66 Advances in seismology with impact on earthquake engineering

Abstract

This chapter emphasizes on recent advances in seismology (including geodesy, which may be called the “zero-frequency seismology”) that have had or will have direct impact on earthquake engineering. Topics include geodynamics, seismo tectonics, seismicity, seismic source studies, propagation and attenuation of seismic waves, site effects, and estimation of ground motions during future earthquakes. To perform hazard analyses, earthquake engineers need to know where earthquakes occur. Most of the answers have been provided by plate tectonics studies, which show that earthquakes take place mostly at plate boundaries (interplate earthquakes). Evaluation of seismic risk became more accurate after recognizing that places close to plate boundaries presented larger hazard from earthquakes than other areas farther from plate boundaries. Estimation of strong ground motion on firm ground—that is, without inclusion of site effects—is still mainly carded out with the use of attenuation relations. Solutions to earthquake engineering problems, either design of structures, or simulation of accelerograms, or estimation of seismic hazard, are today very different than they were before the interaction between engineers and seismologists.