18 Questions
What are the main factors that influence attenuation during an earthquake?
Distance to epicenter and focal depth
List three factors that influence amplification during an earthquake.
Distance to epicenter, soil type, soil thickness
How does soil thickness affect seismic amplification?
The thicker the soil, the larger the amplification
Explain the relationship between depth of foundation and seismic acceleration.
Shallow foundations experience higher acceleration
What is the power law relation used in seismic hazard assessment, and what does the negative exponent indicate?
F = aM^-b; Negative exponent indicates inverse relation
According to the Gutenburg-Richter relation, which type of earthquake events are more common?
Smaller events are much more common than large events
What factors influence the intensity of an earthquake?
Earthquake Magnitude, Distance from epicenter, Focal depth of earthquake, Foundation materials, Type of building construction, Duration of shaking.
What are the two main modes of building damage during earthquakes?
Structural failure induced by shaking and Foundation failure induced by seismic shaking.
What is the primary cause of damage during an earthquake?
Ground shaking resulting in building collapse.
How does the amplitude and duration of seismic waves change as they pass from bedrock to poorly consolidated material?
They generally increase (amplification).
Why do structures built on poorly consolidated or water-saturated material typically suffer greater damage during earthquakes?
Because they experience greater shaking due to amplification.
What are the factors that control the damage caused by earthquakes?
Earthquake magnitude, distance from the epicentre, site geology, and building construction techniques.
What is the main difference between Love waves and Rayleigh Waves in terms of the movement of material?
Love waves move material back and forth in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the direction of wave movement, while Rayleigh Waves move material in an elliptical path within a vertical plane oriented parallel to the direction of wave movement.
How are P and S waves used to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?
P and S waves travel at different velocities, arriving at the seismograph at different times. By using the arrival times of these waves at three or more seismic stations, the distance to the epicenter can be determined.
What is the Richter magnitude scale used for in seismology?
The Richter magnitude scale provides a quantitative estimate of earthquake magnitude based on instrumental measurements. It calculates the total energy released by an earthquake at its source, independent of intensity.
Explain the relationship between earthquake magnitude and wave amplitude on the Richter scale.
On the Richter scale, each whole-number increase in magnitude represents a 10-fold increase in wave amplitude. This results in approximately a 30-fold increase in the amount of energy released during the earthquake.
What does the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale provide information about?
The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale offers a qualitative description of the effects of an earthquake at a particular location, based on observed damage and human reactions at that location.
How are surface waves different from body waves in terms of their travel path?
Surface waves travel along or just below the Earth’s surface, whereas body waves travel through the Earth's interior. Surface waves are slower than body waves.
Test your knowledge on attenuation, amplification, and structural measures for earthquake mitigation. Learn about the factors affecting attenuation and amplification, as well as the strategies for strengthening buildings to resist lateral forces.
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