scholarly journals Site Characterization and Site Response in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (1_suppl1) ◽  
pp. 137-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Hough ◽  
Alan Yong ◽  
Jean Robert Altidor ◽  
Dieuseul Anglade ◽  
Doug Given ◽  
...  

Waveform analysis of aftershocks of the Mw7.0 Haiti earthquake of 12 January 2010 reveals amplification of ground motions at sites within the Cul de Sac valley in which Port-au-Prince is situated. Relative to ground motions recorded at a hard-rock reference site, peak acceleration values are amplified by a factor of approximately 1.8 at sites on low-lying Mio-Pliocene deposits in central Port-au-Prince and by a factor of approximately 2.5–3 on a steep foothill ridge in the southern Port-au-Prince metropolitan region. The observed amplitude, predominant periods, variability, and polarization of amplification are consistent with predicted topographic amplification by a steep, narrow ridge. A swath of unusually high damage in this region corresponds with the extent of the ridge where high weak-motion amplifications are observed. We use ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) imagery to map local geomorphology, including characterization of both near-surface and of small-scale topographic structures that correspond to zones of inferred amplification.

2019 ◽  
pp. 122315EQS188M
Author(s):  
Ashly Cabas ◽  
Adrian Rodriguez-Marek

Input motions used in seismic site response analyses are commonly selected based on similarities between the shear wave velocity (Vs) at the recording station, and the reference depth at the site of interest (among other aspects such as the intensity of the expected ground motion). This traditional approach disregards the influence of the attenuation in the shallow crust on site response. Given that this attenuation (damping) can be characterized by the distance-independent high-frequency attenuation parameter 0, a Vs-0 correction framework for input motions is proposed to render them compatible with the assumed properties of the reference depth at the site. The proposed correction factors were applied to a subset of recordings from the KiK-net database, and compared to traditional deconvolution. Results indicate that Vs-0 corrected motions outperform deconvolved motions in the characterization of the spectral energy in the high-frequency range. However, motions recorded at sites with soft deposits are not good candidates for the Vs-0 correction approach. Vs-0 corrections also affect amplification functions which are important in the assessment of site-specific seismic hazards.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Hoogestraat ◽  
Henriette Sudhaus ◽  
Andreas Omlin

<p>The near-surface geology of northern Germany is characterized by glacial deposits, deformed by rising Permian and Upper Triassic salt structures. Ground motions potentially associated with salt tectonic processes are very slow and are superimposed by signals of e.g. hydrological and anthropogenic sources. To measure them requires the detection of motion rates in the range of a few millimeters per year with sufficient spatial coverage. For large areas little is known about the rates and the characteristics of ground motions, even though they directly affect anthropogenic infrastructure and could have an impact on the future use of the underground for storage purposes or the exploitation of geothermal energy.</p><p>To measure ground motion, we use radar interferometric time series data provided by the German Aerospace Center and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources' Ground motion service. These data are based on Synthetic Aperture Radar images acquired by ESA's ERS and Sentinel satellites. Time-series analyses are possible for temporally stable backscattering objects (persistent scatterers) on the ground. Generally, this results in spatially dense observations over built-up areas and sparse observations over rural areas.</p><p>We use a set of geostatistical methods to analyze these time series data. We see signals of large-scale surface-deforming processes such as the subsidence of the marshes and small-scale signals like the swelling of Permian anhydrite at the Segeberger "Kalkberg". And we can observe subsidence processes over the historic town of Lübeck.</p><p>Our work extends the area of application of the PS-InSAR technique from areas with high motion rates to regions with particulary low motion rates. We discuss methods that can be used to link ERS data to the Sentinel-1 data, in particular, to separate long-term motion processes from short-term effects. We are working on techniques that shall help to decompose different signal sources. Finally, we aim to prepare a set of tools, that can be used by the community.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. s203-s213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian J. Bommer ◽  
Bernard Dost ◽  
Benjamin Edwards ◽  
Pauline P. Kruiver ◽  
Michail Ntinalexis ◽  
...  

AbstractMajor efforts are being undertaken to quantify seismic hazard and risk due to production-induced earthquakes in the Groningen gas field as the basis for rational decision-making about mitigation measures. An essential element is a model to estimate surface ground motions expected at any location for each earthquake originating within the gas reservoir. Taking advantage of the excellent geological and geophysical characterisation of the field and a growing database of ground-motion recordings, models have been developed for predicting response spectral accelerations, peak ground velocity and ground-motion durations for a wide range of magnitudes. The models reflect the unique source and travel path characteristics of the Groningen earthquakes, and account for the inevitable uncertainty in extrapolating from the small observed magnitudes to potential larger events. The predictions of ground-motion amplitudes include the effects of nonlinear site response of the relatively soft near-surface deposits throughout the field.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 917-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashly Cabas ◽  
Adrian Rodriguez-Marek

Input motions used in seismic site response analyses are commonly selected based on similarities between the shear wave velocity ( V S) at the recording station, and the reference depth at the site of interest (among other aspects such as the intensity of the expected ground motion). This traditional approach disregards the influence of the attenuation in the shallow crust on site response. Given that this attenuation (damping) can be characterized by the distance-independent high-frequency attenuation parameter κ0, a V S -κ0 correction framework for input motions is proposed to render them compatible with the assumed properties of the reference depth at the site. The proposed correction factors were applied to a subset of recordings from the KiK-net database, and compared to traditional deconvolution. Results indicate that V S -κ0 corrected motions outperform deconvolved motions in the characterization of the spectral energy in the high-frequency range. However, motions recorded at sites with soft deposits are not good candidates for the V S -κ0 correction approach. V S -κ0 corrections also affect amplification functions which are important in the assessment of site-specific seismic hazards.


Author(s):  
Carlos Mendoza ◽  
Stephen Hartzell

ABSTRACT We invert the shear‐wave displacement spectra obtained from 30 three‐component, broadband waveforms recorded within 300 km of the 6 November 2011 Mw 5.7 Prague, Oklahoma, earthquake to recover the site‐response contribution using an inversion method that simultaneously inverts for source, path, and site effects. Site‐response functions identify resonant frequencies within a range of 0.1–10 Hz that generally coincide with spectral peaks in horizontal‐to‐vertical ratio curves derived from the recorded waveforms. S‐wave velocity profiles available for several sites were also used to calculate theoretical SH transfer functions that predict the site amplification due to the near‐surface soil structure down to depths of 30–50 m. The transfer functions do not provide resonance information below about 5–8 Hz, indicating that the spectral peaks in the site response obtained from the waveform analysis result from deeper velocity variations. A 0.3 Hz spectral peak observed at several stations, for example, coincides with the strong, surface‐wave amplitudes observed at 3 s periods for induced M≥3 earthquakes in Oklahoma and Kansas, suggesting that this resonant peak may be due to surface waves trapped in the upper ∼2  km sedimentary layer of the crust. Both shallow and deep contributions to the site response are important for the characterization of ground motion from central and eastern North America (CENA) earthquakes. We obtain a corner frequency of 0.229, consistent with independent observations of the size of the event. A frequency‐dependent attenuation relation of Q(f)=1107f0.398 consistent with prior CENA path measurements is also derived.


Author(s):  
Brendon A. Bradley ◽  
Liam M. Wotherspoon ◽  
Anna E. Kaiser

This paper presents ground motion and site effect observations in the greater Wellington region from the 14 November 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikōura earthquake. The region was the principal urban area to be affected by the earthquake-induced ground motions from this event. Despite being approximately 60km from the northern extent of the causative earthquake rupture, the ground motions in Wellington exhibited long period (specifically T = 1 - 3s) ground motion amplitudes that were similar to, and in some locations exceeded, the current 500 year return period design ground motion levels. Several ground motion observations on rock provide significant constraint to understand the role of surficial site effects in the recorded ground motions. The largest long period ground motions were observed in the Thorndon and Te Aro basins in Wellington City, inferred as a result of 1D impedance contrasts and also basin-edge-generated waves. Observed site amplifications, based on response spectral ratios with reference rock sites, are seen to significantly exceed the site class factors in NZS1170.5:2004 for site class C, D, and E sites at approximately T=0.3-3.0s. The 5-95% Significant Duration, Ds595, of ground motions was on the order of 30 seconds, consistent with empirical models for this earthquake magnitude and source-to-site distance. Such durations are slightly longer than the corresponding Ds595 = 10s and 25s in central Christchurch during the 22 February 2011 Mw6.2 and 4 September 2010 Mw7.1 earthquakes, but significantly shorter than what might be expected for large subduction zone earthquakes that pose a hazard to the region. In summary, the observations highlight the need to better understand and quantify basin and near-surface site response effects through more comprehensive models, and better account for such effects through site amplification factors in design standards.


Author(s):  
Julia T. Luck ◽  
C. W. Boggs ◽  
S. J. Pennycook

The use of cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) has become invaluable for the characterization of the near-surface regions of semiconductors following ion-implantation and/or transient thermal processing. A fast and reliable technique is required which produces a large thin region while preserving the original sample surface. New analytical techniques, particularly the direct imaging of dopant distributions, also require good thickness uniformity. Two methods of ion milling are commonly used, and are compared below. The older method involves milling with a single gun from each side in turn, whereas a newer method uses two guns to mill from both sides simultaneously.


2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 827-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Frey ◽  
Karri Saarnio ◽  
Heikki Lamberg ◽  
Fanni Mylläri ◽  
Panu Karjalainen ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajan Girija Rejith ◽  
Mayappan Sundararajan ◽  
Balu Gowtham ◽  
Ayyappan Balasubramanian ◽  
Joseph Francis Lawrence

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