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Topographic proxies from 2-D numerical analyses

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Abstract

We use 2D numerical analyses at ground motion stations from the NGA-West2 dataset to develop parameters to predict the effect of surface topography on response spectra. The simplistic numerical analyses use sinusoidal input motions, uniform soil profiles, elastic soil properties, and absorbing boundary conditions. We define several topographic parameters for stations using the natural logarithm of 2D amplifications in peak ground acceleration of a sinusoidal input motion in different orientations. The natural log of 2D amplifications when averaged over multiple orientations is found to have the most predictive power among the studied parameters. We also explore the relationship between the topographic parameters developed in this study, and the topographic parameters developed at the same sites in an earlier study (Rai et al. in Earthq Spectra, 2016b).

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by the National Science Foundation under award number CMII 1132373 and the California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP) under Standard Agreement No. 1012-955. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or CSMIP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Manisha Rai & Adrian Rodriguez-Marek

  2. Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Domniki Asimaki

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  1. Manisha Rai
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  2. Adrian Rodriguez-Marek
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  3. Domniki Asimaki
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Correspondence to Manisha Rai.

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Rai, M., Rodriguez-Marek, A. & Asimaki, D. Topographic proxies from 2-D numerical analyses. Bull Earthquake Eng 14, 2959–2975 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-9933-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-9933-4

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