Submitted by: SALMAN KHAN

Submitted to: Sir IRFAN AHMAD

REG NO:BSCE01193049
SECTION:B
ASSINGMENT:GEOLOGY

Q#1 What is an earthquake, also discus focus, hypocenter, and epicenter, foreshocks and
aftershocks.
Ans:
Earthquake:
A sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a
result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action.
Focus:
The epicenter is the point directly above it at the surface of the Earth. Also commonly termed the
focus.
Epicenter: The point on the earth's surface vertically above the focus of an
earthquake. Foreshocks:
are the energy release and ground shaking before an earthquake and aftershocks
are the energy release and ground shaking after an earthquake. Foreshocks are
before, aftershocks are after - makes sense! Foreshocks are less likely to do
damage than aftershocks because they're smaller in magnitude.

Q#2 Discus seismicity of area (geological setting), causes (name of major and minor
geological faults), and hazards.
Ans:
Seismicity, the worldwide or local distribution of earthquakes in space, time, and
magnitude. More specifically, it refers to the measure of the frequency of
earthquakes in a regions Name of major and minor faults:
Major Faults of Pakistan are as follows:-

• The Main Karakoram Thrust Fault(MKT)

• The Main Mantle Thrust Fault(MMT)
• The Main Central Thrust Fault(MCT)
• Salt Range Thrust Fault(SRT)
• The Main Boundry Thrust(MBT)
• Chamman Transform Fault(CTF)

Minor faults of Pakistan are as follows:- •

Punjab thrust
• Jhelum thrust
• Muzaffarabad thrust

Hazards:The earthquake caused severe damaged to 135 houses in Mirpur district with a further
319 partially damage, Two bridges reported damaged and 14 Km of mainJatlan Road.

Q#3 What is the peak ground acceleration (PGA), and earthquake zone of area according
to seismicity map of Pakistan?
Ans:
Peak ground acceleration (PGA) is equal to the maximum ground acceleration that occurred
during earthquake shaking at a location. PGA is equal to the amplitude of the largest absolute
acceleration recorded on an accelerogram at a site during a particular earthquake. Earthquake
zone in the map of Pakistan:
On the basis of PGA Pakistan is divided into five seismic zones

Zone1, Zone2A, Zone3B, Zone3 and Zone4.

Zone 4 considered highest level of seismicity and zone 1 is considered lowest seismicity.

Q#4 Determine earthquake intensity, magnitude and the equipment used to detect
earthquake motions.
Ans:
The earthquake severely affected Jatlan in Mirpur district, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the
5.8 magnitude earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers with its epicenter lying
one kilometer southeast of Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It had a magnitude of 5.8.
A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.
Generally, it consists of a mass attached to a fixed base.
During an earthquake, the base moves and the mass does not.
The motion of the base with respect to the mass is commonly transformed into an electrical
voltage.
Qno 5:Explain how earthquake was located.
Ans:

An earthquake is what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another.
The surface where they slip is called the fault or fault plane. The location below the earth’s
surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it
on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck at a
shallow depth of 10 kilometers with its epicenter lying one kilometer southeast of Mirpur, Azad
Jammu and Kashmir.

Q#6 Based on seismicity of area and damages caused by Jatlan earthquake, what
precautions would you suggest, especially about the civil engineering structures to the
people of Azad Kashmir to take for an earthquake in the near future.
Ans:
Pakistan is an underdeveloped country, still striving for improvement in construction practices.
Most of the private construction is carried out as nonengineered which caused loss lives in
Kashmir (2019) earthquake. However, after the Kashmir (2019) earthquake, the government and
engineering community emphasized on implementation of seismic codes. Although the current
construction practices are considered as better than previous construction work the vulnerability
of these structures is yet to be determined. It aims at the vulnerability assessment of recent RC
construction in Pakistan that still needs to be assessed. Research work starts with calibration of
panel zone element (PERFORM 3D) depicting joint shear degradation, while comparing the
analytical results with experimental work, found in the literature. The frame work is then used
for vulnerability assessment of RC structures typical of current construction practices in Pakistan
while using advanced capacity spectrum method, developed by Kyriakides for which three cases
have been considered, being constructed more frequently by public sector, in different seismic
zones, based on design usually followed by builders in the region. Finally, the conclusion is
drawn with suggestion of further improvement of seismic behavior of the structures.
Considerable work has been done in seismology to explain the characteristics of the recorded
ground motions in earthquakes. Such knowledge is needed to predict ground motions in future
earthquakes so that earthquake-resistant structures can be designed..

Q#7 Are earthquakes monitored in your area? If so, where is the nearest seismograph
station located relative to your location?
Ans:
Yes,There is only department in Pakistan which is responsible for seismic monitoring.The
nearest office of PDM is in Islamabad.
Q#8 Bonus question: How do scientists know that the center of the earth is liquid?
Ans:
Scientists figured out that the outer core must be liquid because S waves do not pass through it,
but P waves do.The behavior of P and S waves also indicates the inner core is solid.