A computational workflow for rupture‐to‐structural‐response simulation and its application to Istanbul

Scenario‐based earthquake simulations at regional scales hold the promise in advancing the state‐of‐the‐art in seismic risk assessment studies. In this study, a computational workflow is presented that combines (i) a broadband Green's function‐based fault‐rupture and ground motion simulation—herein carried out using the “UCSB (University of California at Santa Barbara) method”, (ii) a three‐dimensional physics‐based regional‐scale wave propagation simulation that is resolved at  Hz, and (iii) a local soil‐foundation‐structure finite element analysis model. These models are interfaced with each other using the domain reduction method. The innermost local model—implemented in ABAQUS—is additionally enveloped with perfectly matched layer boundaries that absorb outbound waves scattered by the structures contained within it. The intermediate wave propagation simulation is carried out using Hercules , which is an explicit time‐stepping finite element code that is developed and licensed by the CMU‐QUAKE group. The devised workflow is applied to a  km region on the European side of Istanbul, which was modeled using detailed soil stratigraphy data and realistic fault rupture properties, which are available from prior microzonation surveys and earthquake scenario studies. The innermost local model comprises a chevron‐braced steel frame building supported by a shallow foundation slab, which, in turn, rests atop a three‐dimensional soil domain. To demonstrate the utility of the workflow, results obtained using various simplified soil‐structure interaction analysis techniques are compared with those from the detailed direct model. While the aforementioned demonstration has a limited scope, the devised workflow can be used in a multitude of ways, for example, to examine the effects of shallow‐layer soil nonlinearities and surface topography, to devise site‐ and structure‐specific seismic fragilities, and for calibrating regional loss models, to name a few.     

Late quaternary evolution of a subantarctic paleofjord, Tierra del Fuego

Lago Roca-Lapataia valley (54°50′S, 68°34′W) is a paleofjord that was occupied by a valley-glacier system during the glacial maximum of the late Pleistocene (estimated ca. 18–20 ka BP). Deglaciation began before 10,080 ± 270 BP. The marine fauna in several marine terraces found in the area shows that early-middle Holocene climatic conditions were basically the same as at present. Species found are characteristic of cold and shallow waters, although minor temperature fluctuations cannot be ruled out for this period. A recent radiocarbon date of 7518 ± 58 BP on Chlamys patagonica (NZ # 7730) confirms that Lago Roca was transformed into a fjord ca. 7500–8000 BP. The sea reached its maximum level of 8–10 m a.s.l. around 6000 BP and at 4000–4500 BP was at least above 6 ± 1 m a.s.l. Later, when sea level fell, Lago Roca was occupied by fresh water and was no longer tidal. The relative land-sea positions during this period are a consequence of combined eustatic and neotectonic processes.     

Le Batholite de San Ramon,Cordillère Orientale du Pérou Central

Résumè Le batholite de San Ramon est constitue par un granite à gros grains ou porphyroïde, à biotite et parfois hornblende, de teinte rouge à grise. Il s'étend sur 90 km du Nord au Sud à la bordure est de la Cordillère Orientale du Pérou Central. Il recoupe des terrains carbonifères et on le retrouve en galets dans des conglomérats rouges sous-jacents aux calcaires triasico-liasiques. Son âge est précisé par une isochrone Rb/Sr en roches totales qui le fixe à 238±10 MA. Il s'agit donc d'un granite d'âge permien supérieur à trias inférieur en partie contemporain du volcanisme rhyolitique à andésitique qui accompagne le dépôt des molasses rouges Mitu post-léonardiennes et pré-ladiniennes. Avec d'autre granitoïdes tardi-hercyniens de la Cordillère Orientale, il témoigne de l'importance insuffisamment reconnue jusqu'alors du plutonisme associé à ce volcanisme »permo-triasique«.

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The batholith of San Ramon is made of a coarse-grained to porphyritic granite that bears biotite and also hornblende at some places. It extends over 90 km from north to south along the eastern boundary of the Eastern Cordillera of Central Peru. It intrudes Carboniferous and Lower Permian strata and is included as cobbles into the red conglomerates that underlie Triassic to Liassic carbonates. A Rb/Sr whole-rock isochron gives a Late Permian to Early Triassic age of 238±10 m. y. Thus the San Ramon granite appears to be in part coeval with the andesite to rhyolitic volcanism associated to the red Mitu molasses, that as a whole were deposited after the Late Leonardian and before the Lower Ladinian. Some other radiometric ages from the Eastern Cordillera granitoïds stress the extension of this Late Variscan plutonism.

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Zusammenfassung Der Batholit von San Ramon besteht aus einem grobkörnigen bis porphyrartigen Granit mit Biotiten und bisweilen Hornblenden von rötlicher bis grauer Farbe. Er erstreckt sich über 90 km in N—S-Richtung längs dem Ostrand der östlichen Cordillere von Zentralperu. Er durchschneidet Karbon- und Permablagerungen und findet sich in Gerollen des triadisch-liassische Kalke unterlagernden Konglomerats. Aus der Rb/Sr-Gesamtisochrone ergibt sich ein Alter von 238±10 M. J. Es handelt sich also um einen Granit aus dem Grenzbereich Perm—Trias, der zum Teil gleichaltrig mit dem rhyolitischen bis andesitischen Vulkanismus ist, der die Ablagerung der postleonardischen und praeladinischen roten Molasse Mitubegleitet. Im Verein mit anderen spätvariszischen Granitoïden weist er auf die bisher ungenügend erkannte Bedeutung des diesen permo-triadischen Vulkanismus begleitenden Plutonismus hin.

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Resumen El batolito de San Ramón esta localizado a lo largo del limite este de la Cordillera Oriental en el Perú Central. Esta compuesto por un granito de grano grueso que puede tambien ser porfiroide, contiene biotita y tambien hornablenda y su color varia de rojo a gris. Dicho granito intruye terrenos carboniferos y eo-pérmicos y se le encuentra formando parte de los cantos en los conglomerados rojos infrayacentes a la serie carbonatada triásico-liásica. Una isocrona Rb/Sr en rocas totales le da una edad de 238±10 m. y. es decir del Permico terminal o de la base del Triásico. Por lo tanto, el granito de San Ramón es contemporáneo con parte del volcanismo riolitico a andesítico asociado a la sedimentacion de las molasas rojas del grupo Mitu, la cual ocure entre el Leonardiano superior y el Ladiniano inferior. Junto con otros granitoïdes de la Cordillera oriental, el batolito de San Ramón demuestra la importancia del plutonismo asociado a este volcanismo »permo-triásico«.

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A substructure method for earthquake analysis of structures including structure-soil interaction

A general substructure method for analysis of response of structures to earthquake ground motion, including the effects of structure-soil interaction, is presented. The method is applicable to complex structures idealized as finite element systems and the soil region treated as either a continuum, for example as a viscoelastic halfspace, or idealized as a finite element system. The halfspace idealization permits reliable analysis for sites where essentially similar soils extend to large depths and there is no rigid boundary such as soil-rock interface. For sites where layers of soft soil are underlain by rock at shallow depth, finite element idealization of the soil region is appropriate; in this case, the direct and substructure methods would lead to equivalent results but the latter provides the better alternative. Treating the free field motion directly as the earthquake input in the substructure method eliminates the deconvolution calculations and the related assumption—regarding type and direction of earthquake waves—required in the direct method. Spatial variations in the input motion along the structure-soil interface of embedded structures or along the base of long surface supported structures are included in the formulation. The substructure method is computationally efficient because the two substructures—the structure and the soil region—are analysed separately; and, more important, it permits taking advantage of the important feature that response to earthquake ground motion is essentially contained in the lower few natural modes of vibration of the structure on fixed base.     

On the origin of compressional intraplate stresses in South America

Intraplate stresses in middle South America are not negligible. We report thrust-faulting mechanisms for five intraplate earthquakes, which indicate a dominant horizontal deviatoric compressional stress oriented in a NW-SE direction. We conclude that this state of stress is due to forces connected with spreading on the Mid Atlantic Ridge and resistive forces exerted by the Caribbean plate to the north and the Nazca plate to the west. The existence and nature of the resistive forces is inferred from earthquake mechanisms and geological evidence presented in other studies. All the available intraplate stress data for Nazca and South America indicate that both plates are under deviatoric compression generated at spreading centers. The absence of tensional earthquake focal mechanisms, particularly in the Nazca plate near the trench, suggests that the forces associated with the gravitational sinking of subducted lithosphere are locally compensated. We present a simple numerical calculation of a non-subducting plate to show how the compressional deviatoric stresses in middle South America can be used to estimate an upper bound of about 10²¹ P for the viscosity of the mantle.     

Estimates of coda Q attenuation in the João Câmara area (Northeastern Brazil)

S coda wave of seventy-four local earthquakes recorded in a network of ten seismic stations were used to calculate coda Q attenuation (Q_c) in the João Câmara area (northeastern Brazil). The estimates show Q_c as a strong function of frequency in the range from 6.0 to 20.0 Hz. We found out that Q_c in João Câmara has a functional form given by Q_c= Q₀ f, where Q₀= 151 ± 99 and = 0.98 ± 0.05. If the standard deviations are taken into account,we conclude that there are no relevant changes in both Q₀ and values from one station to another. The estimated Q₀ values at the different stations suggest that the Samambaia fault is a boundary between two different seismic attenuation zones. In one side of the fault (left), where stations were installed in Pre-Cambrian terrain and thick sedimentary layer, the seismic attenuation is stronger than in the other side (stations installed in thin sedimentary layer and limestone outcrop).The anomalous Q₀ values in the left side of the Samambaia fault can be explained due to the presence of a shallow conductive layer in the upper crust( 10 km), such as proposed by Padilha et al. (1992). According to our results, if there is a conductive layer in the area, it probably spreads over João Câmara city and surrounding regions.However, more detailed investigation either with seismic methods (seismic attenuation,3D tomography with P and/or S wave velocities) or with other geophysical methods is needed to interpret the observed differences in Q₀ values between the two sides of the Samambaia fault.     

Fractal analysis of tidal channels in the Bahía Blanca Estuary (Argentina)

The fractal dimension (D) was estimated for nine tidal channels depicted in thematic mapper (TM) Landsat-5 imagery to derive information about the degree of geomorphological control on a tidal channel network characteristic of the Bahía Blanca Estuary (Argentina). Two methods, box counting and contiguity, were used to estimate fractal dimensions for each tidal channel. All channels produced D values close to 1, meaning that they are self-affine fractal features. However, these fractal dimensions do not represent the meandering pattern complexity characteristic of the tidal channels analysed. Although both methods allowed for estimation of D, the contiguity method showed that three of the channels actually are not fractal but have sinusoidal characteristics, a condition that was not detected by the former method.