We develop a model to predict topographic effects on ground motions using the NGA-West2 data set. Topography at a site is quantified using three parameters: smoothed curvature, smoothed slope, and relative elevation. We examine the relationship between the site residuals, which represent the average modeling error of the reference ground motion prediction equation at a station, and the three topographic parameters. Our analysis shows that there are statistically significant trends in site residuals with respect to relative elevation and smoothed curvature. We propose modification factors to the Chiou and Youngs (2014) model that account for topographic effects on both the median and the standard deviation. These factors are period dependent and are a function of the relative elevation at the site. The factors result in amplification on median by a factor as high as 1.13 at T = 0.5 s for higher values of relative elevation, and deamplification as low as 0.75 between T = 2 s to 3 s for lower values of relative elevations.
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Research Article|
February 01, 2017
Empirical Terrain-Based Topographic Modification Factors for Use in Ground Motion Prediction
Manisha Rai;
Manisha Rai
a)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061
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Adrian Rodriguez-Marek;
Adrian Rodriguez-Marek
a)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061
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Brian S. Chiou
Brian S. Chiou
b)
Division of Research and Innovation, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA
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Earthquake Spectra (2017) 33 (1): 157–177.
Article history
received:
10 Jul 2015
accepted:
19 May 2016
first online:
01 Jun 2020
Citation
Manisha Rai, Adrian Rodriguez-Marek, Brian S. Chiou; Empirical Terrain-Based Topographic Modification Factors for Use in Ground Motion Prediction. Earthquake Spectra 2017;; 33 (1): 157–177. doi: https://doi.org/10.1193/071015eqs111m
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- Asia
- ASTER instrument
- California
- data bases
- data processing
- digital terrain models
- Earth Observing System
- earthquake prediction
- earthquakes
- elevation
- Far East
- focus
- geographic information systems
- geomorphology
- ground motion
- information systems
- Japan
- magnitude
- models
- Northern California
- numerical models
- prediction
- regression analysis
- seismicity
- slopes
- Southern California
- statistical analysis
- topography
- United States
- NGA-West2 project
Latitude & Longitude
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