Strong Far-Field Vertical Excitation and Building Damage: A Systematic Review and Future Avenues

Strong vertical excitation may lead to detrimental consequences on structures and infrastructures. To date, the impacts of strong vertical shaking on structures and infrastructures are considered for near-field regions only. However, anomalies in terms of recorded evidence and damage occurrence in the central Himalayan earthquakes dragged the attention of the researchers to explore the possibility of strong vertical shaking in far-field regions as well. Systematic review approach is used to sum up the findings from scholastic works reported to date and juxtaposed the findings with the evidence from central Himalayan earthquakes. It is concluded that the strong vertical shaking in the far-field is undeniable, at least in the central Himalayas; thus, incorporation of strong far-field vertical shaking in structural analysis and design is required. This paper reports the evidence reported in the literature for strong vertical shaking and adds evidence from Nepal focusing on strong far-field vertical excitation.

Himalayan earthquakes: a review of historical seismicity and early 21st century slip potential

This article summarizes recent advances in our knowledge of the past 1000 years of earthquakes in the Himalaya using geodetic, historical and seismological data, and identifies segments of the Himalaya that remain unruptured. The width of the Main Himalayan Thrust is quantified along the arc, together with estimates for the bounding coordinates of historical rupture zones, convergence rates, rupture propagation directions as constrained by felt intensities. The 2018 slip potential for fifteen segments of the Himalaya are evaluated and potential magnitudes assessed for future earthquakes should these segments fail in isolation or as contiguous ruptures. Ten of these fifteen segments are sufficiently mature currently to host a great earthquake (Mw ≥ 8). Fatal Himalayan earthquakes have in the past occurred mostly in the daylight hours. The death toll from a future nocturnal earthquake in the Himalaya could possibly exceed 100 000 due to increased populations and the vulnerability of present-day construction methods.