3D effects of seismic ground motion in the Taipei Basin and implications for hazard and risk

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Friedemann Wenzel
• Subject Area: Geophysics
• Term: from 2007 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 27463483

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, experienced several damaging earthquakes in the past decades. With a comprehensive data base of observed accelerograms, geotechnical parameters, and information on basin geometry, the Taipei basin represents one of the best examples in the world where basin and site effects for shallow and intermediate depth earthquakes can be studied. The main goals of the proposed research are: (1) understanding of the Taipei basin response by 2D-3D elastic modeling; (2) comparison of computational results with the many instrumental records including the analysis of advantages and limitations of the 2D-3D modeling; (3) incorporation of the results into hazard assessment procedures (deterministic and probabilistic). The results of site-dependent seismic hazard estimates for the Taipei basin will be critical for a re-evaluation of the Building Code requirements, earthquake loss estimation and evaluation of seismic reliability of existing structures. The insight into the influence of wave propagation in a relatively small sedimentary basin on ground motion characteristics should be transferable to comparable regions with a less developed data base.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Taiwan
• Participating Person: Professor Kuo-Liang Wen