Strong motion observations and recordings from the great Wenchuan Earthquake

The National Strong Motion Observation Network System （NSMONS） of China is briefly introduced in this paper. The NSMONS consists of permanent free-field stations, special observation arrays, mobile observatories and a network management system. During the Wenchuan Earthquake, over 1,400 components of acceleration records were obtained from 460 permanent free-field stations and three arrays for topographical effect and structural response observation in the network system from the main shock, and over 20,000 components of acceleration records from strong aftershocks occurred before August 1, 2008 were also obtained by permanent free-field stations of the NSMONS and 59 mobile instruments quickly deployed after the main shock. The strong motion recordings from the main shock and strong aftershocks are summarized in this paper. In the ground motion recordings, there are over 560 components with peak ground acceleration （PGA） over 10 Gal, the largest being 957.7 Gal. The largest PGA recorded during the aftershock exceeds 300 Gal.

Preliminary site classification of free-field strong motion stations based on Wenchuan earthquake records

During the great Wenchuan earthquake, about 460 permanent free-field stations in National Strong Motion Observation Network System （NSMONS） of China captured the main shock acceleration records. These records can be applied to site effect analyses, and then the site classification of those permanent stations can be carried out firstly, which will served as the fundamental information for further research. In this paper, the site of near-fault stations is classified by horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio （HVSR） method according to the site class description of Japan earthquake resistant design code and response spectral shapes （RSS） method following the site class description of the 1997 Uniform Building Code （UBC） provisions. Then based on the detailed borehole data of those free-field stations, the equivalent shear wave velocity and overburden thickness are calculated and the site classifications are given by Chinese code for seismic design of buildings. Furthermore, for the stations having successful microtremor test data, the site dominant periods are computed to verify the results of site classification. Finally, combined with all the above results, the recommended site classes of near-fault permanent free-field stations are given.

Improved HVSR site classification method for free-field strong motion stations validated with Wenchuan aftershock recordings

Local site conditions play an important role in the effective application of strong motion recordings.In the China National Strong Motion Observation Network System（NSMONS）,some of the stations do not provide borehole information,and correspondingly,do not assign the site classes yet.In this paper,site classification methodologies for free-field strong motion stations are reviewed and the limitations and uncertainties of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio（HVSR） methods are discussed.Then,a new method for site classification based on the entropy weight theory is proposed.The proposed method avoids the head or tail joggle phenomenon by providing the objective and subjective weights.The method was applied to aftershock recordings from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,and 54 free-field NSMONS stations were selected for site classification and the mean HVSRs were calculated.The results show that the improved HVSR method proposed in this paper has a higher success rate and could be adopted in NSMONS.

Rupture directivity and hanging wall effect in near field strong ground motion simulation

A random synthesis procedure based on finite fault model is adopted for near field strong ground motion simulation in this paper. The fault plane of the source is divided into a number of sub-sources, the whole moment magnitude is also divided into more sub-events. The Fourier spectrum of ground motion caused by a sub-event in given sub-source, then can be derived by means of taking the point source spectrum, attenuation with distance, energy dissipation, and near surface effect, into account. A time history is synthesized from this amplitude spectrum and a random phase spectrum, and being combined with an envelope function. The ground motion is worked out by superposition of all time histories from each sub-event in each sub-source, with time lags determining by the differences between the triggering times of sub-events and distances of the sub-sources. From the example of simulations at 21 near field points in a scenario earthquake with 4 dip angles of the fault plane, it is illustrated that the procedure can describe the rupture directivity and hanging wall effect very well. To validate the procedure, the response spectra and time histories recorded at three near fault stations MCN, LV3 and PCD during the Northridge earthquake in 1994, are compared with the simulated ones.

Analysis of landslide damage caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake using strong motion data: A case study in the Beichuan county town

The county town of Beichuan county, China, experienced catastrophic destruction due to landslides induce by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. In consideration of the special location of the county town, this paper selected the landslides induced in the town as representative of large-scale near-rupture landslides, and quantitatively analyzed why the landslide damage was so destructive in the town by using strong motion data obtained from the Wenchuan earthquake in the Longmenshan area. Three methods were employed to estimate the landslide damage using strong motion data. （1） Peak ground accelerations （PGAs） on the hanging wall were used to evaluate the PGAs on the landslide sites in the town. The evaluated average PGAs were all greater than I g, indicating that the ground motion intensity was very strong during the earthquake. （2） Acceleration time histories, from another station with similar geological conditions to the town, were used to evaluate the critical acceleration changing range, and the estimated values showed the geological conditions were very susceptible to earthquakes. （3） Acceleration time histories, from two stations on the hanging and foot walls of the rupture, and near the town, were used to calculate the Newmark displacements, and all the evaluated displacements indicated that landslides were very likely. The results show that the slopes, susceptible to earthquakes in the Beichuan county town, were easily triggered under such strong ground-motion intensity and developed into large-scale catastrophic events.

The strong ground motion observation for the Wenchuan aftershock

In this paper, the mobile strong ground motion observation for the destructive earthquake is introduced. Considering the characteristics and its spatial distributions of aftershock, 59 strong ground motion instruments were installed along the Longrnenshan fault area, and more than 2 000 records have been accumulated. It shows that it is necessary to perform the mobile strong ground motion observation after the destructive earthquake, and the precious collected data could be applied for further research.

Suitable triggering algorithms for detecting strong ground motions using MEMS accelerometers

With the recent development of digital Micro Electro Mechanical System （MEMS） sensors, the cost of monitoring and detecting seismic events in real time can be greatly reduced. Ability of MEMS accelerograph to record a seismic event depends upon the efficiency of triggering algorithm, apart from the sensor＇s sensitivity. There are several classic triggering algorithms developed to detect seismic events, ranging from basic amplitude threshold to more sophisticated pattern recognition. Algorithms based on STA/LTA are reported to be computationally efficient for real time monitoring. In this paper, we analyzed several STA/LTA algorithms to check their efficiency and suitability using data obtained from the Quake Catcher Network （network of MEMS accelerometer stations）. We found that most of the STA/LTA algorithms are suitable for use with MEMS accelerometer data to accurately detect seismic events. However, the efficiency of any particular algorithm is found to be dependent on the parameter set used （i.e., window width of STA, LTA and threshold level）.

Seismic hazard analysis of Tianjin area based on strong ground motion prediction

Taking Tianjin as an example, this paper proposed a methodology and process for evaluating near-fault strong ground motions from future earthquakes to mitigate earthquake damage for the metropolitan area and important engineering structures. The result of strong ground motion was predicted for Tianjin main faults by the hybrid method which mainly con- sists of 3D finite difference method and stochastic Green＇s function. Simulation is performed for 3D structures of Tianjin re- gion and characterized asperity models. The characterized asperity model describing source heterogeneity is introduced fol- lowing the fault information from the project of Tianjin Active Faults and Seismic Hazard Assessment. We simulated the worst case that two earthquakes separately occur. The results indicate that the fault position, rupture process and the sedi- mentary deposits of the basin significantly affect amplification of the simulated ground motion. Our results also demonstrate the possibility of practical simulating wave propagation including basin induced surface waves in broad frequency-band, for seismic hazard analysis near the fault from future earthquakes in urbanized areas.

Strong Local Non-Determinism of Sub-Fractional Brownian Motion

Let be a subfractional Brownian motion in . We prove that is strongly locally nondeterministic.

Simulation of near-fault bedrock strong ground-motion field by explicit finite element method

Based on presumed active fault and corresponding model, this paper predicted the near-fault ground motion filed of a scenario earthquake （Mw=6 3/4 ） in an active fault by the explicit finite element method in combination with the source time function with improved transmitting artificial boundary and with high-frequency vibration contained. The results indicate that the improved artificial boundary is stable in numerical computation and the predicted strong ground motion has a consistent characteristic with the observed motion.

Far-field analysis of effects of unilateral rupturing fault on the space correlation of strong ground motion

On the assumption that seismic source is simplified as linear rupture fault with finite length, this paper qualitatively studies the seismic source effects on space correlation of strong ground motion. Based on expanding expression of Fourier spectrum of strong ground motion with space coordinate variables, this paper also gives a expression of describing correlation of strong ground motion field. According to far-field condition, the theoretical formula of the expression can be obtained. Furthermore, this paper presents a theoretical formula of estimation the radius of strong ground motion field, which depends on expansion condition of Fourier spectrum of strong ground motion, with space variables. At last, taking one earthquake as an example, this paper gives three-dimension patterns of radius of the field with epicenter distance and azimuth as well as frequency.

3-D physical model in strong ground motion numerical simulation:A case study of Kunming basin

Seismic hazard assessment based on urban active faults can provide scientific bases for city planning and project construction, while numerical simulation of strong ground motion is an important method for seismic hazard prediction and assessment. A 3-D physical model in conformity with real strata configuration of （mainly） the Quaternary is a prerequisite to ensure the reliability of the simulation results. In this paper, we give a detailed account of the technical scheme and process for creating a 3-D physical model in Kunming basin. The data used are synthe- sized from seismogeological data, borehole data, topographic data, digital elevation mode （DEM） data, seismic exploration results and wave velocity measurements. Strafigraphic division is based mainly on shear wave velocity, with strata sequence taken into consideration. The model construction is finally accomplished with ArcGIS and many relevant programming techniques via layer-by-layer stacking （in depth direction） of the adjacent medium interfaces （meshes）. Meanwhile, a database of 3-D physical models is set up, which provides model data and parameters for strong ground motion simulation. Some processing methods and significant issues are also addressed in the paper in accordance with different types of exploration and experimental data.

Estimation of the 2010 Mentawai tsunami earthquake rupture process from joint inversion of teleseismic and strong ground motion data

Joint inversion of teleseismic body-wave data and strong ground motion waveforms was applied to determine the rupture process of the 2010 Mentawai earthquake. To obtain stable solutions, smoothing and non-negative constraints were introduced. A total of 33 teleseismic stations and 5 strong ground motion stations supplied data. The teleseismic and strong ground motion data were separately windowed for 150 s and 250 s and bandpass filtered with frequencies of 0.001e1.0 Hz and 0.005e0.5 Hz, respectively. The finitefault model was established with length and width of 190 km and 70 km, and the initial seismic source parameters were set by referring to centroid moment tensor(CMT) solutions. Joint inversion results indicate that the focal mechanism of this earthquake is thrust fault type, and the strike, dip, and rake angles are generally in accordance with CMT results. The seismic moment was determined as 5.814 1020Nm(Mw7.8) and source duration was about 102 s, which is greater than those of other earthquakes of similar magnitude. The rupture nucleated near the hypocenter and then propagated along the strike direction to the northwest, with a maximum slip of 3.9 m. Large uncertainties regarding the amount of slip retrieved using different inversion methods still exist; however, the conclusion that the majority of slip occurred far from the islands at very shallow depths was found to be robust. The 2010 Mentawai earthquake was categorized as a tsunami earthquake because of the long rupture duration and the generation of a tsunami much larger than was expected for an earthquake of its magnitude.

A stochastic model of the Fourier phase of strong ground motion

The notion of equivalent dispersion of strong seismic waves is further illuminated and a frequency-dependentstochastic model of the Fourier phase of strong earthquake ground motion is presented for use in statistical estimates of the Fourier phase. The non-stationary features of design ground motions synthesized using the phasemodel in combination with the empirical attenuation model of amplitude spectra of strong ground motion are ableto be consistent with those of observed records in the sense of statistics.

Prediction of near-field strong ground motions for scenario earthquakes on active fault

A method to predict near-field strong ground motions for scenario earthquakes on active faults is proposed. First, macro-source parameters characterizing the entire source area, i.e., global source parameters, including fault length, fault width, rupture area, average slip on the fault plane, etc., are estimated by seismogeology survey, seismicity and seismic scaling laws. Second, slip distributions characterizing heterogeneity or roughness on the fault plane, i.e., local source parameters, are reproduced/evaluated by the hybrid slip model. Finally, the finite fault source model, developed from both the global and local source parameters, is combined with the stochastically synthetic technique of ground motion using the dynamic comer frequency based on seismology. The proposed method is applied to simulate the acceleration time histories on three base-rock stations during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Comparisons between the predicted and recorded acceleration time histories show that the method is feasible and practicable.

GIS-based study of the evolution of the IGN's strong motion network of mainland Spain and the balearics

In some countries with seismicity,an adequate detection network is essential to assess seismic hazards.The Instituto Geografico Nacional(National Geographic Institute/IGN)of Spain manages a strong motion network distributed throughout the whole country and an earthquake detection network composed of velocity stations.This paper aims at studying the development of the strong motion network of the Spanish National Seismic Network(focusing on mainland Spain and the Balearics)in the last three decades.A Geographic Information System(GIS)has been implemented to integrate the attributes from the IGN’s database concerning the earthquake catalogue,seismograph and accelerometer networks,which enabled to analyse the data and map the distribution of detection equipments in the region.The irregularly distributed Spanish strong motion network was greatly expanded from 1990 to 2010.In the past decade,it developed at a slower rate,but more modern technology was implemented.

Statistical Characteristics of Strong Ground Motion Specified by Response Spectrum and Power Spectral Density Function

The statistical characteristics of strong ground motion specified by response spectrum and power spectral density function are studied using 190 strong-motion records of the Haicheng and Tangshan earthquakes in China and 138 earthquakes in the western United States.The response spectrum is normalized by the peak ground acceleration(i.e.,represented as spectral magnification factor),and the power spectral density function is described by the Kanai-Tajimi spectrum.The statistics and dependence of parameters are evaluated,and correlations between the spectral magnification factor or Kanai-Tajimi spectral parameters and the site condition,epicentral distance,or local magnitude are investigated.The statistical characteristics of spectra China and the U.S.A.are compared.Based on the results obtained the values of the statistics on spectral parameters for earthquake engineering applications in China are suggested.

Analysis of Digital Strong Motion Records of the M_S 8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake by the Network of Shaanxi Province

Records of the May 12, 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan, Sichuan, earthquake from 27 stations of Shaanxi Digital Strong Motion Network are processed and analyzed, including baseline adjustment of acceleration traces, filtering, and calculations of velocities, displacements and acceleration response spectra. The results show that direction energy radiation of the large earthquake and horizontal inhomogeneous medium along the wave traveling path might both have some effect on the scattering degree of the attenuation of PGAH, besides influence of local site conditions. For the same intensity, the ratios of PGA/PGV are commonly small, on average about 5, which indicates that long period components are rich in ground motion. Intensities for most sites of the stations are within V -VII. The larger one among PGAE-W and PGAN-S is quite close to their PGAH, which is less than 10 % in relative deviation. The dominated waves are surface waves. The thicker the soil overburden is, the stronger the surface wave will be and the longer the shaking will last. Local site conditions have strong effects on ground motion, especially those of thick sediment filled-in basins, as they can significantly amplify long-period components.

Geological inferences about the upper crustal configuration of the Medellin-Aburra Valley(Colombia)using strong motion seismic records

In regions of complex geology and tectonic assembly, strong motion seismic arrival time records can be used to test the plausibility of existing hypothesis about the origin of lithological and tectonic features and how they are related in space and time. In this study we use differential travel time residuals at some strong motion accelerographic stations in the Medellin-Aburra Valley, in the northern Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, to discuss some aspects of the geological configuration. We based our work on the hypothesis that the differences between seismic travel time residuals among pairs of stations are a function of the differences in the surface geology and the near-surface upper crustal configuration. Our results are consistent with the volcanic rocks of the Quebradagrande Complex being less mafic, more weathered or more tectonically affected than previously thought, with the presence of a relatively thin dunite body on top of the metamorphic basement, and with a large lateral heterogeneity in the mainly mafic San Diego Stock.