1. Bolonha, 3-6 March 2014 Module: Seismicity and seismic risk
(for civil engineers)
Mário Lopes
Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Arquitectura e Geo-Recursos do Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa
Bolonha, 3-6 March 2014

2. 2 – Natural effects, consequences and mitigation
2.3 – Mitigation actions
Fault movements
Soil vibrations
Soil effects – landslides, liquefaction, subsidence
Tsunamis
Fires and Contaminations
Civil Protection

3. Fault movements
In general: do not built structures with supports on both sides of the fault. Identify fault traces and include in urban and territorial planning instruments.
Built with precautions (exceptional cases). Ex:

4. Alaska oleoduct: survived the differential movement between faces of a fault crossed by the structure. Denali earthquake 2003

5. Let the structure get damaged and repair it after the earthquake
Railway line Istanbul- Ankara: it was repaired in 3 days after the Kocaeli earthquake, 1999

6. Soil vibrations
In solid ground it is not possible to avoid soil vibrations, as they propagate everywhere. Therefore it is not possible to avoid the effects of soil vibrations, by far the most important of all, with instruments of urban and territorial planning.
Since seismic waves travel at speeds of several km/s almost no human action is possible in the extremely short period between the initiation of the earthquake and the destruction it may cause .

7. EWS – Early Warning Systems
These systems can provide a warning that na earthquake is about to occur a few seconds (5, 10, 20, 30s) before it happens. They are based on accelerometers placed closer to the epicenter than the zones where the warning is to be issued

8. These systems allow the automatic shutdown (total or partial) of industrial facilities, seccioning of gas networks, reducing the probability of fires and explosions and more damage to electromechanical equipments, slow down of trains (this is the reason that led to the creation of the first of these systems in Japan), opening of doors of fire brigades facilities, and warnings to the population (sirenes).

9. Applicability of a EWS to protect Sines industrial complex

10. 1- Stations located about 20 km from seismogenic Zone of the Tagus River (North):
Distance from faults to Sines ~ 90 km
Distance from stations to faults ~ 20 km
P arriving at stations in ~ 3 seg
S arriving at Sines in ~ 23 seg
2- Stations located onshore, at about km from interaction between plates zone at SW Portugal :
Distance from active zone to Sines ~ km
Distance from stations to active zone ~ 60 km
P arriving at stations in ~ 8-9 seg
S arriving at Sines in ~ seg
Possible EWS in Sines 1
Sines 2
S speed propagation in Portugal ~ 4km/seg
P speed propagation in Portugal ~ 6.8 Km/seg
(according with data from recorded accelerograms obtained in the course of the M 6, 17 Dez 2009 earthquake ~ 60 km SW Portugal)

11. Prevention
It is the only way to avoid most effects of soil vibrations: to provide seismic resistence to constructions, lifelines, industrial facilities and even monuments. This is possible with the knowledge of modern seismology and earthquake engineering, by means of:
Seismicity studies leading to the definition of a design seismic action for engineering applications
Design of the built environment to resist strong seismic actions

12. Main actions that should be performed
Seismic evaluation of existing buildings and strengthening where necessary

13. Strengthened old house
Old house not strengthened
Earthquake of Faial, Azores, 1998

14. Ensure quality of construction: check design and construction
Ensure quality of construction: check design and construction. Experience shows that damage is inversely proportional to the quality of construction. Scientific and technical knowledge is not enough, it is necessary to ensure its application in daily practice.

16. - Seismic evaluation of lifelines and transportation networks, and strengthening where necessary

17. Sylmar substation, USA Before the San Fernando earthquake, 1971
Before and after the Northridge earthquake, 1994, (ag=0,9.g)
After the San Fernando Earthquake, 1971 (ag=0,5.g)

18. - Seismic evaluation of industrial facilities, and strengthening where necessary

19. - Strengthening of monuments and buildings of high cultural value with low intrusive techniques, to protect the cultural heritage and identity of nations and peoples

23. Soil effects - lanslides
Avoid built in those locations – urban and territory planning instruments
Increase stability of the slopes

24. Soil effects - liquefaction
Avoid built in those locations – urban and territory planning instruments
Reduce liquefaction potencial

25. Soil effects - subsidence
Avoid built in those locations – urban and territory planning instruments
If it is not of tectonic origin, it may be possible to avoid by compacting the soil

26. Tsunamis
Avoid building in potentially flooded areas – usually does not compensate economically or it is not feasible
Material losses – insurance
Life saving – go to high ground before tsunami arrives
Warning:
Warning system. Not efficient near the epicenter.
Earthquake: efficient near the epicenter if the population has been previously informed

28. Fires
Build large gas deposits outside urban areas if possible. Design with increased reliability (Importance factor in EC 8)
Prepare gas network for automatic seccioning in case of strong ground shaking (does not avoid but reduces gas escapes and dimension of fires)

29. Information to the population to know that gas and electricity must be switched off.
Buy a device that automatically cuts the gas (California, earthquakestore)

30. Contaminations Design facilities with highest level of reliability
If possible choose locations where impact is less, should a leak occur

31. Civil Protection
In some countries Civil Protection agency has strong responsabilities in prevention. In others their work is essentially the Emergency action, this is, after the earthquake.
Post earthquake actions come too late to avoid the worse, as this happens during or right after the earthquake.
Therefore, the main action to reduce earthquake effects is prevention. Without it, in case of strong earthquakes in densely populated areas, Civil Protection tends to impotent due to the dimension of the catastrophe. However, even with efficient prevention, it is an important complement of preventive policies, which can not avoid all damage nor prevent that people get injured at their homes due to vibrations.