This paper contains ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) for average horizontal-component ground motions as a function of earthquake magnitude, distance from source to site, local average shear-wave velocity, and fault type. Our equations are for peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and 5%-damped pseudo-absolute-acceleration spectra (PSA) at periods between 0.01 s and 10 s. They were derived by empirical regression of an extensive strong-motion database compiled by the “PEER NGA” (Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center’s Next Generation Attenuation) project. For periods less than 1s , the analysis used 1,574 records from 58 mainshocks in the distance range from 0 km to 400 km (the number of available data decreased as period increased). The primary predictor variables are moment magnitude M, closest horizontal distance to the surface projection of the fault plane R JB , and the time-averaged shear-wave velocity from the surface to 30 m VS30. The equations are applicable for M =5–8 , RJB 200 km, and VS30= 180– 1300 m / s. DOI: 10.1193/1.2830434

/pdf/ground-motion-prediction-equations-for-the-average-1pxmyzur8d.pdf

Ground-motion prediction equations for the average horizontal component of PGA, PGV, and 5%-damped PSA at spectral periods between 0.01 s and 10.0 s

A simple and powerful method for simulating ground motions is to combine parametric or functional descriptions of the ground motion’s amplitude spectrum with a random phase spectrum modified such that the motion is distributed over a duration related to the earthquake magnitude and to the distance from the source. This method of simulating ground motions often goes by the name “the stochastic method.” It is particularly useful for simulating the higher-frequency ground motions of most interest to engineers (generally, f > 0.1 Hz), and it is widely used to predict ground motions for regions of the world in which recordings of motion from potentially damaging earthquakes are not available. This simple method has been successful in matching a variety of ground-motion measures for earthquakes with seismic moments spanning more than 12 orders of magnitude and in diverse tectonic environments. One of the essential characteristics of the method is that it distills what is known about the various factors affecting ground motions (source, path, and site) into simple functional forms. This provides a means by which the results of the rigorous studies reported in other papers in this volume can be incorporated into practical predictions of ground motion.

/pdf/simulation-of-ground-motion-using-the-stochastic-method-4fc794e5ma.pdf

Simulation of Ground Motion Using the Stochastic Method

Rupture directivity effects cause spatial variations in ground motion amplitude and duration around faults and cause differences between the strike-normal and strike-parallel components of horizontal ground motion amplitudes, which also have spatial variation around the fault. These variations become significant at a period of 0.6 second and generally grow in size with increasing period. We have developed modifications to empirical strong ground motion attenuation relations to account for the effects of rupture directivity on strong motion amplitudes and durations. The modifications are based on an empirical analysis of near-fault data. The ground motion parameters that are modified include the average horizontal response spectral acceleration, the duration of the acceleration time history, and the ratio of strike-normal to strike-parallel spectral acceleration. The parameters upon which the adjustments to average horizontal amplitude and duration depend are the fraction of the fault rupture that occurs on the part of the fault that lies between the hypocenter and the site, and the angle between the fault plane and the path from the hypocenter to the site. Since both of these parameters can be derived from the hypocenter location and the fault geometry, the model of rupture directivity effects on ground motions that we have developed can be directly included in probabilistic seismic hazard calculations. The spectral acceleration is larger for periods longer than 0.6 second, and the duration is smaller, when rupture propagates toward a site. For sites located close to faults, the strike-normal spectral acceleration is larger than the strike-parallel spectral acceleration at periods longer than 0.6 second in a manner that depends on magnitude, distance, and angle. To facilitate the selection of time histories that represent near-fault ground motion conditions in an appropriate manner, we provide a list of near-fault records indicating the rupture directivity parameters that each contains.

Modification of Empirical Strong Ground Motion Attenuation Relations to Include the Amplitude and Duration Effects of Rupture Directivity

We present a new empirical ground motion model for PGA, PGV, PGD and 5% damped linear elastic response spectra for periods ranging from 0.01– 10 s. The model was developed as part of the PEER Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) project. We used a subset of the PEER NGA database for which we excluded recordings and earthquakes that were believed to be inappropriate for estimating free-field ground motions from shallow earthquake mainshocks in active tectonic regimes. We developed relations for both the median and standard deviation of the geometric mean horizontal component of ground motion that we consider to be valid for magnitudes ranging from 4.0 up to 7.5–8.5 (depending on fault mechanism) and distances ranging from 0 – 200 km. The model explicitly includes the effects of magnitude saturation, magnitude-dependent attenuation, style of faulting, rupture depth, hanging-wall geometry, linear and nonlinear site response, 3-D basin response, and inter-event and intra-event variability. Soil nonlinearity causes the intra-event standard deviation to depend on the amplitude of PGA on reference rock rather than on magnitude, which leads to a decrease in aleatory uncertainty at high levels of ground shaking for sites located on soil. DOI: 10.1193/1.2857546

/pdf/nga-ground-motion-model-for-the-geometric-mean-horizontal-1yqfspz2c2.pdf

NGA Ground Motion Model for the Geometric Mean Horizontal Component of PGA, PGV, PGD and 5% Damped Linear Elastic Response Spectra for Periods Ranging from 0.01 to 10 s

We provide ground motion prediction equations for computing medians and standard deviations of average horizontal component intensity measures (IMs) for shallow crustal earthquakes in active tecton...

/pdf/nga-west2-equations-for-predicting-pga-pgv-and-5-damped-psa-2hnnp7dlei.pdf

NGA-West2 Equations for Predicting PGA, PGV, and 5% Damped PSA for Shallow Crustal Earthquakes:

Using a database of 655 recordings from 58 earthquakes, empirical response spectral attenuation relations are derived for the average horizontal and vertical component for shallow earthquakes in active tectonic regions. A new feature in this model is the inclusion of a factor to distinguish between ground motions on the hanging wall and footwall of dipping faults. The site response is explicitly allowed to be non-linear with a dependence on the rock peak acceleration level.

Empirical Response Spectral Attenuation Relations for Shallow Crustal Earthquakes

The NGA-West2 project database expands on its predecessor to include worldwide ground motion data recorded from shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regimes post-2000 and a set of small-t...

NGA-West2 Database

Empirical ground-motion models for the rotation-independent average horizontal component from shallow crustal earthquakes are derived using the PEER NGA database. The model is applicable to magnitudes 5–8.5, distances 0 – 200 km, and spectral periods of 0–1 0 sec. In place of generic site categories (soil and rock), the site is parameterized by average shear-wave velocity in the top 30 m VS30 and the depth to engineering rock (depth to VS = 1000 m / s). In addition to magnitude and style-of-faulting, the source term is also dependent on the depth to top-of-rupture: for the same magnitude and rupture distance, buried ruptures lead to larger short-period ground motions than surface ruptures. The hanging-wall effect is included with an improved model that varies smoothly as a function of the source properties (M, dip, depth), and the site location. The standard deviation is magnitude dependent with smaller magnitudes leading to larger standard deviations. The short-period standard deviation model for soil sites is also distant-dependent due to nonlinear site response, with smaller standard deviations at short distances. DOI: 10.1193/1.2924360

/pdf/summary-of-the-abrahamson-silva-nga-ground-motion-relations-3a6q8twduk.pdf

Summary of the Abrahamson & Silva NGA Ground-Motion Relations:

Empirical ground motion models for the average horizontal component from shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regions are derived using the PEER NGA-West2 database. The model is applicabl...

Summary of the ASK14 Ground Motion Relation for Active Crustal Regions

A key component of the NGA research project was the development of a strong-motion database with improved quality and content that could be used for ground-motion research as well as for engineering practice. Development of the NGA database was executed through the Lifelines program of the PEER Center with contributions from several research organizations and many individuals in the engineering and seismological communities. Currently, the data set consists of 3551 publicly available multi-component records from 173 shallow crustal earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 4.2 to 7.9. Each acceleration time series has been corrected and filtered, and pseudo absolute spectral acceleration at multiple damping levels has been computed for each of the 3 components of the acceleration time series. The lowest limit of usable spectral frequency was determined based on the type of filter and the filter corner frequency. For NGA model development, the two horizontal acceleration components were further rotated to form the orientationindependent measure of horizontal ground motion (GMRotI50). In addition to the ground-motion parameters, a large and comprehensive list of metadata characterizing the recording conditions of each record was also developed. NGA data have been systematically checked and reviewed by experts and NGA developers. DOI: 10.1193/1.2894831

/pdf/nga-project-strong-motion-database-2f9q4i2n8k.pdf

Walter J. Silva

Papers

Empirical Response Spectral Attenuation Relations for Shallow Crustal Earthquakes

NGA-West2 Database

Summary of the Abrahamson & Silva NGA Ground-Motion Relations:

Summary of the ASK14 Ground Motion Relation for Active Crustal Regions

NGA Project Strong-Motion Database