Seismic Ground Response Analysis of Some Typical Sites of Guwahati City

Abstract

In this study, one dimensional equivalent–linear ground response analyses were performed for some typical sites in the Guwahati city, India. Six bore locations covering about 250 km2 area of the city were considered for the analyses. As the strong motion significantly influences the ground response, seven different recorded ground motions, varying in magnitude (6.1 to 8.1) and other ground motion parameters, were adopted. Seismic site analyses were carried out for all layers of borelogs using all the seven earthquakes. Results are presented in terms of surface acceleration histories, strain and shear stress ratio variation, response spectrum, Fourier amplitude ratio versus frequency. The results indicate that accelerations were amplified the most at the surface level. The range of peak ground acceleration (PGA) values obtained at the ground surface is about 0.2 g to 0.79 for a range of PGA considered at bedrock level (rigid half space at bottom of borelog) of 0.1 g to 0.34 g. The Fourier amplifications of ground motion at surface are in the range of 4.14 – 8.99 for a frequency band of 1.75 Hz to 3.13 Hz. The maximum spectral acceleration at six locations varies in the range of 1.0 g – 4.71 g for all the seven earthquakes. The study clearly demonstrated the role for site effect and the type of ground motion on the ground response. For a given earthquake motion, amplification factors at surface level change by almost about 20% to 70% depending on local site conditions.