Effect of soil conditions on predicted ground motion: Case study from Western Anatolia, Turkey


GÖK E., Chavez-Garcia F. J., POLAT O. D.

PHYSICS OF THE EARTH AND PLANETARY INTERIORS, vol.229, pp.88-97, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 229
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.pepi.2014.01.011
  • Journal Name: PHYSICS OF THE EARTH AND PLANETARY INTERIORS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.88-97
  • Keywords: Izmir, Site effect, Spectral ratio, Strong motion, SITE-RESPONSE, PROPAGATION CHARACTERISTICS, NEOTECTONIC STRUCTURES, SPECTRAL RATIOS, EARTHQUAKES, IZMIR, SIMULATION, PARAMETERS, INVERSION, ISTANBUL
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We present a site effect study for the city of Izmir, Western Anatolia, Turkey. Local amplification was evaluated using state-of-practice tools. Ten earthquakes recorded at 16 sites were analysed using spectral ratios relative to a reference site, horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios, and an inversion scheme of the Fourier amplitude spectra of the recorded S-waves. Seismic noise records were also used to estimate site effects. The different estimates are in good agreement among them, although a basic uncertainty of a factor of 2 seems difficult to decrease. We used our site effect estimates to predict ground motion in Izmir for a possible M6.5 earthquake close to the city using stochastic modelling. Site effects have a large impact on PSV (pseudospectral velocity), where local amplification increases amplitudes by almost a factor of 9 at 1 Hz relative to the firm ground condition. Our results allow identifying the neighbourhoods of Izmir where hazard mitigation measurements are a priority task and will also be useful for planning urban development. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.