Abstract
Earthquakes can cause widely distributed slope failures and damage in mountainous areas. The accurate prediction of ground motions in mountainous areas is essential for managing the seismic risk of urban cities near mountains but is restricted primarily by complex seismic site amplification effects in areas of uneven terrain. This study selected Qiaozhuang town located in the Qingchuan—Pingwu fault zone, Southwest China, as a case study. A simulator for mapped seismic responses using a hybrid model (SiSeRHMap) was applied to compute the multispectral seismic topographic amplification maps at the three slope units surrounding Qiaozhuang town (Weigan hill, Mt. Dong, and Mt. Shizi). Post-earthquake damage survey maps, 1D seismic site response spectral ratios, and H/V spectral ratios of earthquake data were used to validate the computed seismic site amplification factors and resonance frequencies. The results suggest that strong topographic amplification effects usually occur at distinct slope locations, such as hilltops, convex slope positions, upslope, and narrow ridges. The computed topographic amplification factors in the study area reached up to 2.4 at upslope or hilltops, and the resonance frequencies were between 3 and 10 Hz. Topographic effects can be as important as stratigraphic effects when assessing seismic amplification effects in the study area. We conclude that both topographic and stratigraphic effects should be considered in the comprehensive seismic hazard assessment of the study area or other similar mountain towns.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aki K (1993) Local site effects on weak and strong ground motion. Tectonophysics 218(1–3):93–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(93)90262-I
Celebi M (1991) Topographical and geological amplification: case studies and engineering implications. Struct Saf 10(1–3):199–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4730(91)90015-2
Chiu HC, Huang HC (1992) Effects of the canyon topography on ground motions at the Feitsui damsite. Bull Seismol Soc Am 82(4):1646–1660. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0820041646
Chuhan Z, Chongbin Z (1988) Effects of canyon topography and geological conditions on strong ground motion. Earthq Eng Struc Dyn 16(1): 81–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(88)91488-x
Del Gaudio V, Luo Y, Wang Y, et al. (2018) Using ambient noise to characterise seismic slope response: the case of Qiaozhuang peri-urban hillslopes (Sichuan, China). Eng Geol 246: 374–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.10.008
Di Fiore V (2010) Seismic site amplification induced by topographic irregularity: Results of a numerical analysis on 2D synthetic models. Eng Geol 114(3–4): 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2010.05.006
Faccioli E (1991) Seismic amplification in the presence of geological and topographic irregularities. Inte Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics 2:1779–1797. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icrageesd/02icrageesd/session14/13
Griffiths DW, Bollinger GA (1979) The effect of Appalachian Mountain topography on seismic waves. Bull Seismol Soc Am 69(4): 1081–1105 https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0690041081
Gischig VS, Eberhardt E, Moore JR, et al. (2015) On the seismic response of deep-seated rock slope instabilities—Insights from numerical modeling. Eng Geol 193:1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.04.003
Graizer V (2009) Low-velocity zone and topography as a source of site amplification effect on Tarzana hill, California. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 29(2): 324–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2008.03.005
Grelle G, Bonito L, Lampasi A, et al. (2016) SiSeRHMap v1. o: a simulator for mapped seismic response using a hybrid model. Geos Model Devel 9(4):1567–1596. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-1567-2016
Grelle G, Wood C, Bonito L, et al. (2018) A reliable computerized litho-morphometric model for development of 3D maps of Topographic Aggravation Factor (TAF): the cases of East Mountain (Utah, USA) and Port au Prince (Haiti). Bul Earth Eng 16(5):1725–1750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-017-0272-x
Grelle G, Gargini E, Facciorusso J, et al. (2020) Seismic site effects in the Red Zone of Amatrice hill detected via the mutual sustainment of experimental and computational approaches. Bul Earth Eng 18(5):1955–1984. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00777-z
Grelle G, Bonito L, Rosalba M, et al. (2020) Topographic effects observed at Amatrice hill during the 2016–2017 Central Italy seismic sequence. Earth Eng Eng Vibr 20(1): 63–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-021-2005-z
Huang R, Li W (2008) Research on development and distribution rules of geohazards induced by Wenchuan earthquake on 12th May, 2008. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 27(12):2585–2592. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:1000-6915.2008.12.028
Huang S, Lv Y, Peng Y (2016) Dynamic response of sandy slope under coupling of earthquake and groundwater. Geotech Geol Eng 34(3): 889–899. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-016-0014-x
Hough SE, Altidor JR, Anglade D, et al. (2010) Localized damage caused by topographic amplification during the 2010 M 7.0 Haiti earthquake. Nat Geosci 3(11): 778–782. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo988
Jafarzadeh F, Shahrabi MM, Jahromi HF (2015) On the role of topographic amplification in seismic slope instabilities. J Rock Mech Geo Eng 7(2):163–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2015.02.009
Luo Y, Lei W, Wang Y, et al. (2021) Revealing the geological materials properties by a shallow seismic method for investigating slope site effects: a case study of Qiaozhuang town, Qingchuan County, China. Arab J Geosci 14(2):1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06379-3
Luo Y, Fan X, Huang R, et al. (2020) Topographic and near-surface stratigraphic amplification of the seismic response of a mountain slope revealed by field monitoring and numerical simulations. Eng Geol 271:105607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105607
Luo Y, Del Gaudio V, Huang R, et al. (2014) Evidence of hillslope directional amplification from accelerometer recordings at Qiaozhuang (Sichuan—China). Eng Geo 183: 193–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.10.015
Lawrence LD, Lewis RW (1973) Observed effects of topography on ground motion. Bull Seismo Soc Am 63(1): 283–298. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0630010283
Liu G, Li Y, Chen J (2009) The Problem of Earthquake Fault about Qiaozhuang Town in the Qingchuan County after Wenchuan Earthquake. J Mt Sci 4: 017. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20080061
Maufroy E, Cruz A, Cotton VM, et al. (2015) Frequency-scaled curvature as a proxy for topographic site — effect amplification and ground — motion variability. Bull Seismol Soc Am 105(1): 354–367. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120140089
Maufroy E, Cruz A, Gafet S (2012) A robust method for assessing 3-D topographic site efects: a case study at the LSBB underground laboratory. Earth Spectra 28(3):1097–1115. https://doi.org/10.1193/1.4000050
Martino S, Minutolo A, Paciello A, et al. (2006) Evidence of amplification effects in fault zone related to rock mass jointing. Nat Hazards 39(3): 419–449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-006-0001-2
Rai M, Rodriguez MA, Yong A (2016) An empirical model to predict topographic efects in strong ground motion using California small- to medium-magnitude. Earth Spectra 32(2):1033–1054. https://doi.org/10.1193/113014eqs202m
Semblat JF, Duval AM, Dangla P (2000) Numerical analysis of seismic wave amplification in Nice (France) and comparisons with experiments. Soil Dyn Earth Eng 19(5): 347–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0267-7261(00)00016-6
Scott AA, Nicholas S, John L, et al. (1997) Topographic effects on the seismic response of steep slopes. Bull Seismol Soc Am 87(3): 701–709. https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB03485
Sepúlveda SA, Murphy W, Jibson RW, et al. (2005) Seismically induced rock slope failures resulting from topographic amplification of strong ground motions: The case of Pacoima Canyon, California. Eng Geo 80(3–4):336–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2005.07.004
Sheng J, Wang Z (2009) Emergency governance project investigation report of Weigan hill unstable slope in Qingchuan County of Sichuan Province. Geotechnical engineering emergency exploration report. pp 6–43 (In Chinese).
Tao Z, Tao X (2021) Discussion on the Grade scales of Natural Disasters by the loses in Wenchuan Earthquake. J Catast 36(4): 31–36 (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-811X.2021.04.006.
Torgoev A, Havenith HB (2016) 2D dynamic studies combined with the surface curvature analysis to predict Arias Intensity amplification. J Seismol 20(3): 711–731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-016-9553-0
Wang G, Du C, Huang D, et al. (2018) Parametric models for 3D topographic amplification of ground motions considering subsurface soils. Soil Dyn Earth Eng 115:41–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2018.07.018
Wong HL, Jennings PC (1975) Effects of canyon topography on strong ground motion. Bull Seismol Soc Am 65(5):239–1257. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0650051239
Xu Q, Zhang Y, Feng W (2009a) Emergency governance project investigation report of Mt.Dong unstable slope in Qingchuan County of Sichuan Province. Geotechnical engineering emergency exploration report. pp 6–44. (In Chinese).
Xu Q, Zhang Y, Feng W (2009b) Emergency governance project investigation report of Mt.Shizi unstable slope in Qingchuan County of Sichuan Province. Geotechnical engineering emergency exploration report. pp 1–61. (In Chinese).
GB 50011-2010. Code for seismic design of buildings. China Construction Industry Press. pp 254–255. (In Chinese)
Acknowledgements
This study is financially supported by the Funds for Creative Research Groups of China (Grant No. 41521002), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42077257) and the Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (Grants No. SKLGP2019K024 and No. SKLGP2019K006 assigned for G. Grelle’s competition proposal). We are grateful to Dr. Hongfeng Liu and Dr. Bo Zhao for their assistance in improving the figure quality and the anonymous reviewers for their critical comments and suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Luo, Yh., Xu, Q., Zhan, Ww. et al. Seismic hazard prediction using multispectral amplification maps in a complex topographic area: A case study of Qiaozhuang town, Sichuan Province, Southwest China. J. Mt. Sci. 19, 726–739 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-021-6837-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-021-6837-9