Faulting and

Seismic Zones of
the Philippines
CIV 414 STRUC04
What is a seismic zone, or seismic hazard zone?

Although you may hear the terms “seismic zone” and “seismic hazard zone” used interchangeably,
they really describe two slightly different things.

In seismology, a seismic zone or seismic belt is an area of seismicity potentially sharing a

common cause. ... An obsolete definition is a region on a map in which a common level of seismic
design is required. A type of seismic zone is a Wadati–Benioff zone which corresponds with the
down-going slab in a subduction zone.

A seismic zone is used to describe an area where earthquakes tend to focus; for example, the
New Madrid Seismic Zone in the Central United States.

A seismic hazard zone describes an area with a particular level of hazard due to earthquakes.
Typically, a high seismic hazard zone is nearest a seismic zone where there are more earthquakes,
and a lower seismic hazard zone is farther away from a seismic zone.
What are the effects of seismic zones?

It can be seen that period of vibration of building decreases as the severity of ground
motion increases in different seismic zones; because, in higher seismic zones, ground acceleration
is more and therefore earthquake force coming on the structure is comparatively larger than lower
seismic zones.

Seismic Terminology

Terminology related to earthquake engineering.

One of the most recognized terms related to seismology is epicenter, which is the geographical
point on the ground surface where an earthquake is estimated to be centered. This point along
with the focal depth gives the location where the rock ruptures at a fault (fault rupture) that
generates the main earthquake, the focus or hypocenter. This is an area (not a point) that can
extend for many miles along a fault. The plane along which the rock ruptures and slips is known
as the fault plane and may be at an angle with respect to the ground surface, the dip angle.
The angle the fault plane makes with respect to the north direction along the surface is known as
the strike angle. The relative displacement between the two sides of the fault plane is known as
the fault slip. The radiating seismic waves are recorded using a seismometer at an observation
station located at a distance known as the epicentral distance.
The focal depth is used to classify earthquakes as:

❑ shallow for focal depths less than 70 km (43 miles),

❑ intermediate for focal depths between 70 km (43 miles) and 300 km (186 miles), and

❑ deep for focal depths greater than 300 km (186 miles).

❖ Focal depths have been known to be as large as 720 km (450 miles).

❖ Shallow earthquakes are more destructive than others because the mass of the rock above
deeper earthquakes attenuates their shock waves.

❖ Shallow earthquakes generally occur near ocean trenches, like coastal California
earthquakes, which have focal depths of less than 16 km (10 miles).

❖ Most moderate-to-large shallow earthquakes are preceded by smaller quakes, called

foreshocks, and followed by smaller quakes called aftershocks.

❖ Foreshocks are precursors of the impending fault rupture, while aftershocks result from
adjustments to the stress imbalance in the rocks produced during the rupture.
❖ Faults along oceanic ridges are normal, resulting in the lengthening of the crust, whereas
those along subduction zones are reverse, resulting in the shortening of the crust.

❖ When these faults break through to the surface, surface rupture, they produce an
exposed steep slope known as the fault’s scarp.

❖ At transform zones, tectonic plates move horizontal relative to each other; the faults
associated with this motion are strike-slip, which can be further subdivided into right-
lateral or left-lateral faults.

❖ A left-lateral fault, which can be described by an observer standing in front of the fault line
as watching the land on the other side moving to the left. Similarly, an observer facing a
right-lateral fault line would see the land on the other side moving to the right.
❖ when these faults break through to the surface, any pipes, streams, fences, etc. that straddle
the surface rupture are offset.

❖ It should be noted that dip-slip and strike-slip faults can occur simultaneously, in which case
the fault is classified as an oblique-slip.

❖ Also, fault rupture does not reach the surface in the case of many earthquakes, particularly
for intermediate and deep cases.

Seismic Zoning

Seismic zoning is among the most complicated and extremely important problems of modern
seismology. It is the foremost link in a complex chain of an estimation of seismic hazard and
seismic risk.
❑ Seismic zoning is urgently needed for the total area of the Earth without a single exception,
since large damaging earthquakes have occurred and can occur in the future, even in plains,
which are comparatively quiet, geologically speaking.

❑ There are two general approaches to seismic zoning: the historical records of earthquake
occurrences (“Historic methods”) and the geodynamical interpretations of the seismicity and
earthquake source zone (“Deductive methods”).

❑ Seismic hazard assessment is based on the observation and measurement of the ground
shaking produced by seismic waves passing. The seismic effect depends on the magnitude of
earthquake, the depth of its hypocenter, the distance from the earthquake source, the local
ground conditions (e.g. rock or soft soil, etc).

❑ Three database series (geodynamics, seismicity, and strong ground motion) are the basis used
to develop two models: a source zones model and a model of seismic effects, which are used
to calculate earthquake hazard and to map seismic zones.

NSCP 2015 208.4.4

Seismic hazard characteristics for the site shall be established based on the seismic zone and
proximity of the site to active seismic sources, site soil profile characteristics and the structure’s
importance factor.
NSCP 2015 208.4.4.1

The Philippine archipelago is divided into two seismic zones only. Zone 2 covers the provinces of
Palawan (except Busuanga), Sulu and Tawi-Tawi while the rest of the country is under Zone 4 as
shown in Figure 208-1. Each structure shall be assigned a seismic zone factor Z, in accordance
with Table 208-3.

NSCP 2015 208.4.4.2

Table 208-4 defines the types of seismic sources. The location and type of seismic sources to be
used for design shall be established based on approved geological data: see Figure 208-2A. Type
A sources shall be determined from Figure 208-2B, 2C, 2D, 2E or the most recent mapping of
active faults by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
References
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271393488_Seismic_macrozonation_of_the_Philippines_based_on_seismic_
hazard_analysis
https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11763745_02.pdf
https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/information-tool/the-phivolcs-faultfinder
https://thescorpion.tumblr.com/post/4059284304/list-of-active-fault-lines-in-the-philippines
https://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/123/1-4/293

https://business.inquirer.net/269314/devastating-faults-of-the-big-one

https://www.adrc.asia/aboutus/vrdata/finalreport/2011A_PHL_Anna_FRR.pdf
https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/14_07-0109.PDF

http://eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C01/E4-06-01-04.pdf