Seismic hazard evaluation by employing microtremor measurements for Abu Simbel area, Aswan, Egypt

Abstract

Abu Simbel area lies in lower Nubia region, south of Egypt, near the Sudanese border, about 280 km southwest of Aswan; it contains one of the most important temples in Egypt. They are called the Great Abu Simbel temple and the Small Abu Simbel temple. Microtremor measurement is an accurate and appropriate method for estimating fundamental dynamic features and vulnerability index for enormous constructions to manage earthquake disasters. The paper aims to use the fundamental frequency technique to identify the resonant frequency and estimate the impact of the soft soil sediments on the area around the temple and its effects on the Abu Simbel temples building's. Thirty-two places have been selected to evaluate the ambient noise around the selected area of study. Moreover, five points inside Abu Simbel temple in each direction have been chosen to study the seismic behaviour and vulnerability inside the temple. The results of the zonation map reveal that, the values of the fundamental frequency (F0) for the region around the temples vary from 0.56 to 0.96 Hz, and the values of H/V peak amplitude (A0) range from 2 to 21, and this result for H/V amplitude is attuned with the fundamental frequency (F0) results. Depending on the natural frequency (F0) and H/V amplitude (A0), the seismic vulnerability index (Kg) was calculated, ranging between 6 and 350 through the region around the temple. The results of Kg were observed to be appropriate with amplification factor effects. On the other hand, the Abu Simbel temple's natural frequency (F0) in both directions and on each floor ranges from 0.7 to 1 Hz. Also, frequencies inside the Abu Simbel temple are compatible with the frequencies around the temple; therefore, the occurrence of the resonance phenomenon is probable.