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Lecture12 Groundmotion
Lecture12 Groundmotion
Ground Motion
1
Strong Ground Motion
Evaluation of the effects of earthquakes requires the
study of ground motion
Engineering Seismology deals with vibrations related
to earthquakes, which are strong enough to cause
damage to people and environment
Time (sec)
2
Components of Ground Motion
3
Measuring ground motion
Seismographs are used to measure the
ground motion. Seismogram is the
output from the seismograph. It is a
record of the ground motion at a
measuring station as a function of time.
Seismograms typically record motions
in three cartesian axes (x, y, and z),
with the z axis perpendicular to the
Earth's surface and the x- and y- axes
parallel to the surface. Three inertial
seismometers are commonly used in
one instrument housing to measure
up-down, east-west, north-south
motions simultaneously. 4
Seismogram interpretation
Seismograms can provide
information on
location of epicenter
magnitude of
earthquake
source properties
Most seismograms record
P, S & surface waves
First arrival is P wave - surface waves follow and may
After a pause of several continue for tens of seconds
seconds/10s of seconds - surface waves are slower but
persist to greater distances than
the higher amplitude S
P & S waves
wave arrives
5
Wave terminology
Wave amplitude
displacement, y
height of a wave above
its zero position T= 1/f
Wave period
time taken to complete A
time, t
one cycle of motion
Frequency
number of cycles per
second (Hertz)
— human ear can detect
frequencies in range A= amplitude
15-20000 Hz
T= Period
— felt shaking during
quake has frequencies f = frequency
from 20 down to 1
Hertz
6
Ground Motion Recording
7
Vertical Benioff Seismometer
9
Types of Accelerometers
Types of Accelerometers:
11
Piezoelectric Accelerometer
13
Geophone
Geophones (velocity transducers) are used to measure the
seismic wave velocities. They transform the mechanical wave
energy to electrical voltage and the response is captured with
time to obtain the velocity of seismic waves
14
Geophone
Traditional geophones consist of a magnetized mass fixed to
the container and a surrounding coil suspended by springs.
Natural frequency is controlled by the mass and spring
constant.
Response curve is the plot of the electric voltage output from
a geophone as it changes with different wave frequencies.
15
Array of Geophones
Coil
MEMS
Acceleration sensitive
17
Hydrophones
Instead of recording displacement, hydrophones record changes
in pressure. A piezo-electric crystal senses the pressure change
and creates a voltage. This sensor is used for ocean floor seismic
sensing.
18
Broadband Seismometer
Broadband seismometers can detect motion over a wide range
(or band) of frequencies and usually over a large range of
amplitudes (the dynamic range). Broadband sensors respond to
most frequencies from 0.01 Hz to 50 Hz. For regional seismology,
the frequency range of interest is from 0.05 to 20 Hz therefore;
broadband sensors are most useful for recording regional
earthquakes .
19
Strong motion seismographs
http://www.iris.edu/stations/seisWorkshop04/
iris_sensor_ws_9.19.05.pdf (Accessed on 30 March 2012)