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Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in the Constantine region, Northeast of Algeria

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Abstract

This paper presents a seismic hazard evaluation and develops an earthquake catalogue for the Constantine region over the period from 1357 to 2014. The study contributes to the improvement of seismic risk management by evaluating the seismic hazards in Northeast Algeria. A regional seismicity analysis was conducted based on reliable earthquake data obtained from various agencies (CRAAG, IGN, USGS and ISC). All magnitudes (M l, m b) and intensities (I 0, I MM, I MSK and I EMS) were converted to M s magnitudes using the appropriate relationships. Earthquake hazard maps were created for the Constantine region. These maps were estimated in terms of spectral acceleration (SA) at periods of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 s. Five seismogenic zones are proposed. This new method differs from the conventional method because it incorporates earthquake magnitude uncertainty and mixed datasets containing large historical events and recent data. The method can be used to estimate the b value of the Gutenberg-Richter relationship, annual activity rate λ(M) of an event and maximum possible magnitude M max using incomplete and heterogeneous data files. In addition, an earthquake is considered a Poisson with an annual activity rate λ and with a doubly truncated exponential earthquake magnitude distribution. Map of seismic hazard and an earthquake catalogue, graphs and maps were created using geographic information systems (GIS), the Z-map code version 6 and Crisis software 2012.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for supporting this work. The first author also likes to grateful f or the support of the North African Group for Earthquake and Tsunami studies (NAGET-OEA/ICTP Net-40), and we are indebted to the Constantine CRAAG regional service for assistance, encouragement. We acknowledge the centre of research on astronomy, astrophysics and geophysics (CRAAG) of Algeria and the International Seismological Center (ISC) and A.Harbi for providing seismicity catalogues used in this study. The article benefited from useful comments and suggestions from Editor-in-Chief A.M. Al-Amri, the Associate Editor M. Meghraoui, and tow anonymous reviewer s. Great thanks to F. Cotton, S. Dietrich, S. Konrad, G. Grunthal frome GFZ Section 2.6 ‘’Seismic Hazard and Stress filed’’ for fruitful discussions and suggestions. Fainley big thanks to mawyss, she kindly revised the English text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of August 20, 1955-Skikda, P. O. Box 26, 21000, Skikda, Algeria

    Hamidatou Mouloud

  2. Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Geophysique, BP. 63, Bouzareah, Alger, Algeria

    Hamidatou Mouloud

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Badji Mokhtar-Annaba, P. O. Box 12, 23000, Annaba, Algeria

    Sbartai Badreddine

  4. LMGHU Laboratory, 20 Août 1955-Skikda University, Skikda, Algeria

    Sbartai Badreddine

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Mouloud, H., Badreddine, S. Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in the Constantine region, Northeast of Algeria. Arab J Geosci 10, 156 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2876-5

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