Seismic hazard analysis of Van city in Turkey

Keywords: Seismic Hazard, Performance Evaluation, Response Spectra, Ground Motion Record, Eastern Anatolia, VanWithin the framework of the performance based earthquake engineering, the seismic hazard analysis for the Van province in Turkey is performed in probabilistic manner. It is noteworthy that, in probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, as a first stage, data from geological studies and records from the instrumental period were compiled to make a seismic source characterization for the study region. Then, a seismic hazard model by using EZ-FRISK software is implemented and the probabilistic seismic hazard curves were developed based on the selected appropriate attenuation relationships, at rock sites, with a probability of exceedance of 2%, 10% and 50% in 50-year periods. The results of probabilistic seismic hazard analyses revealed peak acceleration values for a typical rock site as 0.47g for 50% probability of exceedance in 50 years, 1.09g for 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years and 1.91 g for 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years.The results obtained are compared with N-S & E-W component of 23th October 2011 and 9th November 2011 earthquakes which occurred in Van, and the acceleration spectrums proposed by Turkey Earthquake Code in Section 7 for the seismic performance evaluation and retrofit of building structure. Lastly, the acceleration response spectrums obtained from probabilistic seismic hazard analysis are matched to adjust earthquake accelerograms recorded during the 2011 Van Earthquakes by using SeismoMatch computer software. The aim of this procedure is to obtain a set of reasonable earthquake input motions for the nonlinear seismic evaluation of building structures.