Engineering Characteristics Of Wenchuan Earthquake And Development Of Attenuation Model

In2008, on May12at02:28:01PM China Standard Time, an earthquake occurredat Sichuan Wenchuan China measured at8.0Ms and7.9Mw. The earthquake is knownas the Great Sichuan/Wenchuan earthquake. The ground motions of the earthquake weremeasured by420stations spread over all china. The station sites are majorly Soil typebut also have44rock sites among them. All the stations are not just widely spread butalso on varying elevations. It gives an opportunity to study and learn about thecharacterstics of ground motions.Characterstics of ground motions are basic tools for understanding the behaviousof earthquakes. Here, Wenchaun earthquake earthquake data is used to find out thecharacterstics of ground motion and propose attenuation realtions for peak values. Theattenuation realation are kept simple but it is tried to keep them accurate, as perearthquake data. Simpler methods are suggested and implemented to find outcharacterstics of ground motions.Furthermore, in this study the results for two different types of sites i.e. Soil andRock, are compared. The effect of elevation on PGA values for both types of sites isalso found out and comparision is made to draw out conclusions. Previous foundphenomenon is also confirmed by different approach in this study.In this study a2D radiaton pattern for the source point is also drawn to shed lighton how the seismic energy has radiated. PGA values from all stations were use toapproximate such a pattern. But a challenge for future researches is left to find out a3Dradiation pattern for the source point and fault rupture.For this study majorily Matlab is used. All the data was firstly seperated intocategories/components and then throughly tested to give out the results required. Apartfrom Matlab, Seismosoft s SeismoSpect is also used to calulate and confirm theauthenticity of the program made. The program made on Matlab can also be used toanalyse other earthquakes by researchers that will follow and can be very helpful.This study also provide a good literature insight on the parameters observed. Allthe literature review can be found with the characterstics observed and is written insimple yet appealing manner.