Seismic risk analysis of coastal area of Pakistan

Estimation of seismic hazard for the fast developing coastal area of Pakistan is carried out using deterministic and probabilistic approaches. On the basis of seismotectonics and geology, eleven faults are recognized in five seismic provinces as potential hazard sources. Maximum magnitude potential for each of these sources is calculated. Peak ground acceleration (PGA) values at the seven coastal cities due to the maximum credible earthquake on the relevant source are also obtained. Cities of Gwadar and Ormara with acceleration values of 0.21g and 0.25g respec-tively fall in the high seismic risk area. Cities of Turbat and Karachi lie in low seismic risk area with acceleration values of less than 0.1g. The Probabilistic PGA maps with contour interval of 0.05g for 50 and 100 years return period with 90% probability of non-exceedance are also compiled.     

EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MAPPING IN THE MAGHREB COUNTRIES: ALGERIA,MOROCCO, TUNISIA

This paper presents new seismic hazard maps of the Maghreb countries by using newly re-evaluated earthquake data catalogue in the region under consideration. For this region, there is a clear need to use common procedure and data bases through the whole Maghreb region so that seismic hazard assessments are consistent from country to country. An effort is made to assess the seismic hazard and to construct earthquake hazard maps in terms of expected horizontal and vertical PGA for a 10 per cent chance of being exceeded, expected intensity (MSK), all in an economic life time of 50 and 100 years. Also, a return period seismic hazard map for PGA≥140cm/s² is presented. For engineering applications, earthquake hazard maps for structures with different periods are also constructed.     

基于Newmark模型的概率地震滑坡危险性分析方法研究

本文以天水地区为研究区,结合地震潜在震源区模型和Newmark位移预测方程,采用概率地震危险性分析方法,计算了该地区50年超越概率10%水平下的Newmark位移。同时,根据天水地区50年超越概率10%下的阿里亚斯烈度,并结合Newmark位移与阿里亚斯烈度的关系式,计算了天水地区在遭受50年超越概率10%下的阿里亚斯烈度影响时,潜在滑坡体产生的Newmark位移分布。通过比较上述两种方法得到的天水地区不同Newmark位移的分布特征,本文认为二者虽然存在较大差异,但其空间分布特征均能反映天水地区每个场点处的相对滑坡危险性。对滑坡危险性水平进行分区的结果显示,天水地区60%以上的区域具有高地震滑坡危险性,50%以上的区域具有甚高地震滑坡危险性。本文的研究结果可以作为天水地区地震危险性及风险评估的参考资料,也可以作为天水地区城市规划、土地使用规划、地震应急准备以及其它公共政策制定的参考资料。      

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis in Nepal

The seismic ground motion hazard for Nepal has been estimated using a probabilistic approach. A catalogue of earthquakes has been compiled for Nepal and the surrounding region （latitude 26% N and 31.7% N and longitude 79° E and 90° E） from 1255 to 2011. The distribution of catalogued earthquakes, together with available geological and tectonic information were used to delineate twenty-three seismic source seismic source information and probabilistic earthquake hazard prediction relationship, peak ground accelerations （PGAs） have zones in Nepal and the surrounding region. By using the parameters in conjunction with a selected ground motion been calculated at bedrock level with 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The estimated PGA values are in the range of 0.07-0.16 g, 0.21 0.62 g, and 0.38-1.1 g for 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years, respectively. The resulting ground motion maps show different characteristics of PGA distribution, i.e., high hazard in the far-western and eastern sections, and low hazard in southern Nepal. The quantified PGA values at bedrock level provide information for microzonation studies in different parts of the country.     

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of the Pyrenean region

A unified probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) for the Pyrenean region has been performed by an international team composed of experts from Spain and France during the Interreg IIIA ISARD project. It is motivated by incoherencies between the seismic hazard zonations of the design codes of France and Spain and by the need for input data to be used to define earthquake scenarios. A great effort was invested in the homogenisation of the input data. All existing seismic data are collected in a database and lead to a unified catalogue using a local magnitude scale. PSHA has been performed using logic trees combined with Monte Carlo simulations to account for both epistemic and aleatory uncertainties. As an alternative to hazard calculation based on seismic sources zone models, a zoneless method is also used to produce a hazard map less dependant on zone boundaries. Two seismogenic source models were defined to take into account the different interpretations existing among specialists. A new regional ground-motion prediction equation based on regional data has been proposed. It was used in combination with published ground-motion prediction equations derived using European and Mediterranean data. The application of this methodology leads to the definition of seismic hazard maps for 475- and 1,975-year return periods for spectral accelerations at periods of 0 (corresponding to peak ground acceleration), 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1 and 2 s. Median and percentiles 15% and 85% acceleration contour lines are represented. Finally, the seismic catalogue is used to produce a map of the maximum acceleration expected for comparison with the probabilistic hazard maps. The hazard maps are produced using a grid of 0.1°. The results obtained may be useful for civil protection and risk prevention purposes in France, Spain and Andorra.     

Strong ground acceleration seismic hazard in Greece and neighboring regions

In an early paper [Tectonophysics 117 (1985) 259] seismic hazard in Greece was analyzed using a relatively homogeneous earthquake catalogue spanning 1900–1978 and a strong motion attenuation relationship adapted to use in Greece. Improved seismic hazard analyses are obtained here using Gumbel's asymptotic extreme value distribution applied to peak horizontal ground acceleration occurrence, but now taking into account the increased length and quality of earthquake catalogue data spanning 1900–1999 and the burgeoning information on earthquake strong motion data and attenuation relationships appropriate for Europe and, explicitly, Greece. Seismic acceleration hazard results tabulated for six cities reveal (e.g. using arbitrarily the 50-year p.g.a. with 90% probability of not being exceeded) changes of about 10% in the new calculated values: two cities show an increase and four a decrease. These are relatively small and reassuring adjustments.Inspection of the available attenuation relationships leads to a preference for the models of Theodulidis and Papazachos, particularly with the model modification to produce a ‘stiff soil’ site relationship, as these relationships explicitly exploit the Greek strong motion database. Isoacceleration maps are produced for Greece as a whole from each attenuation relationship inspected. The final set of maps based on the Theodulidis and Papazachos models provide a foundation for comparison with the Seismic Hazard Zones adopted in the New Greek Seismic Code where scope can be found to modify zone shape and the level at which p.g.a.s are set. It should be noted that the generation of the present isoacceleration maps is based on a seismogenic zone-free methodology, independent of any Euclidean zoning assumptions.     

Seismogenic potential and earthquake hazard assessment in the Tell Atlas of Algeria

Seismotectonic zonation studies in the Tell Atlas of Algeria, a branch of the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary, provide a valuable input for deterministic seismic hazard calculations. We delineate a number of seismogenic zones from causal relationships established between geological structures and earthquakes and compile a working seismic catalogue mainly from readily available sources. To this catalogue, for a most rational and best-justified hazard analysis, we add estimates of earthquake size translated from active faulting characteristics. We assess the regional seismic hazard using a deterministic procedure based on the computation of complete synthetic seismograms (up to 1 Hz) by the modal summation technique. As a result, we generate seismic hazard maps of maximum velocity, maximum displacement, and design ground acceleration that blend information from geology, historical seismicity and observational seismology, leading to better estimates of the earthquake hazard throughout northern Algeria. Our analysis and the resulting maps illustrate how different the estimate of seismic hazard is based primarily on combined geologic and seismological data with respect to the one for which only information from earthquake catalogues has been used.     

Rating of seismicity and reconstruction of the fault geometries in northern Tien Shan within the project “Seismic Hazard Assessment for Almaty”

The project “Seismic Hazard Assessment for Almaty” has a main objective to improve existing seismic hazard maps for the region of northern Tien Shan and especially for the surroundings of Almaty and to generate a new geodynamic model of the region.In the first step a composite seismic catalogue for the northern Tien Shan region was created, which contains about 20,000 events and is representative for strong earthquakes for the period back to the year 500. For the period of instrumental observation 1911–2006 the catalogue contains data for earthquakes with a body wave magnitude larger than 4. For smaller events with magnitudes up to 2.2 the data are only available since 1980. The composite catalogue was created on the basis of several catalogues from the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), local catalogues from the Kazakh National Data Centre (KNDC) and the USSR earthquake catalogue. Due to the different magnitudes used in several catalogues a magnitude conversion was necessary.Event density maps were created to rate the seismicity in the region and to identify seismic sources. Subsurface fault geometries were constructed using tectonic model which uses fault parallel material flow and is constrained by GPS data. The fault geometry should improve the estimation of the expected seismic sources from seismic density maps.First analysis of the earthquake catalogue and the density maps has shown that nearly all large events are related to fault systems. Annual seismicity distribution maps suggest different processes as the cause for the seismic events. Apart from tectonics, also fluids play a major part in triggering of the earthquakes.Beneath the Issyk-Kul basin the absence of strong seismic activity suggests aseismic sliding at the flat ramp in a ductile crust part and low deformation within the stable Issyk-Kul micro-continent which underthrust the northern ranges of Tien Shan. First results suggest a new partition of the region in tectonic units, whose bounding faults are responsible for most of the seismic activity.     

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of Eastern Marmara Region

The objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic hazard in Eastern Marmara Region using an improved probabilistic seismic hazard assessment methodology. Two significant improvements over the previous seismic hazard assessment practices are accomplished in this study: advanced seismic source characterization models in terms of source geometry and recurrence relationships are developed, and improved global ground motion models (NGA-W1 models) are employed to represent the ground motion variability. Planar fault segments are defined and a composite magnitude distribution model is used for all seismic sources in the region to properly represent the characteristic behavior of the North Anatolian Fault without the need for an additional background zone. Multi-segment ruptures are considered using the rupture model proposed by the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities (2003). Events in the earthquake catalogue are attributed to the fault zones and scenario weights are determined by releasing the accumulated seismic energy. The uniform hazard spectra at 10 % probability of exceedance in 50 years hazard level for different soil conditions (soil and rock) are revealed for specific locations in the region (Adapazar?, Düzce, Gemlik, Izmit, Iznik and Sapanca). Hazard maps of the region for rock site conditions at the selected hazard levels are provided to allow the readers perform site-specific hazard assessment and develop site-specific design spectrum for local site conditions.     

Risk-targeted maps for Romania

Romania has one of the highest seismic hazard levels in Europe. The seismic hazard is due to a combination of local crustal seismic sources, situated mainly in the western part of the country and the Vrancea intermediate-depth seismic source, which can be found at the bend of the Carpathian Mountains. Recent seismic hazard studies have shown that there are consistent differences between the slopes of the seismic hazard curves for sites situated in the fore-arc and back-arc of the Carpathian Mountains. Consequently, in this study we extend this finding to the evaluation of the probability of collapse of buildings and finally to the development of uniform risk-targeted maps. The main advantage of uniform risk approach is that the target probability of collapse will be uniform throughout the country. Finally, the results obtained are discussed in the light of a recent study with the same focus performed at European level using the hazard data from SHARE project. The analyses performed in this study have pointed out to a dominant influence of the quantile of peak ground acceleration used for anchoring the fragility function. This parameter basically alters the shape of the risk-targeted maps shifting the areas which have higher collapse probabilities from eastern Romania to western Romania, as its exceedance probability increases. Consequently, a uniform procedure for deriving risk-targeted maps appears as more than necessary.     

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 assessment of southern part of Ghana

This paper presents a seismic hazard map for the southern part of Ghana prepared using the probabilistic approach, and seismic hazard assessment results for six cities. The seismic hazard map was prepared for 10% probability of exceedance for peak ground acceleration in 50 years. The input parameters used for the computations of hazard were obtained using data from a catalogue that was compiled and homogenised to moment magnitude (Mw). The catalogue covered a period of over a century (1615–2009). The hazard assessment is based on the Poisson model for earthquake occurrence, and hence, dependent events were identified and removed from the catalogue. The following attenuation relations were adopted and used in this study—Allen (for south and eastern Australia), Silva et al. (for Central and eastern North America), Campbell and Bozorgnia (for worldwide active-shallow-crust regions) and Chiou and Youngs (for worldwide active-shallow-crust regions). Logic-tree formalism was used to account for possible uncertainties associated with the attenuation relationships. OpenQuake software package was used for the hazard calculation. The highest level of seismic hazard is found in the Accra and Tema seismic zones, with estimated peak ground acceleration close to 0.2 g. The level of the seismic hazard in the southern part of Ghana diminishes with distance away from the Accra/Tema region to a value of 0.05 g at a distance of about 140 km.     

The seismic history of Catania

A detailed study of the most significant seismic effects that took place in the city of Catania has been performed in order to build up a site catalogue, to assess seismic hazard directly from it and to provide the picture of damage scenarios which happened in the past. In the last 1000 years Catania was destroyed twice (1169 and 1693) and more or less severely damaged twelve times (e.g., 1542, 1818, 1848, etc.). Destruction or severe damage are mainly related to earthquakes occurring in the coastal sector of the Hyblean foreland, while slighter, moderate effects are usually due to earthquakes taking place in the seismogenic sources of the Messina Straits and in the inner Hyblean region. The analysis of the historical reports allowed to delineate the damage scenarios of the most relevant events. In particular, for the 1693 case-history it has also been possible to map the damage distribution with reference to the existing urban settlement of the city. The site catalogue was used for assessing seismic hazard; the obtained estimates show that the probability of occurrence for intensity 7 and 10 exceeds 99.9% for 150 and 500 years, respectively. These values, associated with the high vulnerability caused by the city growth which occurred mainly before the introduction of the seismic code (1981) and without ad-hoc planning policies, implies that the urban system is exposed to high seismic risk.     

Seismicity assessment using earthquake catalogues with uncertain and incomplete data: probabilistic formulation

A novel generalized probabilistic formulation is proposed to assess seismicity using earthquake catalogues with uncertain and incomplete data. The seismicity, described by the complete exceedance rate of magnitudes, is estimated starting from a consistent incomplete exceedance rate which is rationally linked to the catalogue data. Complete and incomplete exceedance rates are represented by similar functional forms and they are related by a completeness function, which expresses the probability that an event is included in a data set. Completeness is considered uncertain and it is defined by a suitable, continuous, analytical, magnitude dependent function. The importance of this work lies on its applicability because it can be useful in seismic zones where information about seismic activity is scarce or simply when the catalogue is incomplete in a range of magnitudes that can have a significant influence on the seismic hazard analysis and on the resulting seismic risk assessment. Moreover, it can also be applied in the common case when the catalogue is considered complete above a given magnitude threshold. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the influence of catalogue incompleteness on the complete exceedance rate estimations. In companion papers, attention is focused on the estimation of completeness probabilities of available catalogues and on parameter estimation of the exceedance rate functions.     

巴基斯坦沿海地区地震危险性分析

通过确定性和概率性方法，对发展迅速的巴基斯坦沿海地区进行了地震危险性评估．根据该地区的地震构造和地质条件，确定了5个地震区域的11个断层作为该地区的潜在震源，计算了每个潜在震源的最大可能震级．根据与之相关震源的最大可信震级，计算了7个沿海城市的峰值加速度（PGA）．瓜达尔（Gwadar）和奥尔马腊（Ormara）的峰值加速度分别为0.21和0.25 g，处于地震危险性水平较高的地区；杜尔伯德（Turbat）和卡拉奇（Karachi）位于地震危险性水平较低的地区，峰值加速度小于0.1 g．同时，分别绘制了50年和100年超越概率为10％的PGA区划图，区划图的分区间隔为0.05 g．      

地形效应影响下地震动参数与斜坡稳定性的相关性研究

地形对地震动的影响比较复杂, 考虑地形放大效应的地震滑坡稳定性分析需要选择合适的地震动参数. 本文使用自贡地形影响台阵记录到的2008年汶川M_S8.0地震主震加速度记录, 分析了地震动峰值加速度、 阿里亚斯烈度以及90%能量持时随地形高度的变化, 探讨了地形效应作用下峰值加速度和阿里亚斯烈度与地震动作用下斜坡稳定性的相关性. 结果表明: ① 地形场地对峰值加速度和阿里亚斯烈度均有显著的放大效应. 地形放大效应较为复杂, 其整体上随台站高度的增加而增大, 水平向的放大效应大于竖直向. 水平向峰值加速度的放大系数为1.1—1.8, 阿里亚斯烈度的放大系数为1.2—3.3; 竖直向相应放大系数分别为1.1—1.3和1.2—1.7. ② 地形对地震动持时也有一定的放大效应, 但不同高度、 不同分量的放大效应没有显著差异, 其放大系数均约为1.3. ③ 阿里亚斯烈度和峰值加速度均能很好地表征地形对地震动的影响, 与地震动对斜坡稳定性的影响具有很强的相关性. 与峰值加速度相比, 阿里亚斯烈度综合了地震动的多方面特征, 可以更好地表征地形对地震动的影响, 与地震动作用下斜坡稳定性的相关性更强.      

基于华北区域地震活动性分布的地震危险性评价模型

采用了分布式地震活动性模型. 该模型无需潜在震源区划分,同时简化了地震危险性概率分析方法. 根据破坏性地震目录建立了3个地震活动性模型,利用高斯光滑函数获得了华北区域内的a值分布特征,使用3种典型的衰减模型,分别计算了50年内超越概率10%, 5%和2%的地震动峰值加速度分布. 其分析结果显示了峰值加速度分布特征与我国第四代区划图大体一致,特定地震活动区（太原、 石家庄等地区）的峰值加速度略高于第四代区划图的结果,而这种峰值加速度分布特征与该地区较高的地震活动性特征是一致的. 概率危险性曲线结果表明,唐山、太原和北京等地区的潜在地震危险性比华北区域内其它城市高.      

Seismic hazard level reduction for existing buildings considering remaining building lifespans

Seismic hazard levels lower than those for design of new buildings have been permitted for seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings due to the relatively short remaining lifespans. The seismic hazard reduction enables costeffective seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings with limited structural capacity. The current study proposes seismic hazard reduction factors for Korea, one of low to moderate seismicity regions. The seismic hazard reduction factors are based on equal probabilities of non-exceedance within different remaining building lifespans. A validation procedure is proposed to investigate equality of seismic risk in terms of ductility-based limit states using seismic fragility assessment of nonlinear SDOF systems, of which retrofit demands are determined by the displacement coefficient method of ASCE 41-13 for different target remaining building lifespans and corresponding reduced design earthquakes. Validation result shows that the use of seismic hazard reduction factors can be permitted in conjunction with appropriate lower bounds of the remaining building lifespans.     

New Seismic Zoning Map of Chin a and Its Application in Earthquake Disaster Mitigation

The New Seismic Zoning Map of China was prepared from 1987 to 1990 and officially promulgated in 1991.In comparison with the previous two seismic zoning maps prepared in 1957 and 1977,some new methods were applied to upgrade the method currently used for seismic hazard analysis.First,a probabilistic method was used instead of the deterministic analysis was used for previous mapping.Second,by taking advantages of the long history of historical seismic data in China,the nonhomogeneity of seismicity both in space and in time has been fully considered and hence the over-and/or underestimation of seismic hazard could be avoided.Third,the results of middle-and long-term earthquake prediction based on tectonic evidence have been incorporated into seismic hazard analysis.In addition,the attenuation laws for both intensity and peak acceleration of strong motion as the mapping parameters are also presented.Finally,an evaluation of the New Seismic Map and its effect on engineering application,such as aseismic desi     

A correlation between slope failures and accelerometric parameters: the 26 September 1997 earthquake (Umbria–Marche, Italy)

After the occurrence of the 26 September 1997 earthquake in Umbria–Marche an extensive survey was performed to individuate surface effects induced by the ground motion. Several types of effects occurred on bedrock, calcareous debris and sandy-clay deposits. Shallow soil slides and dry debris slides were mapped by field survey and aerial photograph interpretation in the epicentral area close to Nocera Umbra. This gave the opportunity for testing the prediction maps that can be obtained with the use of empirical laws, proposed by several authors, based on a simple method (Geotechnique 15(2) (1965) 139). Accelerometric records from the permanent and mobile seismic network of the Seismic Survey of Italy have been processed and interpolated to obtain strong ground motion parameters at each site, e.g. Peak Ground Acceleration, Spectral Intensity, Arias Intensity, etc. The different predictions have been tested with the real landslide data to verify their performances. Some of the proposed methods explain quite well the behaviour of slopes during the application of a time history and can therefore be employed for future landslide hazard zonation.