scholarly journals Assessment of potential strong ground motions in the city of Rome

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rovelli ◽  
A. Caserta ◽  
L. Malagnini ◽  
F. Marra

A methodology is used which combines stochastic generation of random series with a finite-difference technique to estimate the expected horizontal ground motion for the city of Rome as induced by a large earthquake in the Central Apennines. In this approach, source properties and long-path propagation are modelled through observed spectra of ground motion in the region, while the effects of the near-surface geology in the city are simulated by means of a finite-difference technique applied to 2-D models including elastic and anelastic properties of geologic materials and topographic variations. The parameters commonly used for earthquake engineering purposes are estimated from the simulated time histories of horizontal ground motion. We focus our attention on peak ground acceleration and velocity, and on the integral of the squared acceleration and velocity (that are proportional to the Arias intensity and seismic energy flux, respectively). Response spectra are analyzed as well. Parameter variations along 2-D profiles visualize the effects of the small-scale geological heterogeneities and topography irregularities on ground motion in the case of a strong earthquake. Interestingly, the largest amplification of peak ground acceleration and Arias intensity does not necessarily occur at the same sites where peak ground velocity and flux of seismic energy reach their highest values, depending on the frequency band of amplification. A magnitude 7 earthquake at a distance of 100 km results in peak ground accelerations ranging from 30 to 70 gals while peak ground velocities are estimated to vary from 5 to 7 cm/s; moreover, simulated time histories of horizontal ground motion yield amplitudes of 5% damped pseudovelocity response spectra as large as 15-20 cm/s for frequencies from 1to 3 Hz. In this frequency band, the mean value is 7 cm/s for firm sites and ranges from 10 to 13 cm/s for soil sites. All these results are in good agreement with predictions based on regressions of Italian and Western North American data.

1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (5-6) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rovelli ◽  
L. Malagnini ◽  
A. Caserta ◽  
F. Marra

The geological information collected in the last years by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica for the city of Rome is used to construct 1- and 2-D models of the nearsurface structure. These models are the basis for the numerical generation of synthetic accelerograms which can simulate the horizontal ground motion (SH waves) produced in the different areas of the city by a large (M ? 7) potential earthquake 100 km away in Central Apennines. The proposed methodology yields earthquake engineering parameters (peak ground acceleration and velocity, Arias intensity, energy flux, response spectra) whose spatial variations are consistent with the damage distribution caused by the strongest earthquakes felt in Rome during its long history. Based on the macroseismic inforination and the results of the numerical simulations, general criteria for seismic zonation of the city of Rome are proposed.


Author(s):  
J. J. Hu ◽  
H. Zhang ◽  
J. B. Zhu ◽  
G. H. Liu

AbstractA moderate magnitude earthquake with Mw 5.8 occurred on June 17, 2019, in Changning County, Sichuan Province, China, causing 13 deaths, 226 injuries, and serious engineering damage. This earthquake induced heavier damage than earthquakes of similar magnitude. To explain this phenomenon in terms of ground motion characteristics, based on 58 sets of strong ground motions in this earthquake, the peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), acceleration response spectra (Sa), duration, and Arias intensity are analyzed. The results show that the PGA, PGV, and Sa are larger than the predicted values from some global ground motion models. The between-event residuals reveal that the source effects on the intermediate-period and long-period ground motions are stronger than those on short-period ground motions. Comparison of Arias intensity attenuation with the global models indicates that the energy of ground motions of the Changning earthquake is larger than those of earthquakes with the same magnitude.


2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bozzoni ◽  
Carlo Giovanni Lai ◽  
Laura Scandella

The preliminary results are presented herein for the engineering applications of the characteristics of the ground motion induced by the May 20, 2012, Emilia earthquake. Shake maps are computed to provide estimates of the spatial distribution of the induced ground motion. The signals recorded at the Mirandola (MRN) station, the closest to the epicenter, have been processed to obtain acceleration, velocity and displacement response spectra. Ground-motion parameters from the MRN recordings are compared with the corresponding estimates from recent ground-motion prediction equations, and with the spectra prescribed by the current Italian Building Code for different return periods. The records from the MRN station are used to plot the particle orbit (hodogram) described by the waveform. The availability of results from geotechnical field tests that were performed at a few sites in the Municipality of Mirandola prior to this earthquake of May 2012 has allowed preliminary assessment of the ground response. The amplification effects at Mirandola are estimated using fully stochastic site-response analyses. The seismic input comprises seven actual records that are compatible with the Italian code-based spectrum that refers to a 475-year return period. The computed acceleration response spectrum and the associated dispersion are compared to the spectra calculated from the recordings of the MRN station. Good agreement is obtained for periods up to 1 s, especially for the peak ground acceleration. For the other periods, the spectral acceleration of the MRN recordings exceeds that of the computed spectra.<br />


2020 ◽  
pp. 875529302097098
Author(s):  
Luis A Montejo

This article presents a methodology to spectrally match two horizontal ground motion components to an orientation-independent target spectrum (RotDnn). The algorithm is based on the continuous wavelet transform decomposition and iterative manipulation of the two horizontal components of a seed record. The numerical examples presented follow current ASCE/SEI 7 specifications and therefore maximum-direction spectra (RotD100) are used as target for the match. However, the proposed methodology can be used to match other RotDnn spectra, like the median spectrum (RotD50). It is shown that with the proposed methodology the resulting RotDnn from the modified horizontal components closely match the smooth target RotDnn spectrum, while the response spectrum for each horizontal component continue to exhibit a realistic jagged behavior. The response spectra variability at the component level within suites of spectrally matched motions was found to be of the same order than the variability measured in suites composed of amplitude scaled records. Moreover, the spectrally matched records generated preserved most of the characteristics of the seed records, including the nonlinear characteristics of the time history traces and the period-dependent major axis orientations.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duruo Huang ◽  
Wenqi Du

Abstract. In performance-based seismic design, ground-motion time histories are needed for analyzing dynamic responses of nonlinear structural systems. However, the number of strong-motion data at design level is often limited. In order to analyze seismic performance of structures, ground-motion time histories need to be either selected from recorded strong-motion database, or numerically simulated using stochastic approaches. In this paper, a detailed procedure to select proper acceleration time histories from the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) database for several cities in Taiwan is presented. Target response spectra are initially determined based on a local ground motion prediction equation under representative deterministic seismic hazard analyses. Then several suites of ground motions are selected for these cities using the Design Ground Motion Library (DGML), a recently proposed interactive ground-motion selection tool. The selected time histories are representatives of the regional seismic hazard, and should be beneficial to earthquake studies when comprehensive seismic hazard assessments and site investigations are yet available. Note that this method is also applicable to site-specific motion selections with the target spectra near the ground surface considering the site effect.


2019 ◽  
Vol 276 ◽  
pp. 01037
Author(s):  
Masrilayanti ◽  
Aryanti Riza ◽  
Kurniawan Ruddy ◽  
Siregar Zakpar

This paper describes the behaviour of the longitudinal and cross girder of cable-stayed bridge due to multi-support excitation. Cablestayed bridges should be analysed by different support accelerations since generally they have long spans. In this research, an 800 m long cablestayed bridge was assessed by giving different support accelerations. The method used is by arranging simulation using structural analysis software. The displacement time histories are obtained by converting the response spectra using MathCAD. The structural responses were then compared to the application of single support excitation. Results show that there is a significant discrepancy between the two analyses. Single support excitation causes lower responses if the ground motion magnitudes are similar to the small magnitude of the multi-support excitation, and it yields to a higher responses if the magnitudes are similar to the greater value of the multi-support excitation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 1117-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian S.-J. Chiou ◽  
Robert R. Youngs

We present an update to our 2008 NGA model for predicting horizontal ground motion amplitudes caused by shallow crustal earthquakes occurring in active tectonic environments. The update is based on analysis of the greatly expanded NGA-West2 ground motion database and numerical simulations. The updated model contains minor adjustments to our 2008 functional form related to style of faulting effects, hanging wall effects, scaling with the depth to top of rupture, scaling with sediment thickness, and the inclusion of additional terms for the effects of fault dip and rupture directivity. In addition, we incorporate regional differences in far-source distance attenuation and site effects between California and other active tectonic regions. Compared to our 2008 NGA model, the predicted medians by the updated model are similar for M > 7 and are lower for M < 5. The aleatory variability is larger than that obtained in our 2008 model.


1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 190-196
Author(s):  
René Tinawi ◽  
André Filiatrault ◽  
Pierre Léger

An earthquake of magnitude ML = 4.3 occurred near Napierville, Quebec, on November 16, 1993. An accelerograph at the liquefaction, storage, and regasification plant of Gaz Metropolitain in Montreal, about 55 km from the epicentre, recorded the ground motion. Although the maximum accelerations and velocities from this event are small, the acceleration time histories do confirm the high energy content in the very short period range. The recorded ground motion and corresponding absolute acceleration response spectra are presented and various attenuation relationships, proposed for eastern North America, are utilized to compare the measured and predicted ground motion parameters. Key words: Napierville earthquake, attenuation relationships, acceleration spectra, strong motion records.


Author(s):  
A. K. Ghosh ◽  
H. S. Kushwaha

The various uncertainties and randomness associated with the occurrence of earthquakes and the consequences of their effects on the NPP components and structures call for a probabilistic seismic risk assessment (PSRA). However, traditionally, the seismic design basis ground motion has been specified by normalised response spectral shapes and peak ground acceleration (PGA). The mean recurrence interval (MRI) used to be computed for PGA only. The present work develops uniform hazard response spectra i.e. spectra having the same MRI at all frequencies for Kakrapar Atomic Power Station site. Sensitivity of the results to the changes in various parameters has also been presented. These results determine the seismic hazard at the given site and the associated uncertainties. The paper also presents some results of the seismic fragility for an existing containment structure. The various parameters that could affect the seismic structural response include material strength of concrete, structural damping available within the structure and the normalized ground motion response spectral shape. Based on this limited case study the seismic fragility of the structure is developed. The results are presented as families of conditional probability curves plotted against the peak ground acceleration (PGA). The procedure adopted incorporates the various randomness and uncertainty associated with the parameters under consideration.


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