Validated Estimation of Response Spectra for the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake in the Eastern Area of Naples

Abstract

The seismic ground motion of a test area in the eastern district of Naples is computed with a hybrid technique based on the mode summation and the finite difference methods. Synthetic seismograms are validated with the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, a good example of strong shaking for Naples, recorded 10km from the modeled sites. Realistic SH and P-SV wave seismograms are computed along geological cross sections representative of the area. As expected, the sedimentary cover causes an increase of the signal's amplitudes along the radial and transverse components. The spectral amplification of the vertical motion is generally negligible; instead, that of the horizontal motion ranges between 2 and 5 in the 0.7-2.2 Hz frequency range. Average and maximum spectral amplifications are considered along the different geological cross sections and acceleration response spectra for the Irpinia earthquake are evaluated in order to formulate appropriate design spectra and improvements to the building code.