Ground Vibrations and Soil Dynamics

Abstract:

On December 7, 1988 an earthquake of magnitude Ms = 6.8 shook northern Armenia inflicting heavy human casualty and massive devastation. The city of Leninakan, located 25 km from the surface breakout of the ruptured fault, suffered heavier damage than the city of Kirovakan, only 10 km from the fault. In this paper, building damage statics from the 1988 Armenia earthquake are presented and discussed. These statics are correlated to the local soil profiles in these two major cities. The soil amplification effects on building damage during this earthquake are investigated. One-dimensional site response analysis results and valley effects are presented to explain the extent and pattern of damage in the two cities.

This research was made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation. The support of N.S.F. and of Dr. Clifford Astill, Director of the program is greatly appreciated. In addition we appreciate the contributions to this research of our numerous colleagues in the United States, Armenia, Iran, Russia, Greece and the United Kingdom. 

Relevant Publications:

• Yegian, M.,K., Chang, C., Y. Mullen, C., L. and Mylonakis, G. (2001). “Soil-Structure Interaction Under Dynamic Loading”. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Recent Advancements in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, San Diego, March.
• Yegian, M.K., Gazetas, G. and Arzoumanidis, S.G. (1997). “Geotechnical Factors Influencing the Spatial Variability in Ground Motions for Bridges” ASCE Structures Congress, Oregon, April 13-16
• Yegian, M.K. and V.G. Ghahraman, (1995). "The Northridge Earthquake of 1994: Ground Motions and Geotechnical Aspects," 3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, St. Louis, MO, April.
• Yegian, M.K., Ghahraman, V.G., and Gazetas, G. (1994). “Soil Amplification Effects on Building Damage During the 1988 Armenia Earthquake.” Proceedings of Tenth European Conference on Earthquake Engineering,” Vienna, Austria, August.
• Yegian, M.K., Ghahraman, V.G. and Gazetas, G. (1994). “Ground-Motion and Soil-Response Analysis for Leninakan, 1988 Armenian Earthquake.” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, February.
• Yegian, M.K., Ghahraman, V.G. and Gazetas, G. (1994). “Seismological, Soil and Valley Effects in Kirovakan, 1988 Armenian Earthquake.” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, February.
• Yegian, M.K., Ghahraman, V.G. and Gazetas, G. (1993) “Soil Response and Valley Effects During the 1988 Armenia Earthquake.” Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri, June.
• Gazetas, G. and Yegian, M.K. (1979). “Shear and Rayleigh Waves in Soil Dynamics.” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, December.
• Tezcan, S., Seed, H.B., Whitman, R.V, Serff, N., Christian, J., Durgunoglu, H. and Yegian, M.K. 1977. “Resonant Period Effects in Gediz, Turkey Earthquake of 1970.” Journal of Earthquake Engineering, John Wiley and Sons, New York, April-June, vol.5, No:2.
• Lui, T., Kinner, E., and Yegian, M.K. (1974). “Ground Vibrations.” Journal of Sound and Vibration, October.