Recent two moderate earthquakes (2016 Mw=5.4 Gyeongju and 2017 Mw=5.5 Pohang) in Korea provided the unique chance of developing a set of relations to estimate instrumental seismic intensity in Korea by augmenting the time-history data from MMI seismic intensity regions above Ⅴ to the insufficient data previously accumulated from the MMI regions limited up to Ⅳ. The MMI intensity regions of Ⅴ and Ⅵ was identified by delineating the epicentral distance from the reference intensity statistics in distance derived by using the integrated MMI data obtained by combining the intensity survey results of KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) and ‘DYFI (Did You Feel It)’ MMIs of USGS. The time-histories of the seismic stations from the MMI intensity regions above Ⅴ were then preprocessed by applying the previously developed site-correction filters to be converted to a site-equivalent condition in a manner consistent with the previous study. The average values of the ground-motion parameters for the three ground motion parameters of PGA, PGV and BSPGA (Bracketed Summation of PGA per second for 30 seconds) were calculated for the MMI=Ⅴ and Ⅵ and used to generate the dataset of the average values of the ground-motion parameters for the individual MMIs fromⅠ to Ⅵ. Based on this dataset, the linear regression analysis resulted in the following relations with proposed valid ranges of MMI.

This study develops an empirical prediction equation of spectral acceleration responses of earthquakes which can induce structural damages. Ground motion records representing hazards of low-to-moderate seismic regions were selected and organized with several influential factors affecting the response spectra. The empirical equation and estimator coefficients for acceleration response spectra were then proposed using a robust nonlinear optimization coupled with a regression analysis. For analytical verification of the prediction equation, response spectra used for low-to-moderate seismic regions were estimated and the predicted results were comparatively evaluated with measured response spectra. As a result, the predicted shapes of response spectra can simulate the graphical shapes of measured data with high accuracy and most of predicted results are distributed inside range of correlation of variation (COV) of 30% from perfectly correlated lines.

최근의 근단층지반운동인 Northridge 지진(1994, 미국), Kobe 지진(1995, 일본), Izmit 지진(1990, 터키)은 큰 수직성분의 영향으로 건축물 및 교량에 심각한 손상을 주었다. 일반적인 건축구조물의 내진설계에서 지진하중의 수직성분을 고려하여 설계하는 경우는 드물다. 본 연구에서는 지진하중의 수직성분 영향의 고려 유무에 따른 예제구조물의 기둥부재의 축력의 변화와 부재 단부의 소성힌지회전각을 산정하여 시스템의 손상상태를 평가하여 보았다. 해석결과 축력의 증가는 기둥부재의 손상에 의한 전체 구조시스템의 story collapse mechanism의 가능성을 주게 되므로 근단층지반운동이 예상되는 부분에서는 지진하중의 수직성분에 대한 영향을 고려하여야할 것으로 판단된다.

For areas such as the Korean Peninsula, which have moderate seismic activity but no available records of strong ground motion, synthetic seismograms can be used to evaluate ground motion without waiting for a strong earthquake. Such seismograms represent the estimated ground motions expected from a set of possible earthquake scenarios. Local site effects are especially important in assessing the seismic hazard and possible ground motion scenarios for a specific fault. The earthquake source and rupture dynamics can be described as a two-step process of rupture initiation and front propagation controlled by a frictional sliding mechanism. The seismic wavefield propagates through heterogeneous geological media and finally undergoes near-surface modulations such as amplification or deamplification. This is a complex system in which various scales of physical phenomena are integrated. A unified approach incorporates multi-scale problems of dynamic rupture, radiated wave propagation, and site effects into an all-in-one model using a three-dimensional, fourth-order, staggered-grid, finite-difference method. The method explains strong ground motions as products of complex systems that can be modified according to a variety of fine-scale rupture scenarios and friction models. A series of such deterministic earthquake scenarios can shed light on the kind of damage that would result and where it would be located.

기존의 액상화 평가방법은 대부분 미국, 일본 등 지진 발생빈도가 높고 그로 인한 액상화 피해가 빈번한 국가에서 주도적으로 연구가 진행되었으며, 개발된 액상화 평가방법들은 큰 지진규모(M=7.5)에 기초하고 있다. 국내에서도 1997년 실제적인 내진연구가 시작된 이래 액상화 평가의 구체적 규정이 제정되었으나, 내진설계기준에서는 실지진하중을 등가의 전단응력으로 간편화한 경험적인 방법과 실내진동실험에 의한 액상화 상세평가 방법을 통해 액상화 평가를 수행하도록 되어있다. 그러나 이러한 경우 실제 지진하중의 특성을 평가과정에서 반영하지 못하는 문제점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 문제점을 개선하기 위하여 실제 지진파 고유의 특성을 적용한 진동삼축실험을 통하여 상대밀도와 실트질함유량의 변화에 따른 액상화 저항강도를 산정하였다. 실험결과를 토대로 국내의 대표적인 항만지역의 지진응답해석 결과와 비교 분석하여 중진지역에 적합한 액상화 평가 생략기준을 제시하였다. 또한 액상화 평가시 정현하중 사용의 문제점을 개선하기 위하여 쐐기하중 및 선형증가쐐기하중 실험을 수행하여 하중 변화에 따른 액상화 저항강도 특성을 분석하였다.

This paper reports a part of research work on earthquake resistance consideration in regions of moderate seismicity, which is being carried out in the Department of Civil Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. The possible seismic hazard in Hong Kong, which is located in a region of moderate seismicity, is described. A case study is presented to compare the wind and earthquake effects on Hong Kong buildings and to assess whether seismic analysis and desing is necessary for building structure. Potential problems of reinforced concrete buildings under earthquake effects in regions of moderate seismicity are discussed.