Abstract
Several urban areas in the Mediterranean have already been subjected to seismic microzonation studies aimed at determining the acceleration expected on the ground surface, therefore mitigating the associated seismic risks. These studies have been generally related to free-field conditions. The present paper shows innovative seismic microzonation maps based on a large-scale estimate of soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects on design accelerations for some areas characterized by a high seismic risk in Catania, Italy. The proposed procedure combined: (1) geotechnical characteristics; (2) building features; and (3) 1-D seismic response analyses in free-field conditions. The seismic hazard and site effects were evaluated using artificial inputs and inputs recorded recently in Catania. Structural fundamental periods and related spectral accelerations, considering both the fixed-base building configuration and flexible-base configuration, were mapped in the Google My Maps environment. These results showed that SSI often had a beneficial effect, but sometimes it had detrimental effects, especially for some masonry buildings. These maps provided important information for planning the seismic retrofitting of investigated buildings, which were based on more detailed analyses of SSI and the developed maps requiring them.
Highlights
When structures and infrastructures designed to resist violent seismic actions are affected by a significant seismic event, they lose their “performance/efficiency” or collapse due to problems depending on the subsoil and dynamic soil-structure interaction [1,2,3,4,5,6]
The present paper shows a methodology for a large-scale estimate of soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects in some interesting areas of Catania, Italy characterized by high seismic risk
The proposed procedure has a great advantage of being a quick analysis based on simple calculations to evaluate dynamic soil and structural characteristics, as well as the soil seismic response in free-field conditions
Summary
When structures and infrastructures designed to resist violent seismic actions are affected by a significant seismic event, they lose their “performance/efficiency” or collapse due to problems depending on the subsoil and dynamic soil-structure interaction [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The spectral ordinates corresponding to the fixed-base structure, Sa (Tfixed ), are higher than the flexible-base case, Sa (TSSI ) (Figure 1a). Geosciences 2020, 10, 480; doi:10.3390/geosciences10120480 www.mdpi.com/journal/geosciences features (height and foundation geometry) and construction type of the buildings (masonry or concrete); and (3) 1D seismic response analyses in free-field conditions. Based on this information, innovative seismic microzonation maps have been developed, structural fundamental periods and related spectral accelerations considering both the fixed-base structure configuration SSI reflected reflectedin inSSaa(T (a) beneficial effect of ratiobelow belowunity; unity;(b). A procedure a large-scale estimate of SSI effects on the
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