Period 2.

Attenuation Functions

Question: If an earthquake with Magnitude Mw

occurs at a know distance from our site,
how much shaking will we see in bedrock?

Distance

Epicenter
Soil Column
How much
shaking here?
Focus

Fault
Bedrock

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 Attenuation Functions
Attenuation Function: Equation that allows a ground shaking
parameter (peak acceleration, peak velocity, spectral acceleration
or spectral velocity) to be estimated based on earthquake
magnitude, epicentral distance and some other general
characteristics about the seismic source or site in question

• Also known as predictive equations or predictive relationships

• derived using strong ground motion data
• based on a number of basic assumptions
• typically site specific

Effect of Regional Geology on Attenuation

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 Assumptions Used to Develop
Attenuation Functions
1. For a given magnitude and source-site distance, there is a
most likely particle motion parameter (e.g. particle acceleration)
associated with that combination. There is also a significant
amount of statistical variability which exhibits a lognormal
distribution
occurrences
Number of

ln(ü)
Most likely ü

Assumptions Used to Develop

Attenuation Functions
2. Earthquake magnitude is proportional to the log of ground
acceleration

RICHTER (LOCAL) MAGNITUDE: ML = log (A)

BODY WAVE MAGNITUDE: MB = log (A) – log(T) + 0.01 + 5.9

SURFACE WAVE MAGNITUDE: MS = log(A) +1.66log +2.0

Log(AD)
MOMENT MAGNITUDE: Mw = - 10.7
1.5

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 Assumptions Used to Develop
Attenuation Functions
3. Seismic wave amplitude A decreases with increasing source-
site distance R due to geometric spreading:

Wave
Wave

Cylindrical Wave Front

Sphericical
Wave Front

Body Waves: A  1/R

(spherical spreading)

Assumptions Used to Develop

Attenuation Functions

4. For larger-magnitude events, fault rupture zone increases,

which affects the average source-site distance

5. Seismic wave with amplitude A decreases with increasing

source-site distance R due to material damping

Amplitude  1/eDkR, where

D is material damping and
k is wavenumber (2/)

6. Fault type and site conditions affect ground motion

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Generic Form of an Attenuation Function

These six assumptions are reflected in the generic form of an

attenuation relationship:

ln(Y) = C1+C2M+C3MC4+C5ln[R+C6exp(C7M)]+C8R+f(source)+f(site)

1 2 3 4 5 6

In this equation:
Y: ground motion parameter
C1 through C8: empirical constants
M: earthquake magnitude
R: source-site distance
C 9: standard deviation (not in equation)

Example of an Attenuation Function

Source: Campbell, 19971,2
Applicability: worldwide when Mw > 5.0 and R < 60 km

To calculate peak horizontal ground acceleration (AH),

ln(AH) = -3.512 + 0.904M – 1.328ln(R2 + [0.149exp(0.647M)]2)0.5

+ [1.125 – 0.112ln(R) -0.0957M]F + [0.440 – 0.171ln(R)]SSR
+ [0.405 – 0.222ln(R)]SHR + fa(D)
In this equation:
AH = peak horizontal acceleration in g
M = moment magnitude
R = source-site distance in km

F = fault style: F = 0.0 for lateral and normal

F = 1.0 for reverse
F = 0.5 for unknown
1Campbell, K. W., 1997, “Empirical Near-Source Attenuation Relationships for Horizontal and Vertical
Components of Peak Ground Acceleration, Peak Ground Velocity, and Pseudo-Absolute Acceleration
Response Spectra,” Seismological Research Letters, Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 154-179.
2Campbell, K. W., 2000, Erratum to “Empirical Near-Source Attenuation Relationships for Horizontal and
Vertical Components of Peak Ground Acceleration, Peak Ground Velocity, and Pseudo-Absolute Acceleration
Response Spectra,” Seismological Research Letters, Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 352-354.

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Example of an Attenuation Function (cont.)

In this equation:

SSR and SHR = site condition factors: Alluvium or firm soil, SSR = SHR = 0
Soft rock, SSR = 1 and SHR = 0
Hard rock, SSR = SHR = 1

fa(D) = depth factor:

if depth to bedrock (D) < 1.0 km, fa(D) = 0

if D > 1.0 km, fa(D) = {[0.405 - 0.222ln(R)] - [0.440 - 0.171ln(R)]SSR}(1-D)(1-SHR)

Standard deviation of ln(AH):

if AH < 0.068 g,  = 0.55

if 0.068 < AH < 0.21 g,  = 0.173 – 0.140ln(AH)
if AH > 0.21 g,  = 0.39