Re-appraisal of seismicity and seismotectonics in the north-eastern Algeria Part II: 20th century seismicity and seismotectonics analysis

The main objective of the research work isthe homogenisation of the two recentAlgerian earthquake catalogues for thecommon covered period of time, from 1900 to1990, for the region under considerationlimited by [33^°N–38^°N,4^°E-9.5^°E] and the updatingof the catalogue for the twentieth century(1900–2000). To mitigate the deficiencyof the incompleteness of catalogue, aneffort was made to establish a correlationbetween surface-wave magnitude Ms andbody-wave magnitude m_b in the form ofMs = a + b (m_b). A complete, exact andhomogeneous earthquake catalogue as much aspossible, comprising 870 seismic events,has been compiled. Seismicity analysis ofthe region shows a strong concentration ofseismicity along a band of no more than400 km width oriented mainly in theeast-west direction parallel to the coast.Moreover, earthquakes in this zone arerather associated to strike-slip mechanism.The focal mechanism show a regional stressregime that corresponds to horizontalcompression in NW-SE to N-S direction. As aresult of the review of the seismicity ofnorth-eastern Algeria from the compilationof checked and corrected data and itscorrelation with other geologic andgeophysical investigations based ondocumentary sources, it was possible toconstruct a most complete seismotectonicmap. It leads also to delineate fourseismogenic zones in the Tellian Atlas, aless important zone in the Saharan Atlas, asixth zone at the boundary of both Atlasand finally, a seventh one along thecoastal zone. The seismicity-active faultscorrelation of some of these defined zonesis examined in details with a specialattention to the Saharan Atlas zone, theHodna and Biban zone as well as Soummam andBabor zone where further research workallowed to find some neotectonic featuresconsidered as a significant sign of recenttectonic activity.     

An Mw based earthquake Catalogue for central, northern and northwestern Europe using a hierarchy of magnitude conversions

Data from 25 local catalogues and 30special studies of earthquakes in central,northern and northwestern Europe have beenincorporated into a Databank. The dataprocessing includes discriminating eventtypes, eliminating fake events and dupletsand converting different magnitudes andintensities to M_w if this is not givenby the original source. The magnitudeconversion is a key task of the study andimplies establishment of regressionequations where no local relations exist.The Catalogue contains tectonic events fromthe Databank within the area44°N–72°N,25°W–32°E and the time period1300–1993. The lower magnitude level forthe Catalogue entries is setat M_w == 3.50. The area covered by thedifferent catalogues are associated withpolygons. Within each polygon only datafrom one or a small number of the localcatalogues, supplemented by data fromspecial studies, enter the Catalogue. Ifthere are two or more such catalogues orstudies providing a solution for an event,a priority algorithm selects one entry forthe Catalogue. Then M_w is calculatedfrom one of the magnitude types, or frommacroseismic data, given by the selectedentry according to another priority scheme.The origin time, location, M_w magnitude and reference are specified for eachentry of the Catalogue. So is theepicentral intensity, I₀, if providedby the original source. Following thesecriteria, a total of about 5,000earthquakes constitute the Catalogue.Although originally derived for the purposeof seismic hazard calculation within GSHAP,the Catalogue provides a data base for manytypes of seismicity and seismic hazardstudies.     

Exploration and Study on Deep Crust Structural Characteristics in the Jiashi-Artux Seismic Region

The data from two deep seismic sounding profiles was processed and studied comprehensively. The results show that crnst-mantle structures in the investigated region obviously display layered characteristics and velocity structures and tectonic features have larger distinction in different geological structure blocks. The boundary interface C between the upper and lower crust and Moho fluctuate greatly. The shallowest depths of C (30.0km) and Moho (45.5km) under Jiashi deepen sharply from Jiashi to the western Kunlun mountain areas, where the depths of C and Moho are 44.0km and 70.0km, respectively. The higher velocity structures in the Tarim massif determine its relatively “stable“ characteristics in crust tectonics. The phenomenon in the Jiashi region, where the distribution of earthquake foci mostly range from 20kin to 40kin in depth, may infer that the local uplift of C and Moho interface, anomalonsly lower velocity bodies and deep large faults control earthquake occurrence and seismogenic processes in the Jiashi strong earthquake swarm.     

Research on Earthquakes in Cities of China

In this paper, we briefly describe the general destruction caused by historic earthquakes in major cities of China, preliminarily analyze the heaviness and widespread occurrence of earthquakes in cities of China, and suggest that research on scenario earthquakes in cities should be developed as a part urban disaster reduction research.     

Estimation of fundamental periods of shear‐wall dominant building structures

Shear‐wall dominant multistorey reinforced concrete structures, constructed by using a special tunnel form technique are commonly built in countries facing a substantial seismic risk, such as Chile, Japan, Italy and Turkey. In spite of their high resistance to earthquake excitations, current seismic code provisions including the Uniform Building Code (International Conference of Building Officials, Whittier, CA, 1997) and the Turkish Seismic Code (Specification for Structures to be Built in Disaster Areas, Ankara, Turkey, 1998) present limited information for their design criteria. In this study, consistency of equations in those seismic codes related to their dynamic properties are investigated and it is observed that the given empirical equations for prediction of fundamental periods of this specific type of structures yield inaccurate results. For that reason, a total of 80 different building configurations were analysed by using three‐dimensional finite‐element modelling and a set of new empirical equations was proposed. The results of the analyses demonstrate that given formulas including new parameters provide accurate predictions for the broad range of different architectural configurations, roof heights and shear‐wall distributions, and may be used as an efficient tool for the implicit design of these structures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

System identification of instrumented bridge systems

Several recorded motions for seven bridge systems in California during recent earthquakes were analysed using parametric and non‐parametric system identification (SI) methods. The bridges were selected considering the availability of an adequate array of accelerometers and accounting for different structural systems, materials, geometry and soil types. The results of the application of SI methods included identification of modal frequencies and damping ratios. Excellent fits of the recorded motion in the time domain were obtained using parametric methods. The multi‐input/single‐output SI method was a suitable approach considering the instrumentation layout for these bridges. Use of the constructed linear filters for prediction purposes was also demonstrated for three bridge systems. Reasonable prediction results were obtained considering the various limitations of the procedure. Finally, the study was concluded by identifying the change of the modal frequencies and damping of a particular bridge system in time using recursive filters. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Statistical performance analysis of seismic‐excited structures with active interaction control

This paper presents a statistical performance analysis of a semi‐active structural control system for suppressing the vibration response of building structures during strong seismic events. The proposed semi‐active mass damper device consists of a high‐frequency mass damper with large stiffness, and an actively controlled interaction element that connects the mass damper to the structure. Through actively modulating the operating states of the interaction elements according to pre‐specified control logic, vibrational energy in the structure is dissipated in the mass damper device and the vibration of the structure is thus suppressed. The control logic, categorized under active interaction control, is defined directly in physical space by minimizing the inter‐storey drift of the structure to the maximum extent. This semi‐active structural control approach has been shown to be effective in reducing the vibration response of building structures due to specific earthquake ground motions. To further evaluate the control performance, a Monte Carlo simulation of the seismic response of a three‐storey steel‐framed building model equipped with the proposed semi‐active mass damper device is performed based on a large ensemble of artificially generated earthquake ground motions. A procedure for generating code‐compatible artificial earthquake accelerograms is also briefly described. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed semi‐active mass damper device in controlling vibrations of building structures during large earthquakes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of predictors of non‐linear seismic demands using ‘fishbone’ models of SMRF buildings

Predictors (or estimates) of seismic structural demands that are less computationally time‐consuming than non‐linear dynamic analysis can be useful for structural performance assessment and for design. In this paper, we evaluate the bias and precision of predictors that make use of, at most, (i) elastic modal vibration properties of the given structure, (ii) the results of a non‐linear static pushover analysis of the structure, and (iii) elastic and inelastic single‐degree‐of‐freedom time‐history analyses for the specified ground motion record. The main predictor of interest is an extension of first‐mode elastic spectral acceleration that additionally takes into account both the second‐mode contribution to (elastic) structural response and the effects of inelasticity. This predictor is evaluated with respect to non‐linear dynamic analysis results for ‘fishbone’ models of steel moment‐resisting frame (SMRF) buildings. The relatively small number of degrees of freedom for each fishbone model allows us to consider several short‐to‐long period buildings and numerous near‐ and far‐field earthquake ground motions of interest in both Japan and the U.S. Before doing so, though, we verify that estimates of the bias and precision of the predictor obtained using fishbone models are effectively equivalent to those based on typical ‘full‐frame’ models of the same buildings. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gravity variation before Kunlun mountain pass western Ms=8.1 earthquake

The relation between the gravity variation features and Ms=8.1 earthquake in Qinghai-Xizang monitoring area is analyzed preliminarily,by using spatial dynamic variation results of regional gravity field from absolute gravity and relative gravity observation in 1998 and 2000.The results show that:1)Ms\8.1 earthquake in Kulun mountain pass westem occurred in the gravity variation high gradient near gravity‘s high negative variation;2)The Main tectonic deformation and emnergy accumulation before MS=8.1 earthquake are distributed at south side of the epicenter;3)The range of gravity‘s high negative variation at east of the MS=8.1 earthquake epicenter relatively coincides with that rupture region according to field geology investigation;4)Gravity variation distribution in high negative value region is just consistent with the second shear strain‘s high value region of strain field obtained from GPS observation.     

Re-discussion on the Jiaochang Arcuate Structure, Sichuan Province, and the Seismogenic Structure for Diexi Earthquake in 19331

The Jiaocbang arcuate structure is one of the numerous arcuate structural belts in Sichuan. The present paper gives a further argument about the characteristics of that arcuate structure and the new activity of the Songpinggou fault and affirms that the Songpinggou fault is an active fault in the Holocene epoch. The Diexi M7.5 earthquake took place in 1933 on the west wing of that arcuate structure, near the apex of the arc. Many authors have given quite different opinions about the genetic structure of that earthquake. The authors have made on-the-spot investigations time and again over recent years. Besides this, the authors have also further studied the shape of intensity contour lines, the distribution characteristics of ground surface seismic hazards, the left-lateral dislocation of buildings along the Songpinggou fault, the NWtrending ground fissures that developed on the ground surface after earthquake, and so on. On this basis, it is still considered that the seismogenic fault of the 1933 Diexi M7.5 earthquake was the Songpinggou fault on the west wing of the Jiaochang arcuate structure.