EARTHQUAKE AND WIND ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT 1
Lecturer
DR Mohammadreza Vafaei

Name
NURHAFIZAH BINTI AHMAD

A13KA0143

1) What is the main difference between Mercalli and Ritcher

scales?
Mercalli Scales describes the intensity of an earthquake based on
its observed effects by measures the effects caused by earthquake.
Else, the Ritcher scale describes the earthquake s magnitude by
measuring the seismic waves that cause the earthquake. In short,
the Mercalli scale measures the effects caused by earthquake, and
the Ritcher scales measures the energy released by the
earthquakes.
2) What we can measure by a seismograph?
The standard body-wave magnitude formula is
mb = log10(A/T) + Q(D,h) ,
where A is the amplitude of ground motion (in microns);
T is the corresponding period (in seconds); and
Q(D,h) is a correction factor that is a function of
distance,
D (degrees), between epicenter and station and focal
depth,
h (in kilometers), of the earthquake
The standard surface-wave formula is
MS = log10 (A/T) + 1.66 log10 (D) + 3.30
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/measure.php
3) How can we locate the epicentre of an earthquake?
4)
1. Check the scale on your map. It should look something
like a piece of a ruler. All maps are different. On your
map, one centimeter could be equal to 100 kilometers or
something like that.
2. Figure out how long the distance to the epicenter (in

centimeters) is on your map. For example, say your map

has a scale where one centimeter is equal to 100
kilometers. If the epicenter of the earthquake is 215
kilometers away, that equals 2.15 centimeters on the
map.
3. Using your compass, draw a circle with a radius equal to
the number you came up with in Step #2 (the radius is the
distance from the center of a circle to its edge). The
center of the circle will be the location of your
seismograph. The epicenter of the earthquake is
somewhere on the edge of that circle.

4. Do the same thing for the distance to the epicenter that the
other seismograms recorded (with the location of those
seismographs at the center of their circles). All of the circles
should overlap. The point where all of the circles overlap is
the approximate epicenter of the earthquake.
5) How much earthquake waves can be amplified due to the soil
types?
As seismic waves travel though the ground, they travel faster
through hard rock than soft soil. As a result, when the waves move
from hard rock to soft soil, the amplitude (largeness) of the waves
needs to increase to be able to carry the same amount of energy,
creating stronger shaking. This same principle accounts for the site
effects of sediment thickness. The deeper the sediment above
bedrock, the more soft soil there is for seismic waves to travel
through, therefore creating stronger amplifications.

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction

Program (NEHRP) has defined six different soil and rock types
based on their shear-wave velocity, in order to determine
amplification effects:
Type A, hard rock (igneous rock).
Type B, rock (volcanic rock).
Type C, very dense soil and soft rock (sandstone).
Type D, stiff soil (mud).
Type E, soft soil (artificial fill).
Type F, soils requiring site-specific evaluations.
Type A having the least amplification and Type E have the most
amplifications.
Although soil type is a significant indicator of how specific
locations will be affected by an earthquake, other factors can also
contribute to hotspots, which are unique to each earthquake. The
orientation of the fault, irregularities in the rupturing fault surface,
and dispersion of waves as they hit subsurface structures can all
have an influence in creating hotspots.