Earthquake Hazard Assessment in the Oran Region (Northwest Algeria)

This paper deals with the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis carried out in the Oran region, situated in the Northwest of Algeria. This part of Algeriawas historically struck by strong earthquakes. It was particularly affected during theOctober 9, 1790 Oran earthquake of intensity X. The main purpose of this work is to assessseismic hazard on rocks in order to provide engineers and planners with a basic tool for seismicrisk mitigation. The probabilistic approach is used in order to take into account uncertaintiesin seismic hazard assessment. Seismic sources are defined in the light of the most recentresults obtained from seismotectonics analyses carried out in North Algeria.Source parameters such as b-values, slip rate and maximum magnitude are assessed for eachseismic source. The attenuation of ground shaking motion with distance is estimated byusing attenuation relationships developed elsewhere throughout the world (Sadigh et al., 1993; Ambraseys and Bommer, 1991). The two relationships agree well with the local data. Differentchoices of source parameter values and attenuation relationships are assigned weights in alogic tree model. Results are presented as relationships between values of peak groundacceleration (PGA) and annual frequency of exceedance, and maps of hazard for returnperiods of 200 years and 500 years. A maximum peak ground acceleration of 0.42 g is obtainedfor the Oran site for a return period of 500 years.     

Foundation settlement statistics via finite element analysis

The dispersion observed in soil data comes both from the spatial variability which greatly influences the behavior of large structures and from errors in testing. Thus, the geotechnical engineering deals with uncertainties for which deterministic approaches are not suitable. The resort to probabilistic techniques, enables modeling uncertainties by analyzing their dispersion effect on the global behavior of the structure. The scope of this paper is analyzing settlement and differential settlement variability of a pair of foundations on random heterogeneous medium. The random soil properties of interest are the elastic modulus, and the Poisson ratio. The elastic modulus is modeled as a spatially random field by adopting the lognormal distribution, which enables analyzing its large variability. Because soil Poisson ratio is bounded in practice between two extreme values, its random field is obtained by using the Beta distribution. In this study, one proposes for the Beta field determination, a mapping technique on the probability distribution function diagram, by solving a non-linear equation. However, the mean and variance are unchanged through the mapping operation. Because the soil Poisson ratio is a positive parameter, one prefers to perform the mapping operation with the probability function of the lognormal distribution. Also, the proposed technique can be used for other bounded soil properties such as the porosity. In this paper, settlement and differential settlement statistics prediction are carried out using Monte Carlo simulations combined with deterministic finite element method (DFEM). A performed parametric study shows the following: (i) as the variability of the elastic modulus increases as settlement and differential settlement statistics are important, also, settlement statistics decreases as the Poisson ratio variability increases, and differential settlement statistics do not seem be affected by its variability. (ii) settlement and differential settlement statistics are important for positive inter-property correlation. (iii) a great influence of the correlation lengths on settlement and differential settlement statistics.     

Retrieval and interpretation of precipitation rates generated from the composition of the Merouane Chott ephemeral lake

Merouane Chott ephemeral lake is an ideal natural system for studying mineral dissolution and precipitation rates because (1) it undergoes annual cycles of filling and complete evaporation, and (2) it has a simple, well-defined hydrology. The major element concentrations of Merouane Chott lake waters have been measured weekly from January to June 2003. These concentrations are used together with estimates of the chott lake volume to calculate the temporal evolution of the total mass of these major elements. Dividing the first derivative of these masses with respect to time by the chott surface area yields precipitation rate estimates for halite, calcite, gypsum, and K–Mg salts during the complete evaporation of the lake. These rates are compared with the saturation indexes of these minerals to deduce the degree to which they are consistent with laboratory measured rates available in the literature.     

Earthquake Induced Site Effect in the Algiers–Boumerdes Region: Relation Between Spectral Ratios Higher Peaks and Observed Damage During the May 21st M w 6.8 Boumerdes Earthquake (Algeria)

The Algiers–Boumerdes regions were hit by an M _w 6.8 destructive earthquake on May 21, 2003. The accelerometric and seismometric networks successfully recorded the main shock and many aftershocks at some locations where the damage was most extensive. A microtremor measurement was performed in the same locations; some of them are localized on the Mitidja basin. In this paper, we propose to analyze earthquake-induced site effect derived from horizontal to vertical spectral ratio from ambient noise (noise horizontal to vertical—NHV), or from very weak, weak, moderate and strong ( peak ground acceleration—PGA >10 % g) seismic motions (EHV), and transfer function evaluation from soil velocity profile data at four sites. H/V spectral ratios are computed by using both Fourier and response spectra. Compared to the transfer function, the obtained results show that in the case of soft soils, NHV as well as EHV give a good estimation of the soil's fundamental frequency, whereas the NHV underestimate the H/V amplitude and the EHV amplitude increase with the seismic motion intensity. In the case of firm soils, whereas the NHV gives flat curves synonymous for a rock site or a bump, the EHV is more appropriate as seen by identifying clear peaks with non negligible amplitude. In the case of soft sites as well as in the case of firm sites, strong peaks at frequencies higher than the fundamental one are found from EHV curves. Those peaks would not be found when looking at NHV ratios alone, are evidenced by the computed transfer function as well as by an analytical formulation, and are in agreement with the observed distribution of damage during the M _w 6.8 2003 Boumerdes earthquake. Finally, the same analysis is performed by using response spectra rather than Fourier spectra and leads to the same conclusions. Moreover, the calculation of the response spectra is more easily compared with the smoothing operation of the Fourier spectra.     

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.     

The Beni-Ourtilane-Tachaouaft fault and Seismotectonic aspects of the Babors region (NE of Algeria)

A shallow moderate (M _s=5.7) but damaging earthquake shook theregion of Beni-Ourtilane located about 50 km NW of Setif and 390 kmNE of Algiers (Central Eastern Algeria). The main shock caused the deathof 2 peoples, injured 50 and caused sustainable damage to about 3000housing units. The main shock was preceded by 2 foreshocks and followedby many aftershocks which lasted for many days. Analysis of historicalseismicity including the localisation of epicenters, the trend of isoseismalmaps of some historical events, the localisation of the November 10, 2000main shock (M _s=5.7) and the November 16, 2000 aftershock(M _s=4.5) as well as the shape of the area of maximum intensity ofthe November 10, 2000 earthquake suggest that the Tachaouaft fault of20 km of length is the activated geological structure. Although, there isno clear surface breaks associated with this earthquake, the localisation ofgeological disorders, such as ground fissures, during the Beni-Ourtilaneearthquake, which are remarkably located near the fault, may have atectonic meaning. Geomorphological analysis through Digital ElevationModels (DEMs) allowed us to identify a clear fault scarp related likely tostrong earthquakes occurred in the past. Among geomorphologicalevidences of this active fault there are the uplift and tilt of alluvial terraceson the hanging wall and the diversion of the drainage pattern. Based onthe quality of constructions and field observations an intensity I ₀ = VII (MSK scale) is attributed to the epicentral area,which is striking NE-SW in agreement with the focal mechanism solutionand the seismotectonic observations. In the other hand the amount ofdamage is due rather to the bad quality of constructions than to theseverity of ground motion. The Tachaouaft fault with the Kherrata fault isthe main source of seismic hazard in the Babors region.     

Scalar and vector probabilistic seismic hazard analysis: application for Algiers City

This study deals with the application of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for a rock site located in Algiers city. For this purpose, recent ground motion prediction equations developed in the world for similar sismotectonic context are used through logic tree in PSHA framework; the obtained results reflect clearly the high seismicity of the considered region. Moreover, deaggregation analysis is conducted to obtain the mean scenario in terms of magnitude and distance. In addition to the scalar-PSHA, a new method named vector-PSHA developed in recent years is performed in this study. Based on the multivariate probability theory, the software used in scalar approach is modified allowing the application of this approach for a real site in Algiers city with a vector of two and three parameters of intensity measure. The results are presented in terms of the joint annual rate of exceeding several thresholds such as PGA, PSA(T) of multiple vibration periods, peak ground velocity and Arias intensity and comparison between results of PSHA and V-PSHA is done.     

Exchange of light rare earths for Ca in apatite

Diffusion experiments were carried out on natural apatite crystals that were immersed in molten light rare earth element (REE) chloride salt at temperatures between 900 and 1150 °C for periods up to 35 days. Electron microprobe analysis of the crystals showed that light REEs replaced Ca according to electronic balance, i.e. $\text{2}\text{REE}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$ for $\text{3}\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$. These diffusion profiles indicate that a maximum amount of substitution in the structure occurs when two of the ten Ca ions in apatite are replaced by the REE diffusing elements. Anisotropic diffusion is observed between a and c crystallographic directions. Comparison of maximum distance indicates that the larger ions move more easily in the apatite structure. We conclude that the light REEs diffuse within the channel structures of the mineral, and that this diffusion is controlled by the substitution type of elements in the calcium sites. To cite this article: A. Iqdari et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).