Physically-Based Ground Motion Prediction and Validation A Case Study: Mid-sized Marmara Sea Earthquakes

Abstract:

In this study we have two main purposes. The first one is to simulate five midsize earthquakes (Mw≈5.0) recorded in the Marmara region, which has a geologically complex and heterogeneous crustal structure. We synthesize ground motion for the full wave train on three components, and applied a ‘physics based’ solution of earthquake rupture. The simulation methodology is based on the studies by Hutchings et al. (2007), Scognamiglio and Hutchings (2009). For each earthquake, we synthesized seismograms using by 500 different rupture scenarios that were generated by Monte Carlo selection of parameters within the range.

Synthetic ground motion is a major challenge for seismic hazard assessment studies. Especially after the adoption of performance-based design approach with the Earthquake resistant design of engineering structures. To compute realistic time histories for different locations around Marmara region can be helpful for engineering design, retrofitting the existing structures, hazard and risk management studies and developing new seismic codes and standards.

The second purpose is to validate synthetic seismograms with real seismograms. We follow the methodology presented by Anderson (2003) for validation. This methodology proposes a similarity score based on averages of the quality of fit measuring ground motion characteristics and uses a suite of measurements. Namely, the synthetics are compared to real data by ten representative ground motion criteria.

 

The applicability of Empirical Green’s functions methodology and physics based solution of earthquake rupture had been assessed in terms of modeling in complex geologic structure. Because the methodology produces source and site specific synthetic ground motion time histories and goodness-of-fit scores of obtained synthetics is between ‘fair’ to ‘good’ range based on Anderson’s score, we concluded that it can be tried to produce ground motion that has not previously been recorded during catastrophic earthquake in the region or some very active seismic area to develop or improve seismic codes and standards.