PETRINJA M6.2 EARTHQUAKE IN 2020 DAMAGED ALSO SOLID LINEAR INFRASTRUCTURE: ARE THERE SIMILAR ACTIVE FAULTS IN CROATIA?

Abstract

On 29 December 2020 devastating M6.2 earthquake hit well known Petrinja epicentral area, and caused strong damage on many buildings in Petrinja, Sisak, and Glina, as well as on solid modern linear infrastructure (roads, bridges, artificial river embankments, pipelines etc.). The seismic hazard is not depending only on the estimated coseismic ground acceleration that should be used for EUROCODE 8 constructional seismic design, but is also strongly dependent on local soil effects and on the secondary effects of a strong earthquake (landslides, liquefaction, suffosion, etc.). Besides, movement of the crustal blocks along the fault lines that cross the solid objects, in case of surface coseismic rupture such was the Petrinja event, should be evaluated. Local site amplification effects are the results of several physical processes (multiple reflections and diffractions, focusing, resonance, wave trapping) in the overlying superifical deposits and soil, resulting in variable damage distribution that were observed in different local geological units affected by an earthquake. Also, the variable surface topography and various mechanical properties of the terrain such as water table, slopes, presence of heterogeneities, structural discontinuities and cavities, certainly can contribute to the observed damage and increase geological hazard in epicentral area. How many unknown active faults we can identified in Croatia? What could be surface manifestation of a strong earthquake that will occure on a shallow thrust (reverse) fault? Is there any major normal active fault that can surprise seismotectonic experts and civil engineers? The authors published first scientific paper after the Zagreb 22 March 2020 event and are currently working on active tectonics in Kvarner region and Hrvatsko Zagorje. Besides, a new Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) project has just been started with special attention on soil dynamic properties and its influence on the seismic hazard of the older cultural buildings in Trakošćan, Šibenik and Dubrovnik.