Seismic Design of Structures - Assignment 1

Q1
Earthqauke needs to be considered for structures for which lateral loads due to earthquake are significant in comparison
to the gravity loads like dead load and live laod. This will be the case of a high-rise building with typically greater than 5
storeys. In addition to this, local geological conditions also infulences the earhtquake hazard. Hence, even the structure is
not significantly tall, earthaquake still needs to be considered if the earthquake hazard in that region is significant.
Q2
Hypocentre and Foucs are the same

Fault in the picture is the fault plane
Q3 The San Andreas Fault is a continental transform fault
Q4 Fault creep is the slow, more or less continuous movement occurring on faults due to ongoing tectonic deformation.
Faults that are creeping do not tend to have large earthquakes.
Q5 Earthquakes
Most tsunami are caused by large earthquakes on the sea floor when slabs of rock move past each other suddenly,
causing the overlying water to move. The resulting waves move away from the source of the earthquake event.
Landslides
Landslides can happen on the seafloor, just like on land. Areas of the seafloor that are steep and loaded with sediment,
such as the edge of the continental slope, are more prone to undersea landslides. When an undersea landslide occurs
(perhaps after a nearby earthquake) a large mass of sand, mud and gravel can move down the slope. This movement will
draw the water down and may cause a tsunami that will travel across the ocean.
Volcanic eruptions
Tsunami initiated by volcanic eruptions are less common. They occur in several ways:
1. Destructive collapse of coastal, island and underwater volcanoes which result in massive landslides
2. Pyroclastic flows, which are dense mixtures of hot blocks, pumice, ash and gas, plunging down volcanic slopes into the
ocean and pushing water outwards
3. A caldera volcano collapsing after an eruption causing overlying water to drop suddenly.
Q6 P-waves
P waves, also called primary waves, are compressional waves that arrive at distant locations first and have a push-pull
type motion.
S-waves
S waves, also known as secondary waves, are shear waves that arrive after P waves and have a side-to-side motion.
Rayleigh waves
Rayleigh waves move in a circular pattern with the crest (highest point) moving up and forward and the trough (lowest
point) moving down and backwards.
Love waves
Love waves move side-to-side at right angles to the propagation direction.
Q7 Proximity to the epicenter
The likelohood of structrual damage will increase with the increase in decrease in the distance between the epicentre and
the structure under consideration
PGA
With the increase in the peak ground acceleration (PGA), the likelihood of structural damage will increase
Richter/Mercali Magnitude
A higher magnitude on the Richter scale or on the Mercali Magnitude system will increase the likelihood of structural damage
Duration of Strong Motion
If the structure is exposed to the strong ground motion for a longer duration, higher will be the likelihood of structural damage
Q8 The effect of an earthquake on the Earth's surface is called the intensity. The intensity scale consists of a series of certain
key responses such as people awakening, movement of furniture, damage to chimneys, and finally - total destruction.
Although numerousintensity scales have been developed over the last several hundred years to evaluate the effects of
earthquakes, the one currently used in the United States is the Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity Scale. This scale,
composed of increasing levels of intensity that range from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction, is
designated by Roman numerals. It does not have a mathematical basis; instead it is an arbitrary ranking based on
observed effects. The lower numbers of the intensity scale generally deal with the manner in which the earthquake is felt
by people. The higher numbers of the scale are based on observed structural damage.
From the pictures, it can be seen that there were fires broken out, bridges got damaged, there were land slides, ground
got cracked and with wide spread damage. From the above table, the intensity can be attributed to either X or Xl
Q9 Alaska Earthquake of 1964 9.2

Northridge Earthquake of 1994 6.7
One unit increase in the Richter Magnitude number represents a 10-fold increase in the amplitude of the measurement
In other words, numbers on the Richter scale are proportional to the common (base 10) logarithms of maximum
wave amplitudes
Ratio of Alaska amplitude to Northridge Amplitude = (109.2)/(106.7)
= 316.228
Each increase of one unit also represents the release of about 31 times more energy than that represented by the
previous whole number on the scale.
Differnece between the magnitudes 2.5
For 1 unit difference, the differnece in magnitude is 31 x 1 = 311

For 2 unit difference, the differnece in magnitude is 31 x 31 = 312
For 2.5 unit difference, the differnece in magnitude is 312.5
Therefore 5350.622 more energy is released in Alaska Earthquake as compared to the Northridge Earthquake
Q10 For Station A
P waves arrive at 08:30:42 am

S waves arrive at 08:30:51 am
Difference is 00:00:09 sec
Maximum Amplitude is slightly more than 25, consider it as 27 mm
Magnitude of the earthqauke is around 4.2

Distance from epicentre 70 kms
For Station B

Maximum Amplitude is slightly more than 25, consider it as 28 mm

For Station C

Maximum Amplitude is 25 mm


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Q1

Hypocentre and Foucs are the same

Q3 The San Andreas Fault is a continental transform fault

Q9 Alaska Earthquake of 1964 9.2

Ratio of Alaska amplitude to Northridge Amplitude = (109.2)/(106.7)

For 1 unit difference, the differnece in magnitude is 31 x 1 = 311

P waves arrive at 08:30:42 am

Magnitude of the earthqauke is around 4.2

P waves arrive at 08:30:47 am

Magnitude of the earthqauke is around 4.5

P waves arrive at 08:31:07 am

Magnitude of the earthqauke is around 5.2

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