STUDIES CONCERNING DIRECTIONALITY OF SEISMIC ACTION FOR

VRANCEAEARTHQUAKES

M. STANCU & 1. S. BORCIA

INCERC (Building Research Institute), Bucharest
Sos. Pantelimon Nr. 266, RO-79614 Bucharest, Romania

1. Introduction

The accelerograph network of Building Research Institute INCERC Bucharest consists

of 71 SMA-I accelerographs located in all seismic zones of Romania. A number of 51
accelerographs are mounted at ground level in low-rise buildings. The INCERC
network furnished more then 110 useful records obtained during the Vrancea
earthquakes of March 4, 1977 ( Richter magnitude M = 7.2), August 31, 1986 (M =
7.0), May 30,1990 (M = 6.7) and May 31,1990 (M = 6.1), codified in the following as
events 771, 861, 901 and 902.
At first we shortly present what happened to the EREN - main exhibition hall in
Bucharest during the past twenty-one years [1]. At the beginning, the structure of
EREN was axisymmetric. The effects of earthquakes resulted not only in a strong
flexibilisation, but also in a strong loss of symmetry.

TABLE 1. EREN (Main exhibition hall)

Measured periods (s) and Estimated spectral values (m/s2)

Stage Translation Saa Translation Saa Rotation

N-S N-S E-W E-W in plane
(s) (m/s2) (s) (m/s2) (s)
June 1976 0.60 0.60 0.41
1977.03.04 3.75 3.27
March 1977 1.08 0.98 0.94
(after 04)
July 1984 (after
final 0.545 0.515 0.425
strengtheninJ:?;)
1986.08.31 2.1 2.6
September 1986 0.65 0.65 0.52
1990.05.30 0.9 1.6
June 1993 0.655 0.715 0.52

57
F. Wenzel et al. (eds.), Vrancea Earthquakes: Tectonics, Hazard and Risk Mitigation, 57-66.
© 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.
58 M. STANCU & 1. S. BORCIA

In Table 1 are presented the measured eigenperiods of the EREN structure

(obtained by ambient vibration techniques) and the estimated spectral values (the
absolute acceleration response spectrum, Saa, values for the recorded accelerogram at
the site (861 event), and the estimated Saa values for the EREN site: from the recorded
accelerograms at 2.35 km far from EREN site (901 event) and at 7.5 km far from
EREN site (771 event». The increase of measured oscillation period was stronger for
the N-S direction after the 1977 earthquake, but after the 1986 and 1990 earthquakes
the increase was stronger for the E-W direction. The increases of oscillation periods
are rather proportional with the spectral values corresponding to the initial (pre-
earthquake) structural periods - for each earthquake. This example reveals the
importance of directionality of seismic action for Vrancea earthquakes.

2. Directionality of seismic action

In order to obtain more realistic values for the seismic action on structures during the
Vrancea earthquakes, we combined vectorially the two horizontal components
(corrected and filtered) of each recorded accelerogram [2]; in this way we obtained
accelerograms in the twelve directions (with 15° between two neighbouring horizontal
directions) from North to South. We computed, for each such accelerogram, response
spectra and the main parameters which characterise an accelerogram (pga - peak
ground acceleration, epa - effective peak acceleration, epv - effective peak velocity, Tc
- corner period etc.). Figure 1 contains the plots of response spectra, for n=5% fraction
of critical damping, for the twelve directions, for INCERC (latitude: 45°25' N,
longitude: 26°10' E, codified INC) records (771, 861 and 901 events). The recorded
directions were N - Sand E - W.

i ' , , ,
I
! ! ! I ! ! ! ! ! !-135°
1.0 I ' _. - - -! _. _. -.:._. -'-":' _. - ._!" _. _. -':" --- ---!_. -' - --!" - --- - "t" _. - --;_._._":
! ' , ! ' !······150°
I t I I I I I I I 1
i i i i i i i i i 0
0.0 I I I I j I i I I I I 1 I I I I I I I i I I - I i I I _: j 1 I I I . I I I 1 I I 1 I I i i I \ ...... 165

o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)

Figure 1 a. Response spectra for INC (771 event)
 STIJDIES CONCERNING DIRECTIONALITY ... 59

OON

""'·'·""30°

2.5 -45°
_.' 60°

- - 75°
····..--·90 0 E
-._.105°

-120°
-135°
.. ,150°

-+--+-ITt-+1+-1+-1t-i+-,+-1+-1+-1+1++1+1+1+i+1+1-+1+I-ti+1 +I+I-tl-ji--il--il--il--tl~irlf-It-+I f-Irl+-1+-1+-1+-1t-i+-1-H-'+11i '165°

0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (8)
Figure 1 b. Response spectra for INC (861 event)
90IINC Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%
3.0 -1--·-·-~r-----·;·-·-·-·;-·---·-r-·-· -"i----·-r----·-;·-----·;----·-r·-·--; OON

I ~{
~{
~
r
~
J
!
I
!I !I i
I
!1 I
~ !r - 15°
t 1i~: ; '. i j
!
~
!
i
I
j i !
I
! ~,.,.,.'.'.'300
I

: i I ;-450
\~}_·-·-·t·-·_·_·i-·-·_·-~·-·-·_·~·-·-·-1-·-·-·~--- 600
, I

105°
;-120°

·165°
o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 175 2 2.25 2.5 T (8)
Figure 1 c. Response spectra for INC (901 event)

It is important to notice an increase of up to 30% in the values of spectral

acceleration (in the period range .7 s - .8 s of the response spectra) in the direction
N45~ with respect to the recorded ones (771 event). Figure 1 shows that there is no
important amplification in the range of periods exceeding 1 s in the response spectra of
the INCERC 1990 Vrancea earthquake record, but an important amplification is
present around the period .65 s, in contrast with the 1977 and 1986 Vrancea
earthquakes records.
60 M. STANCU & I. S. BORCIA

N
3 ~
I

771INC

0' _.\
,1- -
·_·-.i. f -·-·-·-·I E
.,
.-j:·"'f_
\.- -./

•• EPA
-EPV
-Tc
······PGA

s
Figure 2. Azimuthal variations for epa, epv, Tc and pga in INC (771 event)

77lINC

(mls2)

....... T=.2 sec

Wf '.--j-._-f- ., E
-T=.3 sec
. ".". T= .4 sec
-T=.5 sec
- ·T=.6 sec
.. ····T=.7 sec
........·T=.8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

s
Figure 3 a. Azimuthal variations for response spectra values in INC (771 event)

The azimuthal variations of epa (see Figure 2) are the same as the variations of
maximum absolute acceleration response spectra and the azimuthal variations of epv
are the same as the variations of maximum pseudo-relative velocity spectra. The
azimuthal variations of absolute acceleration response spectra for several periods are
presented in Figure 3.
 STUDIES CONCERNING DIRECTIONALITY ... 61

N
3 ~

861INC

(m/s2)

·······T=.2 sec
-T= .3 sec
...... T= .4 sec
-T=.5 sec
- ·T=.6 sec
...... T=.7 sec
T=.8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

s
Figure 3 b. Azimuthal variations for response spectra values in INC (86 I event)

N
3 ~

901INC

(m/s2)

..... T=.2 sec

Wf·
-T=.3 sec
..... T=.4 sec
-T=.5 sec
·T=.6 sec
....... T=.7 sec
...... T=.8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

s
Figure 3 c. Azimuthal variations for response spectra values in INC (90 I event)

These azimuthal variations show that the three records obtained at INCERC during
the 1977, 1986 and 1990 Vrancea earthquakes are very different one from another.
62 M. STANCU & 1. S. BORCIA

901MGR

(m/s2)

·· ...··T=.2 sec
-T=.3sec
·"'· ..·T=.4 sec
-T=.5sec
- ·T=.6sec
...... T=.7 sec
...... T=.8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

s
Figure 4 a. Azimuthal variations of response spectra values for MGR (901 event)

/.
901PND

I. .\ (m/s2)

'-'1-
. \

··T=.2sec
Wf"-+'
-T=.3 sec
......··..'T= .4 sec
-T=.5 sec
'I.
\. 'f - 'T=.6 sec
....... T=.7 sec
" T= ,8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

S
Figure 4 b. Azimuthal variations of response spectra values for PND (901 event)

Figure 4 shows the azimuthal variations of absolute acceleration response spectra,

at several periods, for other three sites in Bucharest: MAGURELE (latitude: 44°21' N,
longitude: 26°02' E, codified MGR), PANDURI (latitude: 44°25' N, longitude: 26°04'
E, codified PND) and TITULESCU (latitude: 44°27' N, longitude: 26°04' E, codified
 STUDIES CONCERNING DIRECTIONALITY .,. 63

TIT), for the 901 event. It is important to notice that only for periods longer than 0.6 s
the azimuthal variations of absolute acceleration response spectra are similar for the
three sites.
N
3

901TIT

I. (m/s2)

.. -"
/"-

···T=.2 sec
W f··-
-T=.3 sec
··········,···T=.4 sec
-T=.5 sec
" 'T=.6 sec
. T~ ,7 sec

"'T= ,8 sec
-T= 1.2 sec

s
Figure 4 c. Azimuthal variations of response spectra values for TIT (90 I event)

861FOC Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%

8.5 T-- -_. -! -.-- -- ~ -_. _. _.~_. _. - '-~'-'-'-'T'- -_.- "!- --'- --~-~.- ·-·r----·-~_·_·-'; . O"N
80 I'-- - -! - -..J. - - - ~- - - _I - - - ! - - - !- - - _I - - - .!.. '- _ - -'
. !. ~! ~ I t ! ! I ! !- 15°
;:~ l'~'~ -,- ~ = ~: ~ ~ ~ =~: == ~: = =~= == J = = =.~ ="= =~=.=.= ~~y.~~300
6.5
6.0
+._._. ._._.- 'r-- _. - '-r-'- -_. T ' -
'~":-' _.~.
_. - ._~-.-.-.i._
-_. - 1 - ' _. - ""1" _. _._. T' _ . - - - 1 - ' _. - ' - '

._._ L. .-!._. .i._. i_._. _. j - 45°

-; '~. - .i-. _. _. -~ _. _. _. ~._._. - "!_. _. - "-!" _. - ._. ~. ---- - ~_. _. _. ~ ... 600
• I I I l t i l I
5.5
5.0 .~~ _.~._. -·-~-·-·_·t·- ._"--1-'- ._._~._. -·_-t·-'--- _. _.
~_. ~~
~ 4,5 . '~--'-'-'-'-':--'-!-'-'--1'-'-'-':'-'-'-1-'--: - 75°
1:4,0
3.5 i
3.0
2,5
2,0
1.5
1.0
0,5 ~~5~~~~~~~~!~ """'150°
0.0 j , I I 1 ! t ! I : I. I: I I I I II I i I ! 165°

0.25 0,5 0,75 1.2 5 1.5 1.7 5 2 2,25 2,5 T (s)

Figure 5 G, Response spectra for Foe (861 event)

64 M. STANCU & 1. S. BORCIA

1'-'--:--'-'1'--'-';'---:-'- -';'-'-- r- _._;-._._.

901FOC Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%
4.5
4.0 t·_· ---i: ._._.+_._._+._.-._; _._. -.+_._--+._.---;--_._. ._._._ -15°

+ -1 ': --;--- ---f

I ti 1 I , 1 I I

-; --- ~ ---:--- """""""30°

Ip::, i i i,."7·,· i i i
35 1- ~ ~.

3.0 1'- -
1
i : I r".~·- ~.- - /~- -~
' i
. +- --~ ---1- - - • - - 60°

t·--
1 ,

('1 25

~
~ ~.

2.0 r-'"
i ot,,~··.,;':"~·,(,;'r'k·4,.-\~·. '\-. _. - .!.... _. _. -! _. _. -. ····900E
. ! !

1.5 t·,: !
\Il~.-,I"J-~,'_' ".\<:.J:''''. - .!-. _. -'- ~ _. _.
I
!
_.
-120°
105°

1.0 _.-l-._.--~-_._._.~·~._.-!-._._.~-_ .
, ~ ! ~ ! ! . -135°
0.5 T--'---I
jJ ~ ~
_._._.~.- ._.- .~._._.-!! _._.- 'i--'
~ ! !
_._.~._.- --1------ ~~~i"""""""150°
I ! i i i ! i ! .. 165 0
0.0! I 111 I ! I! I .! I 11 11 1 I I
o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)
Figure 5 b. Response &pectra for Foe (90 I event)

902FOC Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%

4.5

:: + l;;;:T:::r:: j:::i:: j:::T:: t::1 ~ : :

T--'-!--'-':--'-~----~'-'--T'---~-'--'-~--'-r'---"--"'" OON
I I I 1 I I I I I I J

3.0 t--
1 I I
------,----j---'·------·--'i---·! ...
j I I I ,
600

('1
2 .5 +-.
i
~ l _ . __ ! ._: __ ._~. !_.
I
!. _ 750

~2.0 +" -t ~
_._. -_.--
1
--1-----·-1·-----· ~--. -.-~-.- ---~-.-. .- 90 E
1 1 I 1 1
0

. .I .
I
.-._. -·1-·- ·_·-1-- ._"- -..... _. -
.I ,
-
.
1.5 .-~_. ----I

i i i i ~,-1200
.I .I .I , ,
--- -- ---I' - ._-- -1"--' - '-1- - - '-'""1
• I i-135°
0.5 .
I
.
I
.
,

. .·~·..~·~1-·.~·~·" ..... 150°

O.0 -t-+-+-'-'I-if-,--r+++++-r+-+-i~;-;-++++++-i--'~i-'r--l;-'+-+-++1+1-+1-+1-;'--141-' +-1+-:++:-i-jqi .

:,.-1-';-.;-:

o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)

Figure 5 c. Response spectra for Foe (902 event)

The response spectra computed for 1986 and 1990 Vrancea earthquakes records
obtained in FOCSANI (near the source zone of Vrancea earthquakes - latitude: 45°26'
N, longitude: 27°11' E, codified FOe) are presented in Figure 5. The recorded
directions were N - Sand E - W. An increase of up to 25% of the values of spectral
 STUDIES CONCERNING DIRECTIONALITY ... 65

acceleration (in the period range .2 s - .3 s of Saa) should be noticed in other direction
then the recorded ones, for 902 event.
861CVD Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%
3.0 T--._. -f _. _. -'"'T' _. _. - T" - ' - ' - f _._. -"T' _. - --',- "-" _. - ! ' - ' - ' - ' I ' - ._. - "!_. _. -', QON

i1---:
j 1 i ~ ! : [ i I ~ -15 0

I I I I I I

:I I ! ! t j ! 30°
; j I i j
i . j-45°

i--T--r--r---r---:---r--+--l--~::
I

~ 2.0 ~
1
a
'0 1t . ,.. 1..;.. ........,.....:..... ··1:::::::
! ! ·····900 E

,
, , ..... 150°
,
00 [' i" " II "i:IITFt, ...... 165°
o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)
Figure 6 a. Response spectra for CVD (861 event)

,
0.5 r--:---~---:----i-~-! .• -.-~.-.-.-.+.-.-.-~-.-.-.--! " ... 1500

0.0 II I I : \ I I I I II I ' : i I I : I I ' :: I ! : I I ' I . I I . I . 1.. ·.. ·165°

o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)

Figure 6 b. Response spectra for CVD (901 evenl)

The response spectra computed for 1986 and 1990 Vrancea earthquakes records
obtained in CERNAVODA (near the Romanian Nuclear Power Plant site - latitude:
44°20' N, longitude: 28°02' E, codified CVD) are presented in Figure 6. The recorded
directions were N - Sand E - W. An increase of up to 26% of the values of spectral
acceleration (in the period range .4 s - .6 s of Saa) should be noticed in other direction
then the recorded ones, for 90 I event.
66 M. STANCU & I. S. BORCIA

Looking at the plots in Figures 1, 5 and 6 we can supose that there is a strong
dependence of the directionality of the seismic action on the radiation patterns and on
the periods.
902CVD Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra n=5%

. I I I I I I I

1.0 -1'-'-' -·-·-j·-·-·-·t·-·-·-·:-·-·-·-:·-·-·-·t·-·-·-1-·----~ -120°

I 1 I I I I
i i i ;-135°
0.5
······150°

0.0 L-rL~+-+-++LJ::!~~~~~~ ·165°

o 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 T (s)
Figure 6 c. Response spectra for CVD (902 event)

3. Final conclusions

The differences pointed out in the shapes of response spectra of accelerograms recorded
during strong Vrancea earthquakes, both in records obtained during an earthquake at
close sites and in records obtained during three successive earthquakes at the same site,
indicate that providing a credible microzonation of Bucharest is a hard task. The future
seismic zonation of Romania and the future seismic microzonation of Bucharest have
to take into account the results presented here.
The results obtained from data processing of 41 recorded accelerograms show: a
deep dependence of the directionality of the seismic action on the periods; an increase
up to 35% of the values of the spectral acceleration (in the main part of the response
spectrum) in other directions as the recorded ones; a good agreement with the observed
damages and experimental data.
We have to proceed the same calculations for all our free-field records and after
that to find valid, credible correlation between the results.

References
1. Sandi R., Stancu M., Stancu Olga & Borcia I.S. (1986): "A Biography of a Large-span Structure, Pre-and
post-Earthquake, after the Provisional and Final Strengthening" in Proc. 8 th ECEE, Lisbon, Portugal,
pp.II.1/9-11.1/15.
2. Stancu Olga & Borcia I.S. (1996): "Studies on processing and interpreting ofthe recent strong motion
accelerograms" (in Romanian), INCERC Report A75/1996.