Including site effects in seismic risk

modeling
Overview

What are site effects?

Site effects are the group of local characteristics that
modify seismic strong motion.
They are called site effects due to their extremely
local nature.
For example, within a city, these effects may change
from one block to the next.

What are site effects?

Typical seismic site effects are related to:
Soil deposits dynamic response
Topography
Soil liquefaction

Most important
Site Effects

Soil dynamic response

Michoacn earthquake (Mexico), 1985

Michoacn earthquake (Mexico), 1985

Mexico City

Near hypocentral area

400 Km

Energy attenuation process

Michoacn earthquake (Mexico), 1985

Soft soil
Bedrock

Tauramena earthquake (Colombia), 1995

How to assess site effects?

Measuring them.
By installing acceleration sensors and waiting for
earthquakes to occur
By measuring, trough geophysical methods,
dynamic characteristics of soil deposits
Modeling them.
This, of course, requires detailed knowledge and
expert criteria

Site effects modeling

As mentioned, requires specific knowledge and
criteria
May be assessed by means of several methods
Its a difficult problem. Soil dynamic response is
highly non-linear, therefore it may be assessed only by
means of specialized numerical methods

Site effects modeling

Given the mentioned characteristics,
CAPRA does not model site effects
However, given their importance in
seismic risk assessment, they can be
included in risk analysis using CAPRA

Site effects modeling in CAPRA

Response spectra transfer functions

Site effects modeling in CAPRA

Response spectra transfer functions

Assessing site effects

14

Measuring seismic response to strong

motion
Bogot accelerograph network
FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE NS

50

50

45

45

40

40

35

35

AMPLITUD

AMPLITUD

FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE EO

30
25
20

25
20
15

15

10

10

5
0
0.1

30

0
0.1

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

Measuring seismic response to strong

motion
Bogot accelerograph network

FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE NS

35

35

30

30

25

25
AMPLITUD

AMPLITUD

FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE EO

20
15

15
10

10

5
0
0.1

20

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

0
0.1

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

Measuring seismic response to strong

motion
Bogot accelerograph network

FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE NS

50

50

45

45

40

40

35

35

AMPLITUD

AMPLITUD

FUNCIN DE TRANSFERENCIA COMPONENTE EO

30
25
20

25
20
15

15

10

10

5
0
0.1

30

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

0
0.1

1.0
FRECUENCIA (Hz)

10.0

Measuring seismic response trough

geophysical methods
Measuring ambient vibration at surface

Measuring seismic response trough

geophysical methods
Measuring ambient vibration at surface

Measuring seismic response trough

geophysical methods
Measuring ambient vibration at surface

Measuring seismic response trough

geophysical methods
Measuring ambient vibration at surface
Fundamental vibration period of
soil deposits obtained for Bogot,
by means of ambient vibration
records

Modeling soil dynamic response

Linear models
1-dimension

Non-linear models
2-dimensions

3-dimensions

How is it usually done?

1D non-linear soil response

Soil column vibration modes
Modos Principales de Vibracin

4
3

0
0.1

0.1

0.05g
0.10g
0.20g
0.40g
0.60g

Amplitud

Amplitud

Amplitud

0.05g0.05g
0.10g0.10g
5 0.20g0.20g
0.40g0.40g
0.60g
4 0.60g

0.05g
0.10g
5
0.20g
0.40g
0.60g
4

Amplitud

0.1

11
1
Frecuencia[Hz]
[Hz]
Frecuencia
Frecuencia [Hz]

0.1

10

1D non-linear soil response

Shear stress and strain
Surface

Bedrock

1D non-linear soil response

Shear stress and strain

1D non-linear soil response

Shear stress and strain

0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

(%)
Gs

Site effects example: Bogot

27

Bogot site effects

Seismic hazard map
including site effects
475 years return period
Structural period
T = 0 sec
Low rise buildings

900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50

Bogot site effects

Seismic hazard map
including site effects
475 years return period
Structural period
T = 0.3 sec
3-4 stories buildings

900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50

Bogot site effects

Seismic hazard map
including site effects
475 years return period
Structural period
T = 1.0 sec
8-12 stories buildings

900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50

Bogot site effects

Seismic hazard map
including site effects
475 years return period
Structural period
T = 2.0 sec
High rise buildings
20 stories

900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50

CAPRA tool for including site effects

32

Site Effects format

Assess site effects by means of response spectra
transfer functions
Allows geographical distribution of transfer functions
Allows non-linear soil response representation
Its a binary file. It cant be constructed by hand

Site Effects application