Skip to main content
Log in

A study of characteristics of ground motion response spectra from earthquakes recorded in NE Himalayan region: an active plate boundary

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the present work, acceleration response spectra are determined from earthquakes which have occurred in the NE region and the effect of local geology on its shape is studied. One hundred and ninety-five strong ground motion time histories from 45 earthquakes which have occurred in the NE region having a magnitude range of 3.5 ≤ Mw ≤ 6.9 and a distance range of 20–600 kms are used. It is observed that the shape of the normalized acceleration response spectra is influenced by the local site conditions and regional geology. The influence of magnitude and distance on the spectra is also studied. The present study is carried out for three categories of rocks: Pre-Cambrian, Tertiary and Quaternary. It is inferred that the acceleration response spectra in the current Indian code designed for the entire country are applicable for NE region as it is within the spectral limits prescribed in Indian code. The ground motion is amplified at higher frequencies for stations located on hard rock, while for stations located on alluvium sites, it is amplified at lower frequencies. The sites located on hard rock show lowest values of spectral acceleration than the sites located on alluvium sites. The results obtained in the present study are compared with the similar results obtained in the stable continent region like Gujarat. It is found that the dominating period of response spectrum of similar rock types is found to be at higher side for NE region as compared to Gujarat region. This may be attributed towards the tectonic complexity of the NE region than the stable continent region like Gujarat.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BIS (2002). Criteria for earthquake resistant design of structures, part I—general provisions and buildings. Bur Indian Stand. IS 1893 [part I]

  • Borcherdt RD (1994a) Estimates of site-dependent response spectra for design (methodology and justification). Earthq Spectra 10:617–653. doi:10.1193/1.1585791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borcherdt RD (1994b), U.S. Geol. survey prof. paper; 1551-A, pp A77–A108

  • Borcherdt RD, Glassmoyer G (1992) On the characteristics of local geology and their influence on ground motions generated by the Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay region, California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 82:603–641

    Google Scholar 

  • Chopra S, Choudhury P (2011) A study of response spectra for different geological conditions in Gujarat, India. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 31:1551–1564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De R, Kayal JR (2003) Seismotectonic model of the Sikkim Himalaya: constraint from microearthquake surveys. Bull Seismol Soc Am 93:1395–1400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De R, Kayal JR (2004) Seismic activity at the MCT in Sikkim Himalaya. Tectonophysics 386:243–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi S, Tsuchida H, Kurata E (1971) Average response spectra for various subsoil conditions. In: Proceedings of third joint meeting, U.S. Japan panel on wind and seismic effects. UJNR, Tokyo

  • Holt WE, James NF, Wallace CT, Haines AJ (1991) The active tectonics of the Eastern Himalayan syntaxis and surrounding regions. JGR 96(B9):14595–14632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Housner GW (1959) Behavior of structures during earthquakes. J Eng Mech Division Proc ASCE 85(EM4):109–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Kayal JR (2008) Microearthquake seismology and seismotectonics of South Asia. Springer, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Kayal JR (2010) Himalayan tectonic model and the great earthquakes: an appraisal. Geomat Nat Hazards Risk 1:51–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kayal JR, De R, Charkraborty P (1993) Microearthquakes at the main boundary thrust in eastern Himalaya and the present day tectonic model. Tectonophysics 218:375–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar A, Mittal H, Sachdeva R, Kumar A (2012) Indian national strong motion network. Seism Res Lett 83(1):29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittal H, Gupta S, Srivastava A, Dubey RN, Kumar A (2006) National strong motion instrumentation project: an overview. In: 13th symposium on earthquake engineering. Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Dec 18–20. Elite Publishing, New Delhi, pp 107–115

  • Mittal H, Kumar A, Ramhmachhuani R (2012) Indian national strong motion instrumentation network and site characterization of its stations. Int J Geosci 2012(3):1151–1167. doi:10.4236/ijg.2012.326117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohraz B (1976) A study of earthquake response spectra for different geological conditions. Bull Seismol Soc Am 66:915–935

    Google Scholar 

  • Newmark NM, Hall WJ (1969) Seismic design criteria for nuclear reactor facilities. In: Proceedings of fourth world conference earthquake engineering, vol B-4. Santiago, pp 37–50

  • Oldham RD (1899) Report on the great earthquake of 12th June, 1897, vol 29. Geological Survey of India Publishing, Memoir, p 379

    Google Scholar 

  • Raghukanth STG, Iyengar RN (2007) Estimation of seismic spectral acceleration in peninsular India. J Earth Syst Sci 116:199–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seed HB, Ugas C, Lysmer J (1976) Site dependent spectra for earthquake-resistant design. Bull Seismol Soc Am 66:221–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Su F, Anderson JG, Zeng Y (2006) Characteristics of ground motion response spectra from recent large earthquakes and their comparison with IEEE standard 693. In: Proceedings of 100th anniversary earthquake conference, commemorating the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. San Francisco

  • Tandon AN (1954) Study of the great Assam earthquake of Aug. 15, 1950 and its aftershocks. Ind J Meteorol Geophys 5:95–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thingbaijam KKS, Nath SK, Yadav A (2008) Recent seismicity in northeast India and its adjoining region. J Seismol 12:107–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamazaki F, Wakamatsu K, Onishi J, Shabestari KT (2000) Relationship between geomorphological land classification and site amplification ratio based on JMA strong motion records. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 19(1):41–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to the Dr. Shailesh Nayak, former Secretary, MoES, for encouragements to carry out this research work. We are also grateful to Dr. Vineet Gahlaut, Director, NCS, for providing the support to accomplish the present study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Babita Sharma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sharma, B., Chopra, S., Chingtham, P. et al. A study of characteristics of ground motion response spectra from earthquakes recorded in NE Himalayan region: an active plate boundary. Nat Hazards 84, 2195–2210 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2543-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2543-2

Keywords

Navigation