Probabilistic Seismogenic Ground Motion Hazard Assessment of Karak City in Jordan

Abstract

Updated seismic hazard maps have been prepared based on a probabilistic approach for Jordan in general and for Karak City specifically using the line source model. A new earthquake catalogue covering the period from 1 a.d. to 1992 a.d. is used, which includes all events that occurred in Jordan and adjacent areas, covering an area between latitudes 27.0°–35.5° and longitude 32.0°–39.0°E. Ten seismic sources were identified in the assessment of the seismic hazard maps. These are the Aqaba Gulf fault, Wadi Araba fault, Dead Sea fault, Northern fault, Southeast Mediterranean fault, Farah and Carmel fault, Wadi Sirhan fault, Karak-Fayha fault, Suez Gulf fault, and Cyprus zone fault. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) is selected as a measure of the ground motion severity. A suitable attenuation equation (Esteva, 1974) reported in the literature is selected for PGA computations. The computations are carried out using the FRISK computer program. The seismic maps corresponding to a 90 percent probability of not being exceeded are presented for a lifetime of structures for 50,100 and 200 years.