Understanding Ground Motion in Las Vegas: Insights from Data Analysis and Two-Dimensional Modeling (original) (raw)
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Seismic Wave Amplification in Las Vegas: Site Response and Empirical Estimates of Ground Motion
2004
This presentation will summarize a multidisciplinary effort to understand seismic wave amplification in Las Vegas Valley. The project involves weak motion recording and analysis, geotechnical and seismic refraction field studies, geologic and lithologic interpretation and model building. We will provide a brief overview of the project, then focus on specifics of seismic wave amplification including observations and interpretations. We analyzed recordings of nuclear explosions from the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and regional earthquakes to estimate site response in Las Vegas. An empirical transfer function method was used to transform ground motion time-series at one (reference) station to other stations, using frequency dependent site response curves in the band 0.2-5.0 Hz. The method transforms the time-series to the frequency domain by Fast Fourier transform, multiplies the amplitude spectrum by the site response curve and inverse FFT's back to the time domain. The approach is va...
Site Response in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada from NTS Explosions and Earthquake Data
Pure and Applied Geophysics, 2006
We report site response in Las Vegas Valley (LVV) from historical recordings of Nevada Test Site (NTS) nuclear explosions and earthquake recordings from permanent and temporary seismic stations. Our data set significantly improves the spatial coverage of LVV over previous studies, especially in the northern, deeper parts of the basin. Site response at stations in LVV was measured for frequencies in the range 0.2-5.0 Hz using Standard Spectral Ratios (SSR) and Horizontal-Vertical Spectral Ratios (HVR). For the SSR measurements we used a reference site (approximately NEHRP B ''rock'' classification) located on Frenchman Mountain outside the basin. Site response at sedimentary sites is variable in LVV with average amplifications approaching a factor of 10 at some frequencies. We observed peaks in the site response curves at frequencies clustered near 0.6, 1.2 and 2.0 Hz, with some sites showing additional lower amplitude peaks at higher frequencies. The spatial pattern of site response is strongly correlated with the reported depth to basement for frequencies between 0.2 and 3.0 Hz, although the frequency of peak amplification does not show a similar correlation. For a few sites where we have geotechnical shear velocities, the amplification shows a correlation with the average upper 30-meter shear velocities, V 30 . We performed two-dimensional finite difference simulations and reproduced the observed peak site amplifications at 0.6 and 1.2 Hz with a low velocity near-surface layer with shear velocities 600-750 m/s and a thickness of 100-200 m. These modeling results indicate that the amplitude and frequencies of site response peaks in LVV are strongly controlled by shallow velocity structure.
Realistic modelling of observed seismic motion in complex sedimentary basins
1994
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 total energy of ground motion, determined from our numerical simulation in Rome, is in very good agreement with the distribution of damage observed during the Fucino earthquake. For epicentral distances in the range 50km-100km, 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 permit the estimate of the maximum and average spectral amplification for specific sites, i.e. are a very powerful tool for accurate microzonation.
Seismic Wave Amplification in Las Vegas: Site Characterization Measurements and Response Models
2004
As part of a multidisciplinary effort to understand seismic wave amplification in Las Vegas Valley, we conducted geotechnical and seismic refraction field studies, geologic and lithologic interpretation, and geophysical model building. Frequency-dependent amplifications (site response) and peak ground motions strongly correlate with site conditions as characterized by the models. The models include basin depths and velocities, which also correlate against ground motions. Preliminary geologic models were constructed from detailed geologic and fault mapping, logs of over 500 wells penetrating greater than 200 m depth, gravity-inversion results from the USGS, and USDA soil maps. Valley-wide refraction studies we conducted in 2002 and 2003 were inverted for constraints on basin geometry, and deep basin and basement P velocities with some 3-d control to depths of 5 km. Surface-wave studies during 2002-2004 characterized more than 75 sites within the Valley for shear velocity to depths ex...
Key structural parameters affecting earthquake ground motion in 2D and 3D sedimentary structures
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering
Alluvial valleys generate strong effects on earthquake ground motion (EGM). These effects are rarely accounted for even in site-specific studies because of (a) the cost of the required geophysical surveys to constrain the site model, (b) lack of data for empirical prediction, and (c) poor knowledge of the key controlling parameters. We performed 3D, 2D and 1D simulations for six typical sedimentary valleys of various width and depth, and for a variety of modifications of these 6 ''nominal models'' to investigate sensitivity of EGM characteristics to impedance contrast, attenuation, velocity gradient and geometry. We calculated amplification factors, and 2D/1D and 3D/2D aggravation factors for 10 EGM characteristics, using a representative set of recorded accelerograms to account for input motion variability. The largest values of the amplification and aggravation factors are found for the Arias intensity and cumulative absolute velocity, the lowest for the rootmean-square acceleration. The aggravation factors are largest for the vertical component. For each model, at least one EGM characteristic exhibits a significant 2D/1D aggravation factor, while all EGM characteristics exhibit significant 2D/1D aggravation factor on the vertical component. For all investigated sites, there is always an area in the valley for which 1D estimates are not sufficient. 2D estimates are insufficient at several sites. The key Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (
Two-dimensional earthquake vibrations in sedimentary basins – SH waves
Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 2014
In this paper, long-and short-period vibrations in sedimentary basins are studied. First, two-dimensional, long-period vibrations of deep semi-circular basins for excitation by earthquake faults, which can be inside or outside the basin, are analyzed. Second, recurring intermediate peak frequencies of Fourier-spectrum amplitudes of recorded accelerations along the east-west axis of the San Fernando Valley during the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake are reviewed. It is shown that these intermediate frequencies cannot be associated with vibrations of the entire San Fernando basin because the frequency range of typical strong-motion recordings (0.04 to 15.0 s) is too narrow to include the long-period vibration of the whole basin. These intermediate vibrations are consistent with Kanai's one-dimensional models consisting of parallel layers and excited by vertically incident shear waves.
Computation of amplification factor of earthquake ground motion for a local sedimentary structure
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering
We present methodology of calculating acceleration and corresponding earthquake ground motion characteristics at a site of interest assuming acceleration at a reference site for two basic configurations. In one configuration we assume that the reference ground motion is not affected by the local structure beneath the site of interest. In the other configuration we assume that the reference ground motion is affected by the local structure. Consequently, the two configurations differ from each other by the presence of the reference site within the computational model. For each of the two configurations we assume two wavefield excitations: a vertical plane-wave incidence and a point double-couple source. We illustrate the methodology on the example of the Grenoble valley. The extensive investigation of effects of local surface sedimentary structures based on the developed methodology is presented in the accompanying article by Moczo et al. (Bull Earthq Eng, 2018) in this volume.
Geophysical Journal International, 2013
Ground motions of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake recorded at Onahama port (Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture) rank among the highest accelerations ever observed, with the peak amplitude of the 3-D acceleration vector approaching 2g. The response of the site was distinctively non-linear, as indicated by the presence of horizontal acceleration spikes which have been linked to cyclic mobility during similar observations. Compared to records of weak ground motions, the response of the site during the M w 9.1 earthquake was characterized by increased amplification at frequencies above 10 Hz and in peak ground acceleration. This behaviour contrasts with the more common non-linear response encountered at non-liquefiable sites, which results in deamplification at higher frequencies. We simulate propagation of SH waves through the dense sand deposit using a non-linear finite difference code that is capable of modelling the development of excess pore water pressure. Dynamic soil parameters are calibrated using a direct search method that minimizes the difference between observed and simulated acceleration envelopes and response spectra. The finite difference simulations yield surface acceleration time-series that are consistent with the observations in shape and amplitude, pointing towards soil dilatancy as a likely explanation for the high-frequency pulses recorded at Onahama port. The simulations also suggest that the occurrence of high-frequency spikes coincided with a rapid increase in pore water pressure in the upper part of the sand deposit between 145 and 170 s. This sudden increase is possibly linked to a burst of high-frequency energy from a large slip patch below the Iwaki region.