• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.9 no.4 s.44
• /
• pp.29-42
• /
• 2005

Total 350 borehole profiles were selected from the database of borehole logs in Seoul, for the site-specific seismic evaluation at two 4km${\times}$4km plain areas. Equivalent-linear site response analyses for the selected 350 sites were conducted based on shear wave velocity (Vs) Profiles, which were determined from the N-Vs correlation established using borehole seismic testing results in the inland areas of Korea. Most sites were categorized as site classes C and D based on the mean Vs to 30 m in depth (Vs30) ranging from 250 to 550 m/s. The she periods of the plains in Seoul ranging between 0.1 and 0.4 sec were significantly lower than those of the western US, from which the site coefficients in Korea were derived. For plains in Seoul, the site coefficients, Fa's and Fv's specified in the Korean seismic design guide, underestimate the ground motion in short-period (0.1-0.5 sec) band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period (0.4-2.0 sec) band, respectively, because ol the differences in the geotechnical conditions between Seoul and the western US, although the Fa's in several sites overestimate the motion due to the base Isolation effect resulted from the soft layer in soil deposit.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.11 no.6
• /
• pp.5-20
• /
• 2010

One-dimensional equivalent linear site response analysis is widely used in practice due to its simplicity, requiring only few input parameters, and low computational cost. The main limitation of the procedure is that it is essentially a linear method, in which the time dependent change in the soil properties cannot be modeled and constant values of shear modulus and damping is used throughout the duration of the analysis. Various forms of modified equivalent linear analyses have been developed to enhance the accuracy of the equivalent linear method by incorporating the dependence of the shear strain with the loading frequency. The methods are identical in that it uses the shear strain Fourier spectrum as the backbone of the analysis, but differ in the method in which the strain Fourier spectrum is smoothed. This study used two domestically measured soil profiles to perform a series of nonlinear, equivalent linear, and modified equivalent linear site response analyses to verify the accuracy of two modified procedures. The results of the analyses indicate that the modified equivalent linear analysis can highly overestimate the amplification of the high frequency components of the ground motion. The degree of overestimation is dependent on the characteristics of the input ground motion. Use of a motion rich in high frequency contents can result in unrealistic response.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.1C
• /
• pp.65-76
• /
• 2010

Recent earthquake events revealed that severe seismic damages were concentrated mostly at sites composed of soil sediments rather than firm rock. This indicates that the site effects inducing the amplification of earthquake ground motion are associated mainly with the spatial distribution and dynamic properties of the soils overlying bedrock. In this study, an integrated GIS-based information system for geotechnical data was constructed to establish a regional counterplan against ground motions at a representative metropolitan area, Seoul, in Korea. To implement the GIS-based geotechnical information system for the Seoul area, existing geotechnical investigation data were collected in and around the study area and additionally a walkover site survey was carried out to acquire surface geo-knowledge data. For practical application of the geotechnical information system used to estimate the site effects at the area of interest, seismic zoning maps of geotechnical earthquake engineering parameters, such as the depth to bedrock and the site period, were created and presented as regional synthetic strategy for earthquake-induced hazards prediction. In addition, seismic zonation of site classification was also performed to determine the site amplification coefficients for seismic design at any site and administrative sub-unit in the Seoul area. Based on the case study on seismic zonations for Seoul, it was verified that the GIS-based geotechnical information system was very useful for the regional prediction of seismic hazards and also the decision support for seismic hazard mitigation particularly at the metropolitan area.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2010

The vertical response spectra using the observed ground motions from the recent more than 30 macro earthquakes were analysed and then were compared both to the seismic design response spectra (Reg Guide 1.60), applied to the domestic nuclear power plants, and to the Korean Standard Design Response Spectrum for general structures and buildings (1997). 176 vertical ground motions, without considering soil types, were used for normalization with respect to the peak acceleration value of each ground motion. The results showed that response spectrum had strong dependency on epicentral distance. The results also showed that the vertical response spectra revealed much higher values for frequency bands above 5~7 Hz than Reg. Guide (1.60). The results were also compared to the Korean Standard Response Spectrum for the 3 different soil types and showed that the vertical response spectra revealed much higher values for the frequency bands below 0.2 second (5 Hz) than the Korean Standard Response Spectrum (SD soil condition). These frequency-dependent spectral values could be related to the characteristics of the domestic crustal attenuation and the effect of each site amplification. However, through the qualitative improvements and quantitative enhancement of the observed ground motions, the conservation of vertical seismic design response spectrum should be considered more significantly for the frequency bands above 5 Hz.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.399-407
• /
• 2010

The horizontal response spectra using the observed ground motions from the recent more than 19 macro earthquakes were analysed and then were compared to both the seismic design response spectra (Reg Guide 1.60), applied to the domestic nuclear power plants, and the Korean Standard Design Response Spectrum for general structures and buildings (1997). 130 horizontal ground motions, without considering soil types, were used for normalization with respect to the peak acceleration value of each ground motion. The results showed that response spectrum have strong dependency on epicentral distance. The results also showed that the horizontal response spectra revealed much higher values for frequency bands above 5 Hz than Reg. Guide (1.60). The results were also compared to the Korean Standard Response Spectrum for the 3 different soil types and showed that the vertical response spectra revealed much higher values for the frequency bands below 0.3 second than the Korean Standard Response Spectrum (SD soil condition). These spectral values dependent on frequency could be related to characteristics of the domestic crustal attenuation and the effect of each site amplification. However, through the qualitative improvements and quantitative enhancement of the observed ground motions, the conservation of horizontal seismic design response spectrum should be considered more significantly for the frequency bands above 5 Hz.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.203-218
• /
• 2010

The site categorization and corresponding site amplification factors in the current Korean seismic design guideline are based on provisions for the western United States (US), although the site effects resulting in the amplification of earthquake ground motions are directly dependent on the regional and local site characteristic conditions. In these seismic codes, two amplification factors called site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$, for the short-period band and midperiod band, respectively, are listed according to a criterion, mean shear wave velocity ($V_S$) to a depth of 30 m, into five classes composed of A to E. To suggest a site classification system reflecting Korean site conditions, in this study, systematic site characterization was carried out at four regional areas, Gyeongju, Hongsung, Haemi and Sacheon, to obtain the $V_S$ profiles from surface to bedrock in field and the non-linear soil properties in laboratory. The soil deposits in Korea, which were shallower and stiffer than those in the western US, were examined, and thus the site period in Korea was distributed in the low and narrow band comparing with those in western US. Based on the geotechnical characteristic properties obtained in the field and laboratory, various site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted for total 75 sites by adopting both equivalent-linear and non-linear methods. The analysis results showed that the site coefficients specified in the current Korean provision underestimate the ground motion in the short-period range and overestimate in the mid-period range. These differences can be explained by the differences in the local site characteristics including the depth to bedrock between Korea and western US. Based on the analysis results in this study and the prior research results for the Korean peninsula, new site classification system was developed by introducing the site period as representative criterion and the mean $V_S$ to a depth of shallower than 30 m as additional criterion, to reliably determine the ground motions and the corresponding design spectra taking into account the regional site characteristics in Korea.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.27-37
• /
• 2009

A method of instrumentally estimating seismic intensity (MMI) based on the Fourier Acceleration Spectrum of earthquake ground-motion, the so-called 'FAS MMI method' of Sokolov and Wald (2002), was evaluated for its applicability to Korea based on the empirical models of mean (m) and standard deviation (${\sigma}$) for Korea according to individual seismic intensity for MMI ${\leq}$ IV (Yun et al., 2009). This evaluation showed that the error in estimating the seismic intensity using the FAS MMI method is ${\sigma}$ = 0.74 MMI, and was further reduced to ${\sigma}$ = 0.61 MMI if the dependency of the error on earthquake magnitude and distance is additionally corrected. It is also shown that FAS MMI based on the FAS semi-empirically evaluated from small earthquakes for damaging earthquakes in Korea with maximum MMI ${\geq}$ VI could predict the observed MMI with the maximum error of 0.63 by using the combined FAS m-${\sigma}$ models of Korea for MMI ${\leq}$ IV and global region for MMI ${\geq}$ V.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.17 no.1 s.50
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2007

In order to evaluate the local site effects at two town fortress areas in Korea where stone parapets were col-lapsed by historical earthquakes, site characteristics were assessed using site investigations such as borehole drillings and seismic tests. Equivalent-linear site response analyses were conducted based on the shear ways velocity ($V_s$) profiles and geotechnical characteristics determined from site investigations. The study sites are categorized as site classes C and B according to the mean $V_s$ to 30 m ranging from 500 to 850 m/s, and their site periods are distributed in the short period range of 0.06 to 0.16 sec, which contains the natural period of fortress wall and stone parapet. From the results of site response analyses in the study areas, for site class C indicating most of site conditions, contrary to site class B, the short-period (0.1-0.5 sec) and mid-period (0.4-2.0 sec) site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$ specified in the Korean seismic design guide, underestimate the ground motion in short-period band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period band, respectively, due to the high amplification in short period range, which represent the site-specific seismic response characteristics. These site-specific response characteristics indicate the potential of resonance in fortress walls during earthquake and furthermore could strongly affect the collapse of parapets resulted from seismic events in historical records.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.35-44
• /
• 2022

The V_S30 map is used as a key variable for site amplification in the ShakeMap, which predicts ground motion at any site. However, no V_S30 map considering Korean geology and geomorphology has been developed yet. To develop a proxy-based V_S30 map, we used 1,101 V_S profiles obtained from a geophysical survey and collected proxy layers of geological and topographical information for the Korean Peninsula. Then, V_S30 prediction models were developed using linear regression analysis for each geological age considering the distribution of V_S30. As a result, models depending on geomorphology were suggested per each geologic group, including Quaternary, Fill, Ocean, Mesozoic group and Precambrian. Resolution of map is doubled from that of V_S30 map by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Standard deviation of residual in natural log of proxy-based V_S30 map is 0.233, whereas standard deviation of slope-based USGS V_S30 map is 0.387. Therefore, the proxy-based V_S30 map developed in this study is expected to have less uncertainty and to contribute to predicting more accurately the ground motion amplitude.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.175-184
• /
• 2018

In this paper, comparative analysis of the 9.12 Gyeongju and 11.15 Pohang earthquakes was conducted in order to provide probable explanations and reasons for the damage observed in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake from both earthquake and structural engineering perspectives. The damage potentials like Arias intensity, effective peak ground acceleration, etc observed in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake were generally weaker than those of the 9.12 Gyeongju earthquake. However, in contrast to the high-frequency dominant nature of the 9.12 Gyeongju earthquake records, the spectral power of PHA2 record observed in the soft soil site was highly concentrated around 2Hz. The base shear around 2 Hz frequency was as high as 40% building weight. This frequency band is very close to the fundamental frequency of the piloti-type buildings severely damaged in the northern part of Pohang. Unfortunately, in addition to inherent vertical irregularity, most of the damaged piloti-type buildings had plan irregularity as well and were non-seismic. All these contributed to the fatal damage. Inelastic dynamic analysis indicated that PHA2 record demands system ductility capacity of 3.5 for a structure with a fundamental period of 0.5 sec and yield base shear strength of 10% building weight. The system ductility level of 3.5 seems very difficult to be achievable in non-seismic brittle piloti-type buildings. The soil profile of the PHA2 site was inversely estimated based on deconvolution technique and trial-error procedure with utilizing available records measured at several rock sites during the 11.15 Pohang earthquake. The soil profile estimated was very typical of soil class D, implying significant soil amplification in the 11.15 Pohang earthquake. The 11.15 Pohang earthquake gave us the expensive lesson that near-collapse damage to irregular and brittle buildings is highly possible when soil is soft and epicenter is close, although the earthquake magnitude is just minor to moderate (M 5+).