Estimation of the Seismic Damage Potential of RC Frames Using Seismic Parameters

Variation of the fundamental period is regarded as one of the methods to assess the damage of the structures under earthquakes. The inter-relationship among seismic parameters and variation of the fundamental period can identify the potential structural damage of an earthquake. For this purpose, the present paper aimed to study the relations among main seismic parameters, incorporating a variety of information about ground motion and variation of fundamental period. Three RC frames were analyzed under far-fault earthquake records by nonlinear dynamic analyses and mathematical methods applied to assay the correlation between seismic parameters and variation of fundamental period. Based on the results, high correlations were observed between some seismic parameters and variation of fundamental period. Further, based on regression equations, new parameters with a very strong correlation with variations of fundamental periods were achieved, which can be regarded as appropriate indices to estimate the potential structural damage of an earthquake.

The influence of geomagnetic and seismic parameters on mortality from cardiovascular pathologies in the Shamakhi Region of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Aim. Study of the dependence of mortality from CVD on helio-seismic indicators in the Shamakhi region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.Materials and methods. 352 case histories of patients who died in 2013 from various diseases were reviewed. The relationship was established between the number of deaths, their causes, distribution by sex and age with the magnitude of earthquakes, the depth of the epicenter and seismological activity by months. The data obtained were statistically processed using the Statistica 12.0 for Windows software package (Statsoft Inc., USA). To establish correlations, Pearson Chi-Square Tests was calculated, the results were considered reliable at p <0.05.Results. Statistically significant (p <0.001) more deaths were observed at the age of 80-89 years in men, and at the age of 70-79 years in women. Also, the relationship between mortality and the depth of the seismic process and the magnitude of the earthquake was established, in particular, the greatest number of deaths was observed at a depth of the seismic process <10 km and with a magnitude of 1.1-2.0 ml. In all months, the number of deaths was higher with a magnitude of 1.1-2.0 Ml. Statistically significant (p <0.005) was the fact that the nosology of the studied diseases was dependent on the age of the patients. Thus, a greater number of deaths in all age groups accounted for heart failure. A statistically significant (p <0.005) dependence of the depth of the seismic process on the month of death of patients was established, in particular, for all months, deaths coincided with the depth of the process less than 10 km. At the age of 40-70 years, a significantly greater number of deaths were from heart failure in men, and from 70 years and above in women.Conclusion. Thus, there is a close correlation between geomagnetic changes and mortality from CVD, which is realized in the form of an increase in the frequency of cases and deaths, and the number of these cases increases with the age of patients and changes in the magnitude and depth of the earthquake.

Seismic design of liquid-containing concrete structures

The seismic design of structures is a requirement for any places [sic] where earthquake [sic] occurs, and the design is based upon the codes that vary according to the jurisdictions in which the code was developed for. This study introduces and assesses the document ACI 350.3-06 which was developed by the ACI Committee to guide the design of liquid containing structures, and compares to other codes such as ACI 350.3-01 and NZS 3106 of New Zealand Standard. The importance of liquid containing structures cannot be stressed further, as it is apparent in nuclear applications. The failure of tanks could be due to many reasons: 1) Shell buckling, caused by axial compression due to overall bending. 2) Roof damage as a result of sloshing of the upper portion of the containing liquid due to insufficient provision of freeboard. 3) Failure of inlets and outlets due to their inability to accommodate the deformations of the flexible tank. 4) Differential settlement or failure of supporting soil. The pressures resulted from earthquake [sic] can cause catastrophic disaster, and they [sic] are the impulsive and convective mode which exerts pressures on the walls of the tank. The hydrodynamic model used to estimate these pressures in the ACI 350.3-06 document has also adopted earlier works from Housner, Veletsos, and Shivakumar. Throughout the years, the code has transformed tremendously, and this study shows that the codes are very similar in many ways, yet their differences can yield significantly different results. Furthermore, the results from the various codes are illustrated using the same example, and the validity of the results are determined as well. The effects on seismic design due to the types of structure, whether the tank is rigid or flexible, and the support system are also introduced; moreover, their absences and the variations in the estimation of seismic parameters in some codes are also shown to have a large effect on the load estimation.

Seismic design of liquid-containing concrete structures

The seismic design of structures is a requirement for any places [sic] where earthquake [sic] occurs, and the design is based upon the codes that vary according to the jurisdictions in which the code was developed for. This study introduces and assesses the document ACI 350.3-06 which was developed by the ACI Committee to guide the design of liquid containing structures, and compares to other codes such as ACI 350.3-01 and NZS 3106 of New Zealand Standard. The importance of liquid containing structures cannot be stressed further, as it is apparent in nuclear applications. The failure of tanks could be due to many reasons: 1) Shell buckling, caused by axial compression due to overall bending. 2) Roof damage as a result of sloshing of the upper portion of the containing liquid due to insufficient provision of freeboard. 3) Failure of inlets and outlets due to their inability to accommodate the deformations of the flexible tank. 4) Differential settlement or failure of supporting soil. The pressures resulted from earthquake [sic] can cause catastrophic disaster, and they [sic] are the impulsive and convective mode which exerts pressures on the walls of the tank. The hydrodynamic model used to estimate these pressures in the ACI 350.3-06 document has also adopted earlier works from Housner, Veletsos, and Shivakumar. Throughout the years, the code has transformed tremendously, and this study shows that the codes are very similar in many ways, yet their differences can yield significantly different results. Furthermore, the results from the various codes are illustrated using the same example, and the validity of the results are determined as well. The effects on seismic design due to the types of structure, whether the tank is rigid or flexible, and the support system are also introduced; moreover, their absences and the variations in the estimation of seismic parameters in some codes are also shown to have a large effect on the load estimation.

Locating rock slope failures along highways and understanding their physical processes using seismic signals

Regional monitoring of rock slope failures using the seismic technique is rarely undertaken due to significant source location errors; this method also still lacks the signal features needed to understand events of this type because of the complex mass movement involved. To better comprehend these types of events, 10 known events along highways in Taiwan were analyzed. First, a hybrid method (GeoLoc) composed of cross-correlation-based and amplitude-attenuation-based approaches was applied, and it produced a maximum location error of 3.19 km for the 10 events. We then analyzed the ratio of local magnitude (ML) and duration magnitude (MD) and found that a threshold of 0.85 yields successful classification between rock slope failure and earthquake. Further, GeoLoc can retrieve the seismic parameters, such as signal amplitude at the source (A0) and ML of events, which are crucial for constructing scaling law with source volume (V). Indeed, Log(V) = 1.12 ML + 3.08 and V = 77 290 A00.44 derived in this study provide the lower bound of volume estimation, as the seismic parameters based on peak amplitudes cannot represent the full process of mass loss. Second, while video records correspond to seismic signals, the processes of toppling and sliding present column- and V-shaped spectrograms, respectively. The impacts of rockfall link directly to the pulses of seismic signals. Here, all spectrogram features of events can be identified for events with volumes larger than 2000 m3, corresponding to the farthest epicenter distance of ∼ 2.5 km. These results were obtained using the GeoLoc scheme for providing the government with rapid reports for reference. Finally, a recent event on 12 June 2020 was used to examine the GeoLoc scheme's feasibility. We estimated the event's volume using two scalings: 3838 and 3019 m3. These values were roughly consistent with the volume estimation of 5142 m3 from the digital elevation model. The physical processes, including rockfall, toppling, and complex motion behaviors of rock interacting with slope inferred from the spectrogram features were comprehensively supported by the video record and field investigation. We also demonstrated that the GeoLoc scheme, which has been implemented in Sinwulyu catchment, Taiwan, can provide fast reports, including the location, volume, and physical process of events, to the public soon after they occur.

The Seismicity of Ischia Island, Italy: An Integrated Earthquake Catalogue From 8th Century BC to 2019 and Its Statistical Properties

Ischia is a densely inhabited and touristic volcanic island located in the northern sector of the Gulf of Naples (Italy). In 2017, the Mw 3.9 Casamicciola earthquake occurred after more than one century of seismic quiescence characterized only by minor seismicity, which followed a century with three destructive earthquakes (in 1828, 1881, and 1883). These events, despite their moderate magnitude (Mw &lt; 5.5), lead to dreadful effects on buildings and population. However, an integrated catalogue systematically covering historical and instrumental seismicity of Ischia has been still lacking since many years. Here, we review and systematically re-analyse all the available data on the historical and instrumental seismicity, to build an integrated earthquake catalogue for Ischia with a robust characterization of existing uncertainties. Supported by new or updated macroseismic datasets, we significantly enriched existing catalogues, as the Italian Parametric Earthquake Catalogue (CPTI15) that, with this analysis, passed from 12 to 57 earthquakes with macroseismic parametrization. We also extended back by 6 years the coverage of the instrumental catalogue, homogenizing the estimated seismic parameters. The obtained catalogue will not only represent a solid base for future local hazard quantifications, but also it provides the unique opportunity of characterizing the evolution of the Ischia seismicity over centuries. To this end, we analyse the spatial, temporal, and magnitude distributions of Ischia seismicity, revealing for example that, also in the present long-lasting period of volcanic quiescence, is significantly non-stationary and characterized by a b-value larger than 1.

Statistics of seismicity to investigate the Campi Flegrei caldera unrest

The knowledge of the dynamic of the Campi Flegrei calderic system is a primary goal to mitigate the volcanic risk in one of the most densely populated volcanic areas in the world. From 1950 to 1990 Campi Flegrei suffered three bradyseismic crises with a total uplift of 4.3 m. After 20 years of subsidence, the uplift started again in 2005 accompained by a low increment of the seismicity rate. In 2012 an increment in the seismic energy release and a variation in the gas composition of the fumaroles of Solfatara (in the central area of the caldera) were recorded. Since then, a slow and progressive increase in phenomena continued until today. We analyze the INGV - Osservatorio Vesuviano seismic catalogue of Campi Flegrei from 2000 to 2020 in order to look for any variation in the seismic parameters and compare them with geochemical monitored ones. A remarkable correlation between independent variables of earthquake cumulative number, CO/CO2 values and vertical ground deformation reveals a likely common origin. Moreover the correlation between all the variables here analysed enlightens that the same origin can cause the temporal behavior of all these variables. We interpret the seismological, geochemical and geodetic observable in terms of the injection of magmatic fluids into the hydrothermal system or its pressurization.

Intrusive Seismic Swarms as Possible Precursors of Destructive Earthquakes on Mt. Etna’s Eastern Flank

The Timpe Fault System (TFS) represents the source of shallow earthquakes that strike numerous towns and villages on Mt. Etna eastern flank. In the last 40 years, three destructive seismic events reached I0 = VIII EMS (heavily damaging) - in 1984 (October 25), 2002 (October 29) and 2018 (December 26). These events followed a few days after the occurrence of strong seismic swarms and the sudden acceleration of the eastern flank seaward. However, if the 2002 and 2018 events were caused by stress induced by eruptive dike propagation, in October 1984 no eruption occurred. In this work, parameters such as localization, cumulative seismic moment and hourly occurrence frequency of the 1984 seismic swarm, have been analyzed and shown to have typical values of Mt. Etna intrusive seismic swarms. This suggests that the 1984 episode may have been an aborted intrusive magma episode that triggered similar processes (long and powerful intrusions with acceleration of the eastern flank movement and destructive earthquakes), as in 2002 and 2018. These three episodes suggest that an evaluation of some seismic parameters during future intrusive swarms may furnish indications of a possible re-activation of the TFS.