquakes in Anninghe active fault zone are respectivelyD ₁(t _N)=0.1363 (for the north section) andD ₁(t _S)=0.06710 (for the south section). The information dimensions of the spatial distribution are respectivelyD ₁(K _N)=1.053 (for the north section) andD ₁(K _S)=0.7758 (for the south section). The north section and the south section belong to two self-similar systems with different information dimensions respectively. The extent of the self-organization of seismic activity in the south section is higher than that in the north section. This is helpful for us to judge the major dangerous section in the key region of the seismic monitoring. The research about the information dimension of the temporal and the spatial distributions of earthquakes is significant for the exploration of active fault zones and seismic prediction. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 372–379, 1991. This paper is sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation. The English version is improved by Zhenwen An.