Seismic damage assessment based on regional synthetic ground motion dataset: a case study for Erzincan,Turkey

Estimation of seismic losses is a fundamental step in risk mitigation in urban regions. Structural damage patterns depend on the regional seismic properties and the local building vulnerability. In this study, a framework for seismic damage estimation is proposed where the local building fragilities are modeled based on a set of simulated ground motions in the region of interest. For this purpose, first, ground motion records are simulated for a set of scenario events using stochastic finite-fault methodology. Then, existing building stock is classified into specific building types represented with equivalent single-degree-of-freedom models. The response statistics of these models are evaluated through nonlinear time history analysis with the simulated ground motions. Fragility curves for the classified structural types are derived and discussed. The study area is Erzincan (Turkey), which is located on a pull-apart basin underlain by soft sediments in the conjunction of three active faults as right-lateral North Anatolian Fault, left-lateral North East Anatolian Fault, and left-lateral Ovacik Fault. Erzincan city center experienced devastating earthquakes in the past including the December 27, 1939 (Ms = 8.0) and the March 13, 1992 (Mw?=?6.6) events. The application of the proposed method is performed to estimate the spatial distribution of the damage after the 1992 event. The estimated results are compared against the corresponding observed damage levels yielding a reasonable match in between. After the validation exercise, a potential scenario event of Mw?=?7.0 is simulated in the study region. The corresponding damage distribution indicates a significant risk within the urban area.     

Fossil findings from the Sıcak Çermik fissure ridge-type travertines and possible hominid tracks,Sivas, Central Turkey

S?cak Çermik (Sivas) is an important geothermal and recent travertine formation area in Central Anatolia. The majority of travertines found in the region comprise fissure-ridge type travertines according to morphological classification. At the location called Tepe Çermik within the travertine area, fill containing fossil bone fragments of Equus sp., Bovidae and other abundant animals formed within the fracture axis of a N–S striking fissure-ridge travertine developed under control of tectonic forces. The finds of these fossils in fissure-ridge travertines linked to tectonic forces indicates formation of a unique fossil environment created under the control of these forces. The Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Radiocarbon Dating analyses of fossils from the study area determined the fills were older than 43,000 years. The U/Th age of a sample from the most recently-formed banded travertine in the axis of the fracture was identified as 278,540 ± 18,436 years. As a result, the ages of fossils found within this fill are thought to be between 43,000 and 278,540 ± 18,436 years old. The high amount of perissodactyla and artiodactyla fossils found within fill in the axis of the fissure-ridge travertine probably indicates the presence of hominids who chose the region for hunting or settlement. The Equus sp. and Bovidae fossil samples found in the axis of the fracture indicate that in the dry and cold glacial period the paleogeography in a large portion of Anatolia comprised desert-like steppe.     

Automated 1D interpretation of resistivity soundings by simultaneous use of the direct and iterative methods*

Noise contamination of measured data greatly affects the final results of inversion. Three types of noise source — random and systematic errors and the uncertainties due to the inadequacy of the mathematical model in representing the actual physical conditions — are discussed in the framework of resistivity sounding data. Two methods are proposed for describing these uncertainties. The first possibility is to smooth the measured data by a combination of simple fitting functions that satisfies the ‘1D smoothness’ criteria and consequently simulates the behaviour of a 1D Schlumberger apparent resistivity curve. The second method is to derive weight coefficients from the differences between the measured and the smoothed data sets. Both methods are carried out under the control of the interpreter. The relative merits and drawbacks of the direct and iterative interpretation methods used for the estimation of the parameters of the layered earth model are summarized. Two variants of the combination of these methods are presented to obtain more powerful and automatic interpretation schemes. In the sequential interpretation, an initial guess supplied by the direct method is improved by the iterative method to obtain a reasonable fit between the measured data and the model response. In the simultaneous interpretation, the successive application of the direct and iterative methods is carried out, starting from the first branch of the apparent resistivity curve. The operation is then shifted to subsequent branches that represent the deeper parts of the geoelectric section. This is similar to the data acquisition applied in direct current sounding in which the depth penetration is increased by expanding the current electrode spacings. The proposed sequential and simultaneous interpretation algorithms require minimum aids and efforts of the interpreter.     

Nonlinear meta-models for conceptual seakeeping design of fishing vessels

The scope of this paper is to develop the nonlinear meta-models for seakeeping behaviour, considering the fishing vessels. These models are intended to be inserted either in a multiattribute design selection process or in a comprehensive multiobjective optimization procedure. For this purpose, seakeeping data of fishing vessels in regular head waves are used to develop meta-models of transfer functions of heave, pitch and vertical acceleration by nonlinear analysis. A home-made software considers two databases; the first is composed by the ship dimensions and coefficients of fishing vessels, and the second is their ship motion data obtained by employing a strip-theory calculation. The meta-models are proposed to predict the vertical motion characteristics for given ranges of speed and wave length during the concept design stage. The independent variables are hull size (Δ), main dimensions (L, B, T), and some hydrostatic parameters (C_WP, C_VP, LCB, LCF, etc.). The results estimated by the software show good correspondences with the ones achieved by direct computations. The study provides additional insight on the influence of hull form parameters on seakeeping performance of small vessels having form properties and parametric range corresponding to the investigated vessels.     

Visualization of geotechnical data by means of geographic information system: a case study in Eskisehir city (NW Turkey)

Recently, geographic information system Software’s are widely used in engineering geology applications. Such a study was performed in the Eskisehir urban area of about 30 km² via geo-engineering maps, cross-sections and panel-block diagrams, which are formed to predict the properties of foundation soil. In order to determine the engineering geology properties of the region, physical and mechanical characteristics of the soil profile were tested on 1,011 disturbed and 383 undisturbed samples from a total of 170 boreholes. Topographic, lithological and geotechnical data of the region were compiled as a database in computer. Five geological cross-sections were drawn to decipher specifically the alluvial deposits in detail in densely populated areas. Hence, geological characteristics of the area were evaluated in a three-dimensional mode. Five standard penetration test (SPT) cross-sections at the same directions and SPT, uniaxial compressive strength (qu) and soil class Zonation maps were produced at different depths and panel-block diagrams were also created to define the geo-engineering properties of the investigation area. In this respect, the sub-surface of the study area is fully visualized and useful predictor maps, cross-sections and panel-block diagrams are performed to be used in further studies.     

Impact of mass movements in the Kocaeli Province,Turkey

Recent mass movements in the Kocaeli Province, Turkey in 2010 caused damage to people, property and infrastructure, especially in Izmit and its vicinity. The causes and impact of these mass movements are outlined, so as to increase awareness of their dangerous aspects. Some of these mass movement events took place in urban areas, bringing attention to the need for better and more effective land use practices. The impact of these movements indicates the benefit there would be from geology and engineering geology in the planning of any property development and land use.     

A study of residuals for strong ground motions in Adapazari basin,NW Turkey,by ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs)

The city of Adapazarı — located in the Marmara Region of northwest Turkey — is situated on a deep sedimentary basin and was the city most heavily damaged by the strong ground motion of the 17 August 1999 Kocaeli earthquake (moment magnitude M_w = 7.4). This study determines site amplifications of the attenuation relationships for shallow earthquakes in the Adapazarı basin by using the previous ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) and the traditional spectral ratio method. The site amplifications are determined empirically by averaging the residuals between the observed and predicted peak ground acceleration (PGA) and spectral acceleration (SA) values for various periods. Residuals are significantly correlated with the known characteristics of geological units. A new attenuation model has also been developed for 5% damped spectral acceleration to determine the dependence of strong ground motions on frequency.