Relations between soil conditions in Mexico City and ground motions of the 1985 Mexico earthquake

1991 ◽  
Vol 28 (2-3) ◽  
pp. A132
Keyword(s):  
Mexico City ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Mexico Earthquake

Soil conditions and damage in the Mexico earthquake of July 28, 1957

1959 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-191
Author(s):  
C. Martin Duke ◽  
David J. Leeds
Keyword(s):  
Mexico City ◽  
Intensity Distribution ◽  
Tall Buildings ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Isoseismal Map ◽  
Mexico Earthquake ◽  
Local Geology

abstract A report is given of observations of the effects of soil conditions on damage in Mexico City and Guerrero State in the earthquake of July 28, 1957. An isoseismal map is presented which identifies anomalies in intensity distribution which appear to be closely related to local geology and soil conditions. Comparison is made between Mexico City, 170 miles from the epicenter and founded on the deep alluvium of Lake Texcoco, and several cities and villages 60 miles from the epicenter, founded on firmer deposits or granite. Mexico City suffered Modified Mercalli intensities of VII and IV, respectively, in that part of the lake-bed area where tall buildings stand, and on the more compact formations. Of the several cities 60 miles from the epicenter, all suffered intensity V or less except Chilpancingo, where the intensity was VII to VIII. Chilpancingo rests on deep unconsolidated deposits; the other places are on rock or shallower unconsolidated deposits.

Strong ground motions recorded during earthquakes of May the 11th and 19th, 1962 in Mexico City

1964 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-231
Author(s):  
Leonardo Zeevaert
Keyword(s):  
Mexico City ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Soft Clay ◽  
Response Spectra ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Strong Ground Motions ◽  
Multistory Building ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Strong Ground

abstract The ground accelerations during the earthquakes of May 11 and 19, 1962 were recorded in Mexico City on a soft clay bed that was formerly the floor of an old lake. Records were obtained from two accelerometers, one instrument was located in the basement of a multistory building and the other was located in a nearby park. Response spectra of the ground motions are presented and analysis is made of the local soil conditions with the view to explaining the characteristics of the spectrums.

The Mexico Earthquake of September 19, 1985—Relationships between Soil Conditions and Earthquake Ground Motions

1988 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 687-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. B. Seed ◽  
M. P. Romo ◽  
J. I. Sun ◽  
A. Jaime ◽  
J. Lysmer
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
General Nature ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Ground Response ◽  
Local Soil

Comparisons are presented between the characteristics of ground motions at five sites underlain by clay at which ground motions were recorded in Mexico City in the earthquake of September 16, 1985 and for which analyses of ground response have been made, based on the measured properties of soils and the motions recorded on hard formations at the National University of Mexico. It is shown that the ground response in areas of Mexico City underlain by clay is extremely sensitive to small changes in the shear wave velocity of the clay and it is suggested that a probabilistic approach which allows for uncertainties in shear wave velocity measurements and in the characteristics of the motions on the hard formations is desirable to assess these effects. Based on the results of such an approach it is concluded that simple ground response analyses can provide very useful data for engineering assessments of the effects of local soil conditions on the characteristics of ground motions likely to develop at sites underlain by soft clays, and that the use of these procedures also provides a useful basis for estimating the general nature of the ground motions in the extensive heavy damage zone of Mexico City in the 1985 earthquake.

scholarly journals Realistic modelling of observed seismic motion in compIex sedimentary basins

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fah ◽  
G. F. Panza
Keyword(s):  
Ground Motion ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Sedimentary Basin ◽  
Numerical Technique ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Space Distribution ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Macroseismic Data ◽  
Resonance Effects ◽  
Local Soil

Three applications of a numerical technique are illustrated to model realistically the seismic ground motion for complex two-dimensional structures. First we consider a sedimentary basin in the Friuli region, and we model strong motion records from an aftershock of the 1976 earthquake. Then we simulate the ground motion caused in Rome by the 1915, Fucino (Italy) earthquake, and we compare our modelling with the damage distribution observed in the town. Finally we deal with the interpretation of ground motion recorded in Mexico City, as a consequence of earthquakes in the Mexican subduction zone. The synthetic signals explain the major characteristics (relative amplitudes, spectral amplification, frequency content) of the considered seismograms, and the space distribution of the available macroseismic data. For the sedimentary basin in the Friuli area, parametric studies demonstrate the relevant sensitivity of the computed ground motion to small changes in the subsurface topography of the sedimentary basin, and in the velocity and quality factor of the sediments. The relative Arias Intensity, determined from our numerical simulation in Rome, is in very good agreoment with the distribution of damage observed during the Fucino earthquake. For epicentral distances in the range 50 km-100 km, the source location and not only the local soil conditions control the local effects. For Mexico City, the observed ground motion can be explained as resonance effects and as excitation of local surface waves, and the theoretical and the observed maximum spectral amplifications are very similar. In general, our numerical simulations estimate the maximum and average spectral amplification for specific sites, i.e. they are a very powerful tool for accurate micro-zonation

scholarly journals GPS derived ground motions (2005–2014) within the Gulf of Mexico region referred to a stable Gulf of Mexico reference frame

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 6651-6688
Author(s):  
J. Yu ◽  
G. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Reference Frame ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Local Reference Frame ◽  
Local Reference ◽  
Houston Area ◽  
Gps Observations ◽  
Southeastern Louisiana

Abstract. This study investigates current ground motions derived from the GPS geodesy infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico region. The positions and velocity vectors of 161 continuous GPS (CGPS) stations are presented with respect to a newly established local reference frame, the Stable Gulf of Mexico Reference Frame (SGOMRF). Thirteen long-term (> 5 years) CGPS are used to realize the local reference frame. The root-mean-square (RMS) of the velocities of the 13 SGOMRF reference stations achieves 0.2 mm yr−1 in the horizontal and 0.3 mm yr−1 in the vertical directions. GPS observations presented in this study indicate significant land subsidence in the coastal area of southeastern Louisiana, the greater Houston metropolitan area, and two cities in Mexico (Aguascalientes and Mexico City). The most rapid subsidence is recorded at the Mexico City International airport, which is up to 26.6 cm yr−1 (2008–2014). Significant spatial variation of subsidence rates is observed in both Mexico City and the Houston area. The overall subsidence rate in the Houston area is decreasing. GPS observations in southeastern Louisiana indicate minor (4.0–6.0 mm yr−1) but consistent subsidence over time and space. This poses a potential threat to the safety of costal infrastructure in the long-term.

The great Mexican earthquake of 19 June 1858: Expected ground motions and damage in Mexico City from a similar future event

1996 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 1655-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Singh ◽  
M. Ordaz ◽  
L. E. Pérez-Rocha
Keyword(s):  
Mexico City ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Great Earthquake ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Cocos Plate ◽  
Current Design ◽  
Peak Horizontal Acceleration ◽  
The City

Abstract The description of the great earthquake of 19 June 1858 is unusual: damage and high intensities were reported both in the state of Michoacan and in Mexico City. Although a coastal epicenter for this earthquake cannot be ruled out, the reports agree better with an intermediate-depth (about 50 km), normal-faulting event in the subducted Cocos plate. A careful examination of the reports of this event and other normal-faulting events below the Mexican altiplano suggests that a likely location is 18.0 °N, 100.8 °W, near the epicenter of the 6 June 1964 (M7.3, H = 55 km) event. This location is 220 km SW of the city. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated to be about 7.7. We synthesize expected ground motions in CU, a hill-zone site in the city, from an event similar to that of 1858, using records from the 23 May 1994 earthquake (18.0 °N, 100.6 °W, H = 50 km, M5.7) as an empirical Green's function and stress parameter, Δσ, of 50, 160, and 300 bar. The expected peak horizontal acceleration in CU of Δσ = 160 bar is about 30 gals. Similar acceleration was recorded in CU during the 1985, Michoacan earthquake (M8.0). We compute expected ground motions at many sites in Mexico City using empirical transfer functions and random vibration theory and compare these motions and the expected damage in the city with those from the 1985 Michoacan earthquake. Results show that the overall expected damage during the postulated earthquake is ⅔ and 1⅓ of that during the Michoacan earthquake for Δσ = 160 and 300 bar, respectively. A greater percentage of low-rise construction, which constitute about 80% of the total in the city, will be damaged during the postulated earthquake than during the Michoacan earthquake. The expected ground motions for Δσ = 50 bar are smaller at all periods than those from the Michoacan earthquake. As the present building code for Mexico City contemplates coastal earthquakes of magnitude greater than 8.0, the case of Δσ = 50 bar is not of interest in this article. This preliminary study suggests a need for a more careful evaluation of expected ground motion in the Valley of Mexico from the postulated earthquake and its impact on the current design spectra of the city.

Evaluation of SCEC CyberShake Ground Motions for Engineering Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 1311-1328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganyu Teng ◽  
Jack Baker
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Ground Motion ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Response Spectra ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Empirical Models ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Ground Motion Selection ◽  
Promising Source

This paper evaluates CyberShake (version 15.12) ground motions for potential application to high-rise building design in the Los Angeles region by comparing them against recordings from past earthquakes as well as empirical models. We consider two selected sites in the Los Angeles region with different underlying soil conditions and select comparable suites of ground motion records from CyberShake and the NGA-West2 database according to the ASCE 7-16 requirements. Major observations include (1) selected ground motions from CyberShake and NGA-West2 share similar features, in terms of response spectra and polarization; (2) when selecting records from Cyber-Shake, it is easy to select motions with sources that match the hazard deaggregation; (3) CyberShake durations on soil are consistent with the empirical models considered, whereas durations on rock are slightly shorter; (4) occasional excessive polarization in ground motion is produced by San Andreas fault ruptures, though those records are usually excluded after the ground motion selection. Results from this study suggest that CyberShake ground motions are a suitable and promising source of ground motions for engineering evaluations.

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