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The contribution of seismic data in microzonation studies for downtown L’Aquila

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Abstract

After the 2009 April 6th Mw 6.3 L’Aquila earthquake (Central Italy) the Italian Civil Defense Department promoted the microzoning study in the ten zones in the epicentral area that suffered major damage. In this paper we present the activities and the results concerning a temporary seismic network installed in the historical L’Aquila city center indicated as “macroarea 1” in the microzoning project. Seismic data were collected to investigate the amplification effects in the city and to support the microzoning activities in verifying both geological profiles and 1D numerical modeling of the seismic response of the city. The conventional spectral approaches using both microtremor and earthquake data allowed to determine the fundamental resonance frequencies and the amplification factors within the city respectively. The spatial variability of these quantities can be related to the geological and geomorphologic characteristics of the investigated area. A comparison between the network data and the data recorded by the two strong motion instruments installed in the city was also made. This allows verifying the relative response of the accelerometric stations that recorded in the city the major events of the sequence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sezione Sismologia e Tettonofisica – Centro Nazionale Terremoti, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143, Rome, Italy

    G. Milana, P. Bordoni, F. Cara, G. Cultrera & G. Di Giulio

  2. Osservatorio Sismologico di Arezzo, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via Uguccione della Faggiuola 3, 52100, Arezzo, Italy

    R. M. Azzara

  3. CETE Méditerranée, Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (LCPC), Nice, France

    E. Bertrand, A.M. Duval & J. Régnier

  4. Centro per la Sismologia e l’ Ingegneria sismica, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 80035, Grottaminarda, AV, Italy

    R. Cogliano, A. Fodarella, S. Pucillo & G. Riccio

  5. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, Ufficio Valutazione Prevenzione e Mitigazione del Rischio Sismico, Via Vitorchiano 2, 00189, Rome, Italy

    S. Marcucci

Authors
  1. G. Milana
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  2. R. M. Azzara
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  3. E. Bertrand
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  4. P. Bordoni
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  5. F. Cara
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  6. R. Cogliano
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  7. G. Cultrera
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  8. G. Di Giulio
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  9. A.M. Duval
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  10. A. Fodarella
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  11. S. Marcucci
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  12. S. Pucillo
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  13. J. Régnier
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  14. G. Riccio
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Correspondence to G. Milana.

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Milana, G., Azzara, R.M., Bertrand, E. et al. The contribution of seismic data in microzonation studies for downtown L’Aquila. Bull Earthquake Eng 9, 741–759 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-011-9246-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-011-9246-6

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