Strong Motion Research Articles

Assessment of Damages in Precast Industrial Buildings in the Aftermath of Pazarcık and Elbistan Earthquakes

ABSTRACT Two major earthquakes with moment magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 struck the districts of Pazarcık and Elbistan, causing thousands of deaths and severe damage. A lot of buildings located in 11 different cities were damaged or collapsed. In addition to urban areas, industrial regions were also affected and damaged by these earthquakes. In this study, the results of assessment studies performed in the industrial zones located in Malatya, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaras, Osmaniye, and Hatay cities are presented. The maximum seismic demands instrumented by the strong ground motion stations were first investigated. Then, the acceleration records obtained from the stations near the visited industrial zones were studied, and the spectral demands were compared to the code spectra. Obtained results have revealed that spectral acceleration and displacement demands are higher than that of design earthquake in many stations. Even in some stations, it was determined that the spectral demands, especially in the constant velocity region where the periods of precast industrial buildings are located, also exceeded the demand of the maximum earthquake of the code. After demand assessment studies, the structural properties of existing precast buildings are presented, and the reasons behind the damages are discussed. Site inspections have shown that connection failures are the most common type of damage observed. The overturning of roof girders and shear damage at corbels and beam ends are the typical forms of joint failures. Column flexural failures and other factors that cause the structural damage are discussed and explained. Non-structural damage was also determined in many buildings. Damage to suspended ceilings, facade cladding, products and equipment, and partition walls are the typical examples of non-structural damage observed. Reconnaissance studies have shown that the damaged building ratio in Kahramanmaras Turkoglu and Adıyaman Petrol industrial zones is significantly higher than in other regions visited. Damage distributions in Kahramanmaras Turkoglu and Adıyaman Petrol industrial zones, where comprehensive information was gathered, are presented and evaluated.

Analysis of impulsive ground motions from February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence

AbstractOn the 6th of February 2023, a large magnitude earthquake (Pazarcık earthquake), $$M_{w}=$$ M w = 7.7, occurred in southeast Türkiye, which caused significant destruction in Türkiye and Syria. Relatively large magnitude aftershocks followed the main shock, and after 9 hours of the main event, another large magnitude earthquake (Elbistan earthquake) occurred, $$M_{w}=$$ M w = 7.6, on a nearby fault. This study analyzes the near-fault seismic signals from earthquakes larger than 5.5 recorded between the main shock and the 31st of March 2023. More than 60 impulsive motions are detected in 3 earthquakes, mostly concentrated in the Pazarcık and Elbistan earthquakes. In the Pazarcık earthquake, many impulsive motions are recorded in near-fault stations with periods of up to 14 s. In contrast, in the Elbistan earthquake, impulsive motions are spatially distributed, with pulse periods of up to 11 s and at distances greater than 150 km. Pulse periods mostly correlate with the magnitude of the earthquake, but pulse probability models do not predict impulsive motions over long distances. The presence of strong impulsive motions in vertical components is also observed. For both earthquakes, peak ground velocities (PGVs) are larger than predicted by ground motion prediction equations. The observation of long-period, large amplitude signals may indicate the presence of a directivity effect for both earthquakes. In some stations, spectral periods exceed the 2018 Turkish building design codes for long periods ($$\ge$$ ≥ 1 s).

The Motion-Silencing Illusion Depends on Object-Centered Representation.

Motion silencing is a striking and unexplained visual illusion wherein changes that are otherwise salient become difficult to perceive when the changing elements also move. We develop a new method for quantifying illusion strength (Experiments 1a and 1b), and we demonstrate a privileged role for rotational motion on illusion strength compared with highly controlled stimuli that lack rotation (Experiments 2a to 3b). These contrasts make it difficult to explain the illusion in terms of lower-level detection limits. Instead, we explain the illusion as a failure to attribute changes to locations. Rotation exacerbates the illusion because its perception relies upon structured object representations. This aggravates the difficulty of attributing changes by demanding that locations are referenced relative to both an object-internal frame and an external frame. Two final experiments (4a and 4b) add support to this account by employing a synchronously rotating external frame of reference that diminishes otherwise strong motion silencing. All participants were Johns Hopkins University undergraduates.

HdC and EHe stars through the prism of Gaia DR3

Context. The Gaia DR3 release includes heliocentric radial velocity measurements and velocity variability indices for tens of millions of stars observed over 34 months. Aims. In this study, we utilise these indices to investigate the intrinsic radial velocity variations of Hydrogen-deficient Carbon (HdC) stars and Extreme Helium (EHe) stars across their large ranges of temperature and brightness. Methods. Taking advantage of the newly defined HdC temperature classes, we examine the evolution of the total velocity amplitude with effective temperature. Additionally, we analyse the variation in the dust production rate of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars with temperature using two different proxies for the photometric state of RCB stars: one from Gaia and another from the 2MASS survey. Results. Our observations revealed a trend in the evolution of the maximum radial velocity amplitude across each HdC temperature class. Similarly, we also observed a correlation between stellar temperature and the dust production rate. Conclusions. Interestingly, we possibly observed for the first time some variations of the intrinsic radial velocity amplitude and the dust production rate with HdC temperature class. If confirmed, these variations would indicate that the helium shell-burning giant stage starts with strong atmospheric motions that decrease in strength, up to ~6000 K, before picking up again as the HdC star atmosphere shrinks further in size and reaches warmer temperatures. Moreover, the dust formation rate appears to be much higher in colder RCB stars compared to warmer ones.

An experimental study of the flow structure in arrays of cold bidirectional swirling jets

Jets arrays have become a promising technology for industrial applications, including heat transfer and combustion processes. This paper presents the first experimental results of arrays of bidirectional swirling jets, including their flow structures and specific turbulent interactions. Particle image velocimetry of non-reacting linear arrays showed the formation of recirculation zones within each jet of the array. These regions are the most stable, with fluctuations less than 0.002 of the bulk inlet velocity Vin. In addition, jets merging locations also show a significant decrease in velocity fluctuations, with values V′/Vin < 0.005, which is most clearly seen at a smaller pitch distance. However, the highest turbulent fluctuations occur in shear layers, reaching values of V'/Vin ≈ 0.02 for linear arrays and V'/Vin ≈ 0.03 for planar configurations. The flow structure of planar arrays is more complex, leading to the formation of secondary vortex structures at locations of jet interaction. This results in a significant decrease in the flow swirl number, from an initial value of Sin = 2.1 in the vortex chamber, to S1 = 0.36–0.49 at z/dout2 = 1 and S2 = 0.19–0.27 at z/dout2 = 2 beyond the outlet nozzle. Strong cross-sectional motions are observed in planar arrangements, leading to the development of additional regions of negative axial velocity between the outlet nozzles. The boundaries of these regions have nearly zero axial velocity values and can provide reliable ignition and flame stabilization in the case of reactive bidirectional jets. Therefore, the flow structure in planar arrays forms a large stabilization zone, and the obtained results can be used to develop a new multipoint combustion technique.

Field Reconnaissance and Earthquake Vulnerability of the RC Buildings in Adıyaman during 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes

The 6th February 2023 Pazarcık and Elbistan earthquakes (Mw = 7.7 and Mw = 7.6) caused great destruction in many cities and were the disaster of the century for Türkiye. The greatest destruction was caused in the provinces of Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Adıyaman during these earthquakes, which were independent of each other and occurred on the same day. Information about earthquakes and strong ground motion records is given within the scope of this study. Reinforced concrete (RC) structures which constitute a large part of the urban building stock in the earthquake region were exposed to structural damage at different levels. The structural damage in the RC structures in the city center, Gölbaşı, and Kahta districts of the province of Adıyaman was evaluated within the scope of earthquake and civil engineering after field investigations. Insufficient RC, low-strength concrete reinforcement problems, RC frame failure, heavy overhang, short columns, soft story, and pounding effect are the main causes of the earthquake damage. The presence of these factors that reduce the earthquake resistance of RC structures increased the damage level. In addition, the fact that the earthquakes occurred nine hours apart and the continuation of aftershocks during that period negatively affected the damage levels. It has been observed that structures that receive the necessary engineering services during the construction and project phases ensure the safety of life and property, even if the structure is slightly damaged. In this study, we also tried to reveal whether the target displacements were satisfactorily represented by numerical analysis for a sample RC structure.

Tsunami hazard evaluation of river embankment structures incorporating their vulnerability to seismic strong motion

Development of coastal areas in Japan for various land uses since the 1960s has contributed to industrial upgrades and improved the efficiency of transportation networks. However, there are concerns about the vulnerability of developments on alluvial plains and reclaimed lands to geological events, like ground subsidence due to liquefaction during large earthquakes. Realistic assessment of earthquake and tsunami hazards and evaluation of possible countermeasures require accurate estimation of the amount of subsidence that can be expected from liquefaction at coastal and riverside sites supporting various structures. In this study, to evaluate the amount a river embankment structure might be expected to settle as a result of strong motion from an assumed Nankai Trough great earthquake, we conducted a numerical simulation using the soil–water coupled finite deformation analysis code GEOASIA. We then investigated the effect of the estimated embankment subsidence on tsunami inundation, which was simulated by using nonlinear shallow-water equations and a grid spacing as fine as 3.3 m. The influence of urban structures on the inundated area was taken into account by using a structure-embedded elevation model (SEM). The results showed that subsidence of river embankments and the collapse of parapet walls on top of them would increase both the depth and area of inundation caused by a tsunami triggered by a Nankai Trough scenario earthquake. Our findings underscore the importance of evaluating not only earthquake resistance but also vulnerability of coastal and riverside structures to strong motion in tsunami hazard analyses. Furthermore, the importance of tsunami inundation analysis using a SEM for predicting the behavior of tsunami flotsam in urban areas was demonstrated.

Seismic performance of shared suction caisson anchors installed in liquefiable sand for floating offshore wind turbines

Shared anchors will reduce the levelized cost of energy for floating offshore wind (FOW) arrays currently under active development in various seismically active regions. This study investigates the seismic performance of a shared suction caisson anchor installed in liquefiable sand for a FOW array using a nonlinear dynamic 3D finite element analysis. The advanced UBC3D-PLM constitutive model was calibrated against cyclic element tests then validated with centrifuge experimental data. Strong ground motions with orthogonal horizontal and vertical components were applied to the model with varying frequency content, peak ground acceleration (PGA), and orientation. The model captured the stress–strain response of the soil and evolution of excess pore pressure to the onset of liquefaction, which occurred after application of a PGA of 0.2 g and above. Despite significant liquefaction caused by a PGA of 0.8 g, displacement of the anchor remained within around 10% of anchor diameter. The results suggest some resilience to pull-out during seismic loading in liquefiable soils, even with vertical tensile loading on the anchor developed by the inverse catenary. Further investigation could be carried out under specific site conditions and serviceability criteria to optimize the size of the caisson and reduce costs while ensuring anchor performance during seismic loading.

Sequence Dependence in Nucleosome Dynamics.

The basic packaging unit of eukaryotic chromatin is the nucleosome that contains 145-147 base pair duplex DNA wrapped around an octameric histone protein. While the DNA sequence plays a crucial role in controlling the positioning of the nucleosome, the molecular details behind the interplay between DNA sequence and nucleosome dynamics remain relatively unexplored. This study analyzes this interplay in detail by performing all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of nucleosomes, comparing the human α-satellite palindromic (ASP) and the strong positioning "Widom-601" DNA sequence at time scales of 12 μs. The simulations are performed at salt concentrations 10-20 times higher than physiological salt concentrations to screen the electrostatic interactions and promote unwrapping. These microsecond-long simulations give insight into the molecular-level sequence-dependent events that dictate the pathway of DNA unwrapping. We find that the "ASP" sequence forms a loop around SHL ± 5 for three sets of simulations. Coincident with loop formation is a cooperative increase in contacts with the neighboring N-terminal H2B tail and C-terminal H2A tail and the release of neighboring counterions. We find that the Widom-601 sequence exhibits a strong breathing motion of the nucleic acid ends. Coincident with the breathing motion is the collapse of the full N-terminal H3 tail and formation of an α-helix that interacts with the H3 histone core. We postulate that the dynamics of these histone tails and their modification with post-translational modifications (PTMs) may play a key role in governing this dynamics.

Developing a Regression Model for Predicting the Seismic Input Energy of RC Buildings Using 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Energy-based seismic analysis and structural design require understanding the seismic input energy response of reinforced concrete buildings subjected to strong ground motions. Thus, calculating and predicting input energies becomes of great importance. The object of this study is to introduce a regression model for predicting the seismic input energies of reinforced concrete buildings using the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. For this purpose, three regular 3, 6 and 9-storey residential reinforced concrete buildings are designed. Input energy response histories of buildings subjected to a set of horizontal acceleration histories of 67 stations of the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake were obtained. Subsequently, the ground motion parameters were used to estimate the input energies. It was revealed that acceleration-based parameters generally had better consequences than velocity-based parameters in low periods, while the opposite was the case in high periods. This study proposed new equations in which multiple ground motion parameters are combined to better reflect input energy from a single parameter. As the height and period of the buildings increase, the multiple linear regression coefficient decreases and the estimation of input energy becomes difficult with the ground motion parameters.

Prediction for underground seismic intensity measures using conditional generative adversarial networks

With the escalating development and utilization of subterranean spaces, the seismic hazards faced by underground structures are progressively increasing. However, owing to the challenges associated with acquiring underground seismic data and historical seismic design norms, pertinent regulations and research in this domain are scarce. This study focused on three crucial intensity measures in the seismic design process of underground structures peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and peak ground displacement (PGD). The research leverages seismic data obtained from the California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP) to train and evaluate a conditional generative adversarial network (CGAN) model. This model was employed to establish a multivariate joint conditional probability distribution among the intensity measures at varying depths, facilitating the stochastic prediction of shallow intensity measures. In contrast to empirical formulas, the CGAN model eliminates the need for a predefined equation structure and enables the simultaneous prediction of multiple intensity measures. The performance of the model was evaluated by comparing the predictive accuracy of the CGAN model and empirical fitting formulas across diverse site conditions and depth intervals using metrics such as relative error coefficients. It can be concluded that the proposed CGAN model can accurately predict shallow seismic intensity measures, and the predictions conform to a specific conditional distribution while retaining the stochastic nature of seismic motion. Compared with empirical formula models, the CGAN model exhibited an enhanced predictive capability.

Effects of Source Directivity and Nonlinear Soil Behavior During the January, 1 2024 Noto Earthquake (Mw = 7.5)

The earthquake of January 1, 2024 with the epicenter at Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and the moment magnitude Mw = 7.5 obviously represents an intermediate case between weaker earthquakes with relatively small sources, like the 1995 Kobe and 2000 Tottori earthquakes (Mw ~ 6.7-6.8), showing nonlinear soil response and soil softening (reduction of shear moduli) and stronger earthquakes, like the 2003 Tokachi-Oki and Tohoku earthquakes (Mw ~ 8.3-9.0) with extended sources and source directivity effects, accompanied by soil hardening and generation of high peak ground accelerations (PGA) > 1 g. In this research, based on KiK-net vertical array records (11 sites), models of soil behavior in the near-fault zones of the 2024 Noto earthquake are constructed, i.e. vertical distributions of stresses and strains in soil layers changing with time during strong motion, which showed nonlinear soil response and reduction of shear moduli in the near-fault zones. At the same time, the waveforms of acceleration time histories indicate the effects of source directivity, when seismic waves, radiated by the crack tip propagated along a~rather long section of the fault plane, arrived to remote sites almost simultaneously, overlap, harden subsurface soils and generate high accelerations on the surface, PGA ~ 2828 Gal at remote ISK006 station.

Slip distribution of the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake (MJMA 7.6) estimated from tsunami waveforms and GNSS data

AbstractThe 1 January 2024 Noto-Hanto (Noto Peninsula) earthquake (MJMA 7.6) generated strong ground motion, large crustal deformation and tsunamis that caused significant damage in the region. Around Noto Peninsula, both offshore submarine and partially inland active faults have been identified by previous projects: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and Japan Sea Earthquake and Tsunami Research Project (JSPJ). We inverted the tsunami waveforms recorded on 6 wave gauges and 12 tide gauges around Sea of Japan and the GNSS data recorded at 53 stations in Noto Peninsula to estimate the slip amount and seismic moment on each of active faults. The results show that the 2024 coseismic slips were 3.5 m, 3.2 m, and 3.2 m on subfaults NT4, NT5 and NT6 of the JSPJ model, located on the northern coast of Noto Peninsula and dipping toward southeast. A smaller slip, 1.0 m, estimated on NT8 on the southwestern end of the 2024 rupture, may be attributed to its previous rupture during the 2007 Noto earthquake. The total length of these four faults is ~ 100 km, and the seismic moment is 1.90 × 1020 Nm (Mw = 7.5). Almost no slip was estimated on the northeastern subfaults NT2 and NT3, which dip northwestward, opposite to NT4–NT5–NT6, and western subfault NT8. Aftershocks including the MJMA 6.1 event occurred in the NT2–NT3 region, but they are smaller than the potential magnitude (Mw 7.1) those faults can release in a tsunamigenic earthquake. Similar features are also found for the MLIT model; the 2024 slip was only on F43 along the northern coast of Noto Peninsula, and northeastern F42 did not rupture, leaving potential for future event. Graphical Abstract

Seismic site classification based on H/V spectral ratio from strong ground motion records: the urban areas of Bursa province

Seismic site classification based on H/V spectral ratio from strong ground motion records: the urban areas of Bursa province

Nonlinear seismic response of seabed with terrain variation and seawater-seabed coupling

Understanding the seismic characteristics of submarine sites and conducting seismic response analysis for such locations are crucial for the safety of marine engineering. However, due to a shortage of strong motion records, the ground motion of offshore earthquakes has not yet been fully characterized. The actual seabed conditions are highly intricate, necessitating consideration of factors such as the dynamic coupling effect between seawater and seabed, the strong nonlinearity of seafloor soft sediments, and the diverse nature of natural submarine terrain. In this study, the modified Davidenkov dynamic constitutive model is used to simulate the nonlinear behavior of the soil. The Coupled Acoustic-Structure method is utilized to simulate the interaction between seawater and seabed. Three typical and simplified terrains, namely flat terrain, valley terrain, and hilly terrain, are individually modeled. The measured seafloor ground motions with different frequency components are used as bidirectional seismic excitations input from the bedrock. The amplification factor in terms of CAV is introduced to evaluate the amplification of seismic ground motion characteristics at seabed surface with respect to those at the bedrock surface. The acceleration response spectra in both horizontal and vertical directions, as well as the corresponding vertical-to-horizontal response spectral ratios, at the representative points are obtained, respectively. Several key findings are consistent with the features of the observed offshore and onshore earthquake ground motions. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the different influence rules of terrain condition, overlying water depth, and seismic intensity on the nonlinear seismic response characteristics.

Complex Rupture Features and Triggering during the 2022 Chishang Earthquake Sequence in Eastern Taiwan Estimated by InSAR, GPS, Strong Motion, and Teleseismic Waveform Evidence

Abstract The most recent 2022 Chishang earthquake sequence broke a long-time seismic quiescence on the Central Range fault (CRF), attracting lots of attention to the seismic behaviors and fault interactions of the Longitudinal Valley zone (LVZ), eastern Taiwan orogeny. However, detailed rupture features of both the foreshock and mainshock are still scarce. Here, available static displacements (i.e., Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar [InSAR], Global Positioning System [GPS], and strong motion [SM]) and kinematic waveform evidence (i.e., high-frequency GPS, strong motion, and teleseismic data) are used to delineate the rupture behaviors of both the foreshock and mainshock in this sequence. Our results indicate that the static displacements derived from strong-motion sites rival the high precision of GPS observations, replenishing the near-field constraints on the hanging wall together with InSAR and GPS. The optimal uniform slip models exhibit that both the foreshock and mainshock generally ruptured the west-dipping CRF along the south-southwest-striking direction with a steep dip angle >65°. The slip distribution models revealed that the rupture of foreshock and mainshock nearly ruptured a total length of CRF within 65 km from the Guanshan to Ruisui at a depth of above 14 km, and their slips are concentrated within one asperity and two asperities, respectively. The spatial evolution of this sequence’s ruptures exhibits a discontinued and separated pattern, and is well consistent with the local seismicity. Considering that the mainshock was initialed in a weak slip and negative static Coulomb stress region caused by the foreshock, the 2022 sequence occurrence is in favor of a preslip triggering mechanism. The rupture region of the 2022 sequence filled the “seismic gap” along the western flank of the LVZ and will promote the potential seismic hazard in this region.

Effects of innovative reinforced concrete slit shaft configuration on seismic performance of elevated water tanks.

Elevated water tanks are considered crucial infrastructure due to their significant role in supporting essential services. A strong ground motion may result in a failure or significant damage to a reinforced concrete shaft of an elevated water tank because hysteric energy dissipation is limited to the formation of plastic hinges at the base of the shaft, while the nonlinear properties of the rest of the shaft remain underutilised. The innovative system of assembling RC shafts for elevated water tanks using a slit wall technique was developed to enhance energy dissipation along with the shaft height by introducing slit zones. The comparative nonlinear dynamic analysis between three-dimensional models of elevated water tanks with different shaft diameters and heights was conducted using SAP2000 software. The results of elevated water tanks with slit and solid reinforced concrete shafts were compared. The research findings showed that during a seismic event, the slit zones increased the ductility of the shaft, reduced stress concentration in the lower part of the shaft, and provided uniform stress distribution throughout the shaft's height. The effect of the innovative system is especially noticeable in the elevated water tanks with tall and slender shafts.

GNN-LSTM-based fusion model for structural dynamic responses prediction

With the rapid growth of deep learning technology, the potential for its use in structural engineering has substantially increased in recent years. This study proposes an innovative deep-learning fusion network architecture based on the graph neural network (GNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) network. The proposed fusion model can accurately predict nonlinear floor acceleration, velocity, and displacement responses of typical steel moment-resisting frames (SMRF) with 4 through 7 stories subjected to strong ground motions. The fusion model framework overcomes a major drawback in existing deep learning models as it can predict the dynamic responses of various structures. This has widened the range of potential applications of structural surrogate models generated through deep learning technology on the design and analysis of building structures with different geometries. Additionally, this paper presents two LSTM-optimized learning strategies, namely packing padded sequences and sequences compression strategies. These strategies improve the model’s performance significantly without modifying its architecture. Finally, this study reveals that the model’s internal graph embedding is highly correlated with certain critical structural parameters, such as the first natural period and the height of a building. This shows that the proposed fusion model is interpretable and has the ability to extract vital information that influences structural dynamic responses.

Pseudo-Velocity Response Spectrum to Velocity Response Spectrum Conversion Model

ABSTRACT Velocity response spectrum (SV) plays a critical role in the seismic design of structures equipped with velocity-dependent dampers. Often, the SV is approximated using the pseudo-velocity response spectrum (PSV), because of the lack of information on the SV in seismic codes. As indicated in the existing literature, the error of this approximation is significant for short and long periods, and therefore, researchers have started to develop PSV to SV conversion models for obtaining SV more accurately. Recent studies discovered that the relationship between the PSV and SV is affected not only by structural parameters, but also by magnitude, distance, and site class. However, models for converting PSV to SV including magnitude, distance, and site class as input parameters have not been developed. To this end, a PSV to SV conversion model including magnitude, distance, and site class is proposed in this study based on a large number of real ground motion records (16,660 horizontal acceleration time histories) selected from the Japan Strong Motion Network. Furthermore, since the magnitude and distance are not specified in the seismic design, a response-spectrum-shape factor, s, is discussed to reflect the influences of magnitude and distance. Accordingly, an SV/PSV model incorporating s is established. The proposed models show better accuracy than the existing models for cases with different magnitudes, distances, and site classes.

Updated Predictive Models for Permanent Seismic Displacement of Slopes for Greece and Their Effect on Probabilistic Landslide Hazard Assessment

Earthquake-triggered landslides have been widely recognized as a catastrophic hazard in mountainous regions. They may lead to direct consequences, such as property losses and casualties, as well as indirect consequences, such as disruption of the operation of lifeline infrastructures and delays in emergency response actions after earthquakes. Regional landslide hazard assessment is a useful tool to identify areas that are vulnerable to earthquake-induced slope instabilities and design prioritization schemes towards more detailed site-specific slope stability analyses. A widely used method to assess the seismic performance of slopes is by calculating the permanent downslope sliding displacement that is expected during ground shaking. Nathan M. Newmark was the first to propose a method to estimate the permanent displacement of a rigid body sliding on an inclined plane in 1965. The expected permanent displacement for a slope using the sliding block method is implemented by either selecting a suite of representative earthquake ground motions and computing the mean and standard deviation of the displacement or by using analytical equations that correlate the permanent displacement with ground motion intensity measures, the slope’s yield acceleration and seismological characteristics. Increased interest has been observed in the development of such empirical models using strong motion databases over the last decades. It has been almost a decade since the development of the latest empirical model for the prediction of permanent ground displacement for Greece. Since then, a significant amount of strong motion data have been collected. In the present study, several nonlinear regression-based empirical models are developed for the prediction of the permanent seismic displacements of slopes, including various ground motion intensity measures. Moreover, single-hidden layer Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models are developed to demonstrate their capability of simplifying the construction of empirical models. Finally, implementation of the produced modes based on Probabilistic Landslide Hazard Assessment is undertaken, and their effect on the resulting hazard curves is demonstrated and discussed.