Analysis of Damaging Earthquake Ground Motion

This opportunity is for Caltech students only

Project Title:

Project Description:

This project involves analysis of damaging earthquake ground motions: a study and compilation of the relationship between damage in earthquakes and the earthquake source, the subsurface and surficial material properties of the earth, and the nature of urbanization in the region of the earthquake. The project will entail developing computer generated graphical representation of the ground motions in order to visualize and compare with 1) the earthquake faulting at depth, 2) the surface geology and topography, 3) the degree of urbanization. It will also entail acquisition of pertinent references for particular earthquakes and the compilation of importance earthquake parameters (duration, magnitude, amount and location of slip, etc.). In essence, the final product will be an extremely handy reference for seismological and earthquake engineering communities (to be both pulished and made available on the World Wide Web).

Background Information:

One important aspect of ongoing research at the Caltech Seismological Lab/U.S. Geological Survey on campus has been to understand the nature of damaging ground motions due to earthquakes. Recently, with the destructive Northridge, California and Kobe, Japan earthquakes, awareness of the complex interaction of the seismic radiation due to the earthquake source and the shallow earth structure has taken on greater importance. This project will complement the ongoing work in this field at the Seismo Lab/U.S.G.S. by providing an easily accessible guide to past earthquakes: their ground motions and what is available in the scientific literature about them.

Literature references or articles that may provide more information on the project:

Wald, D.J. and T.H. Heaton (1994) Spatial and temporal distribution of slip for the 1992 Landers, California earthquake, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 84, 668-691
Heaton, T.H., J.H. Hall, D.J. Wald andM.W. Halling (1994) The response of High-Rise and Base-Isolated Buildings to hypothetical Mw 7.0 blind thrust earthquake, Science, 267, 206-212

Requirements (skills, specific coursework, academic major, year in school, etc.):

Computer skills: a working knowledge of UNIX and graphical tools essential, familiarity with World Wide Web generating tools would be helpful but not necessary. A general interest in the subject matter is more important than geology/geophysics course work.

Research Sponsor Name: David Wald
E-Mail: wald@seismo.gps.caltech.edu
Division: GPS
Telephone: 583-7238
Address: 252-21

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