Abstract
The statistical technique known as analysis of variance is applied to a large set of European strong-motion data to investigate whether strong ground motions show a regional dependence. This question is important when selecting strong-motion records for the derivation of ground motion prediction equations and also when choosing strong-motion records from one geographical region for design purposes in another. Five regions with much strong-motion data (the Caucasus region, central Italy, Friuli, Greece and south Iceland) are investigated here. For the magnitude and distance range where there are overlapping data from the five areas (2.50≤ Ms≤ 5.50, 0≤ d ≤ 35 km) and consequently analysis of variance can be performed, there is little evidence for a regional dependence of ground motions. There is a lack of data from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes (Ms > 5.5) so analysis of variance cannot be performed there. Since there is uncertainty regarding scaling ground motions from small to large magnitudes whether ground motions from large earthquakes are significantly different in different parts of Europe is not known. Analysis of variance has the ability to complement other techniques for the assessment of regional dependence of ground motions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambraseys, N.N. and Bommer, J.J., 1990, Uniform magnitude re-evaluation for the strong-motion database of Europe and adjacent areas, Eur. Earthquake Eng. IV, 3–16.
Ambraseys, N.N. and Bommer, J.J., 1991, The attenuation of ground accelerations in Europe, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 20, 1179–1202.
Ambraseys, N. and J. Douglas, 2000, Reappraisal of surface wave magnitudes in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the Middle East, Geophys. J. Int. 141, 357–373.
Ambraseys, N.N., Douglas, J., Sigbjörnsson, R., Berge-Thierry, C., Suhadolc, P., Costa, G. and Smit, P.M., 2004a, Dissemination of European strong-motion data, vol. 2, using Strong-Motion Datascape Navigator. CD-ROM collection. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, United Kingdom.
Ambraseys, N.N., Simpson, K.A. and Bommer, J.J., 1996, Prediction of horizontal response spectra in Europe, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 25, 371–400.
Ambraseys, N.N., Simpson, K.A. and Bommer, J.J., 1997, Authors’ reply, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 26, 295–300.
Ambraseys, N., Smit, P., Berardi, R., Rinaldis, D., Cotton, F. and Berge, C., 2000, Dissemination of European Strong-Motion Data. CD-ROM collection. European Commission, Directorate-General XII, Environmental and Climate Programme, ENV4-CT97-0397, Brussels, Belgium.
Ambraseys, N.N., Smit, P., Douglas, J., Margaris, B., Sigbjörnsson, R., ‘Olafsson, S., Suhadolc, P. and Costa, G., in press, Internet site for European strong-motion data, Bollettino Geofisica Teorica Appl.
Ambraseys, N., Smit, P., Sigbjörnsson, R., Suhadolc, P. and Margaris, B., 2002, Internet-site for European strong-motion data. http://www.isesd.cv.ic.ac.uk. European Commission, Directorate-General XII, Environmental and Climate Programme, Brussels, Belgium.
Bergerat, F., Gudmundsson, A., Angelier, J. and Rögnvaldsson, S.T., 1998, Seismotectonics of the central part of the south Iceland seismic zone, Tectonophysics 298, 319–335.
Boore, D.M., 1983. Stochastic simulation of high-frequency ground motions based on seismological models of the radiated spectra, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 73, 1865–1894.
Boore, D.M., Joyner, W.B. and Fumal, T.E., 1993, Estimation of response spectra and peak accelerations from western North American earthquakes: An interim report. Open-File Report 93-509, U.S. Geological Survey. 70 p.
Campbell, K.W., 2003, Prediction of strong ground motion using the hybrid empirical method and its use in the development of ground-motion (attenuation) relations in eastern North America, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 93, 1012–1033.
Cello, G., Mazzoli, S., Tondi, E. and Turco, E., 1997, Active tectonics in the central Apennines and possible implications for seismic hazard analysis in central Italy, Tectonophysics 272, 43–68.
Chen, S.-Z. and Atkinson, G.M., 2002, Global comparison of earthquake source spectra, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 92, 885–895.
Douglas, J., 2003a. Earthquake ground motion estimation using strong-motion records: A review of equations for the estimation of peak ground acceleration and response spectral ordinates, Earth-Sci. Rev. 61, 43–104.
Douglas, J., 2003b, What is a poor quality strong-motion record? Bull. Earthquake Eng. 1, 141–156.
Douglas, J. and Smit, P.M., 2001, How accurate can strong ground motion attenuation relations be? Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 91, 1917–1923.
Draper, N.R. and Smith, H., 1981, Applied Regression Analysis. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons.
Fisher, R.A., 1990, Statistical Methods, Experimental Design, and Scientific Inference, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Free, M.W., 1996, The Attenuation of Earthquake Strong-Motion in Intraplate Regions. Ph.D. Thesis, University of London.
Green, J.R. and Margerison, D., 1979, Statistical Treatment of Experimental Data, Physical Sciences Data 2, Second Impression edition, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hanks, T.C. and Johnston, A.C., 1992, Common features of the excitation and propogation of strong ground motion for north American earthquakes, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 82, 1–23.
Jackson, J., 2001, Living with earthquakes: Know your faults, J. Earthquake Eng. 5, 5–123.
Joyner, W.B. and Boore, D.M., 1981, Peak horizontal acceleration and velocity from strong-motion records including records from the 1979 Imperial Valley, California, earthquake, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 71, 2011–2038.
Kanamori, H. 1977, The energy release in great earthquakes, J. Geophys. Res. 82, 2981–2987.
Lee, V. W., 1995, Pseudo relative velocity spectra in former Yugoslavia, Eur. Earthquake Eng. IX, 12–22.
Sigbjornsson, R. and Baldvinsson, G.I., 1992, Seismic hazard and recordings of strong ground motion in Iceland, In: Proceedings of Tenth World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, vol. 1, A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Madrid, Spain, 19–24 July, pp. 419–424.
Slejko, D., Neri, G., Orozova, I., Renner, G., and Wyss, M., 1999, Stress field in Friuli (NE Italy) from fault plane solutions of activity following the 1976 main shock, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 89, 1037–1052.
Spudich, P., Joyner, W.B., Lindh, A.G., Boore, D.M., Margaris, B.M. and Fletcher, J.B., 1999, SEA99: A revised ground motion prediction relation for use in extensional tectonic regimes, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 89, 1156– 1170.
Suhadolc, P. and Chiaruttini, C., 1987, A theoretical study of the dependence of the peak ground acceleration on source and structure parameters. In: M. Erdik and Toksöz, M., (eds.), Strong Ground Motion Seismology, D. Reidel Publishing Company pp. 143–183.
Wells, D.L. and Coppersmith, K.J., 1994, New empirical relationships among magnitude, rupture length, rupture width, rupture area, and surface displacement, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 84, 974–1002.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Douglas, J. An investigation of analysis of variance as a tool for exploring regional differences in strong ground motions. J Seismol 8, 485–496 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-004-3094-7
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-004-3094-7