Ground motion at mountains and sedimentary basins with vertical seismic velocity gradient

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fah ◽  
G. F. Panza

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


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. I. Dubovenko ◽  
L. A. Shumlianska ◽  
M. P. Kuzminets

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 534-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika Thompson ◽  
Erin A. Wirth ◽  
Arthur D. Frankel ◽  
J. Renate Hartog ◽  
John E. Vidale

ABSTRACT Sedimentary basins in the Puget Sound region, Washington State, increase ground-motion intensity and duration of shaking during local earthquakes. We analyze Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and U.S. Geological Survey strong-motion recordings of five local earthquakes (M 3.9–6.8), including the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, to characterize sedimentary basin effects within the Seattle and Tacoma basins. We observe basin-edge generated surface waves at sites within the Seattle basin for most ray paths that cross the Seattle fault zone. We also note previously undocumented basin-edge surface waves in the Tacoma basin during one of the local earthquakes. To place quantitative constraints on basin amplification, we determine amplification factors by computing the spectral ratios of inside-basin sites to outside-basin sites at 1, 2, 3, and 5 s periods. Ground shaking is amplified in the Seattle basin for all the earthquakes analyzed and for a subset of events in the Tacoma basin. We find that the largest amplification factors in the Seattle basin are produced by a shallow earthquake located to the southwest of the basin. Our observation suggests that future shallow crustal and megathrust earthquakes rupturing west of the Puget Lowland will produce greater amplification within the Seattle basin than has been seen for intraslab events. We also perform ground-motion simulations using a finite-difference method to validate a 3D Cascadia velocity model (CVM) by comparing properties of observed and synthetic waveforms up to a frequency of 1 Hz. Basin-edge effects are well reproduced in the Seattle basin, but are less well resolved in the Tacoma basin. Continued study of basin effects in the Tacoma basin would improve the CVM.


2020 ◽  
pp. 875529302097097
Author(s):  
Allison M Shumway ◽  
Mark D Petersen ◽  
Peter M Powers ◽  
Sanaz Rezaeian ◽  
Kenneth S Rukstales ◽  
...  

As part of the update of the 2018 National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for the conterminous United States (CONUS), new ground motion and site effect models for the central and eastern United States were incorporated, as well as basin depths from local seismic velocity models in four western US (WUS) urban areas. These additions allow us, for the first time, to calculate probabilistic seismic hazard curves for an expanded set of spectral periods (0.01 to 10 s) and site classes (VS30 = 150 to 1500 m/s) for the CONUS, as well as account for amplification of long-period ground motions in deep sedimentary basins in the Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Seattle, and Salt Lake City areas. Two sets of 2018 NSHM hazard data (hazard curves and uniform-hazard ground motions) are available: (1) 0.05°-latitude-by-0.05°-longitude gridded data for the CONUS and (2) higher resolution 0.01°-latitude-by-0.01°-longitude gridded data for the four WUS basins. Both sets of data contain basin effects in the WUS deep sedimentary basins. Uniform-hazard ground motion data are interpolated for 2, 5, and 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years from the hazard curves. The gridded data for the hazard curves and uniform-hazard ground motions, for all periods and site classes, are available for download at the U.S. Geological Survey ScienceBase Catalog ( https://doi.org/10.5066/P9RQMREV ). The design ground motions derived from the hazard curves have been accepted by the Building Seismic Safety Council for adoption in the 2020 National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program Recommended Seismic Provisions.


2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
K.A. Auld ◽  
J.E.P. Redfearn

The oil discoveries at Norfolk–1 and Exeter–1 in the Northern Dampier Sub-basin (permit WA-191-P) have realised major commercial potential in an area with a prolonged exploration history. This paper presents the results of the drilling campaign which was undertaken in 2002 comprising two successful exploration discovery and five appraisal wells. The Norfolk–1 (28 m gross oil column), Norfolk–2 (9 m oil column), Exeter–1 (23 m oil column), Mutineer–3 (8 m oil column) and finally Exeter–2 (12 m oil column) confirmed a significant commercial oil volume within the Jurassic Angel Sandstones.The recent exploration of this area has improved understanding of the geology through the integration of technology with geoscientific understanding. Highs have been revealed from seismic time data using advanced 3D seismic techniques and sophisticated depth conversion processes.The time structural high of the Mutineer area was first tested by Bounty–1 in 1983 which is now mapped outside the southern limit of closure. Pitcairn–1 was drilled in 1997 discovering three thin oil columns and was followed by a near crestal well at Mutineer–1B drilled 2.6 km northwest of Pitcairn–1 in 1998, discovering an 8m column. The key issue was the understanding of the velocity gradient and depth conversion over the Mutineer Complex which revealed the true structural picture.This paper summarises results of the exploration and appraisal wells drilled and describes the evolution of the structural/stratigraphic understanding of the area, covering critical components hindering the oil field’s early detection. The first component is a significant seismic velocity gradient which causes true structural closure to be significantly offset from the time closure. The second component is the reservoir pressures within the oil reservoir and older sandstone intervals within the Angel and Legendre Sandstones show differences due to hydrodynamic cells and/or depletion resulting from production from the adjacent NWS Venture oil fields. The final component is the oil is primarily reservoired in the top Angel Sandstone, belonging to the J40 sequence and is sealed by a thin shale from the underlying mainly water bearing sandstones (J35/J30 and Legendre Sandstones).The combined reserves for the Mutineer Complex and Exeter Oil Fields reservoired in these laterally continuous turbidites are estimated to be 70–160 MMBBL recoverable.


Author(s):  
Morgan P. Moschetti ◽  
David Churchwell ◽  
Eric M. Thompson ◽  
John M. Rekoske ◽  
Emily Wolin ◽  
...  

Abstract Ground-motion analysis of more than 3000 records from 59 earthquakes, including records from the March 2020 Mw 5.7 Magna earthquake sequence, was carried out to investigate site response and basin amplification in the Wasatch Front, Utah. We compare ground motions with the Bayless and Abrahamson (2019; hereafter, BA18) ground-motion model (GMM) for Fourier amplitude spectra, which was developed on crustal earthquake records from California and other tectonically active regions. The Wasatch Front records show a significantly different near-source rate of distance attenuation than the BA18 model, which we attribute to differences in (apparent) geometric attenuation. Near-source residuals show a period dependence of this effect, with greater attenuation at shorter periods (T<0.5  s) and a correlation between period and the distance over which the discrepancy manifests (∼20–50  km). We adjusted the recorded ground motions for these regional path effects and solved for station site terms using linear mixed-effects regressions, with groupings for events and stations. We analyzed basin amplification by comparing the site terms with the basin geometry and basin depths from two seismic-velocity models for the region. Sites over the deeper parts of the sedimentary basins are amplified by factors of 3–10, relative to sites with thin sedimentary cover, with greater amplification at longer periods (T≳1  s). Average ground-motion variability increases with period, and long-period variability exhibits a slight increase at the basin edges. These results indicate regional seismic wave propagation effects requiring further study, and potentially a regionalized GMM, as well as highlight basin amplification complexities that may be incorporated into seismic hazard assessments.


Author(s):  
Jaeseok Lee ◽  
Jung-Hun Song ◽  
Seongryong Kim ◽  
Junkee Rhie ◽  
Seok Goo Song

ABSTRACT Accurate and practical ground-motion predictions for potential large earthquakes are crucial for seismic hazard analysis of areas with insufficient instrumental data. Studies on historical earthquake records of the Korean Peninsula suggest that damaging earthquakes are possible in the southeastern region. Yet classical ground-motion prediction methods are limited in considering the physical rupture process and its effects on ground motion in complex velocity structures. In this study, we performed ground-motion simulations based on rigorous physics through pseudodynamic source modeling and wave propagation simulations in a 3D seismic velocity model. Ensembles of earthquake scenarios were generated by emulating the one- and two-point statistics of earthquake source parameters derived from a series of dynamic rupture models. The synthetic seismograms and the distributions of simulated peak ground velocities (PGVs) were compared with the observations of the 2016 Mw 5.4 Gyeongju earthquake in the Korean Peninsula. The effects of surface-wave radiation, rupture directivity, and both local and regional amplifications from the 3D wave propagation were reproduced accurately in the spatial distribution of simulated PGVs, in agreement with the observations from dense seismic networks by mean log residuals of −0.28 and standard deviations of 0.78. Amplifications in ground motions were found in regions having low crustal velocities and in regions of constructive interference from the crustal shear-wave phases associated with postcritical reflections from the Moho discontinuity. We extended the established approach to earthquake scenarios of Mw 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0, at the same location, to provide the distribution of ground motions from potential large earthquakes in the area. Although we demonstrate the value of these simulations, improvements in the accuracy of the 3D seismic velocity model and the scaling relationship of the source models would be necessary for a more accurate estimation of near-source ground motions.


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