OVERVIEW

Applied seismology and seismic microzonation represent an extremely important aspect in Applied Geological Sciences. The study of earthquakes (source and propagation of seismic waves) plays a fundamental role both in scientific aspects and in all those analyzes aimed at the proper assessment of the risk and in the field of underground exploration.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to deliver the necessary knowledge-base for the study of earthquakes, the monitoring of the seismic activity and for the evaluation of the seismic risk at both local and regional scales.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main objectives of the course can be summarized in the following points:
• study of the propagation of seismic waves and of the main underground exploration techniques
• study of the seismic source
• the localization of earthquakes and magnitude estimation
• seismic hazard studies
• analysis techniques in the field of seismic microzonation

The course aims to form seismologists able to address both the theoretical aspects of the earthquake study and the applicative and professional aspects useful in addressing the problems associated with the evaluation and mitigation of seismic risk

TEACHING METHODS

classroom-taught lesson

Practical exercises in classroom and on the ground

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Stress and strain (infinitesimal deformation theory and continuum mechanics - strain - characteristics of the strain tensor - stress - stress tensor - equilibrium equation

Elasticity (constitutive laws and rheological behavior of materials - brittle and ductile behavior - Hooke's law and relationship stress /strain - tensor of elastic constants - approximations and Lamé constants - definition of vthe principal  elastic constants

Equation of motion (application to  a medium infinite, isotropic, elastic and homogeneous - P and S waves – 1D and 3D case - polarization of P and S waves - seismogram)

Propagation (Definition of seismic ray and wavefront - ray theory - the path of a ray and travel time - eikonal equation equations - Fermat's principle - Snell's law - travel time graph and the radius parameter - dual layer case - the main characteristics of travel time graph in case of a multilayered model and velocity gradient - rays in a spherically symmetric model - reflection and refraction of seismic waves )

Anelasticity (geometrical spreading, scattering and multipathing - Q factor)

Surface waves (Rayleigh and Love waves - dispersion - vibration modes - phase and group velocity)

Location and magnitude (localization methods - definition of macroseismic intensity - local magnitude - magnitude Md, Ms and mb - instrumental and intrinsic saturation - source spectrum - seismic moment and moment magnitude)

Seismic source (Green's function and the theorem of representation - the kinematic model - seismic moment - the relationship between equivalent forces, seismic moment and slip vector - moment tensor - empirical Green functions - radiation pattern - focal mechanism and directivity)
Seismic hazard and microzonation (seismic hazard and risk -  deterministic and probabilistic approach - attenuation laws - local effects – seismo-induced landslides, liquefaction, densification and sagging - local seismic amplification effects - lithological and topographical amplification effects - definition of seismic response - definition of microseismic maps of level I, II and III)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Notes distributed throughout the course

“Modern Global Seismology” di Thorne Lay e Terry C. Wallace (Ed: Academic Press)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GABRIELE FERRETTI (President)

SIMONE BARANI

DANIELE SPALLAROSSA

MASSIMO VERDOYA

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October

Class schedule

APPLIED SEISMOLOGY AND MICROZONATION

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

oral examination (Oral interview)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Questions related to the topics explained during the course

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Optional attendante