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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_acceleration
Peak ground acceleration (PGA) is equal to the maximum ground acceleration that occurred during earthquake
shaking at a location. PGA is equal to the amplitude of the largest absolute acceleration recorded on an accelerogram[1]
at a site during a particular earthquake.[2] Earthquake shaking generally occurs in all three directions. Therefore, PGA is
often split into the horizontal and vertical components. Horizontal PGAs are generally larger than those in the vertical
direction but this is not always true, especially close to large earthquakes. PGA is an important parameter (also known as
an intensity measure) for earthquake engineering, The design basis earthquake ground motion (DBEGM)[3] is often
defined in terms of PGA.
Unlike the Richter and moment magnitude scales, it is not a measure of the total energy (magnitude, or size) of an
earthquake, but rather of how hard the earth shakes at a given geographic point. The Mercalli intensity scale uses
personal reports and observations to measure earthquake intensity but PGA is measured by instruments, such as
accelerographs. It can be correlated to macroseismic intensities on the Mercalli scale[4] but these correlations are
associated with large uncertainty.[5] See also seismic scale.
The peak horizontal acceleration (PHA) is the most commonly used type of ground acceleration in engineering
applications. It is often used within earthquake engineering (including seismic building codes) and it is commonly
plotted on seismic hazard maps.[6] In an earthquake, damage to buildings and infrastructure is related more closely to
ground motion, of which PGA is a measure, rather than the magnitude of the earthquake itself. For moderate
earthquakes, PGA is a reasonably good determinant of damage; in severe earthquakes, damage is more often correlated
with peak ground velocity.[4]
1 Geophysics
2 Seismic risk and engineering
3 Comparison of instrumental and felt intensity
3.1 Correlation with the Mercalli scale
3.2 Other intensity scales
4 PGA hazard risks worldwide
5 Notable earthquakes
6 See also
7 References
8 Bibliography
Earthquake energy is dispersed in waves from the hypocentre, causing ground movement omnidirectionally but typically
modelled horizontally (in two directions) and vertically. PGA records the acceleration (rate of change of speed) of these
movements, while peak ground velocity is the greatest speed (rate of movement) reached by the ground, and peak
displacement is the distance moved.[7][8] These values vary in different earthquakes, and in differing sites within one
earthquake event, depending on a number of factors. These include the length of the fault, magnitude, the depth of the
quake, the distance from the epicentre, the duration (length of the shake cycle), and the geology of the ground
(subsurface). Shallow-focused earthquakes generate stronger shaking (acceleration) than intermediate and deep quakes,
since the energy is released closer to the surface.[9]
Peak ground acceleration can be expressed in g (the acceleration due to Earth's gravity, equivalent to g-force) as either a
decimal or percentage; in m/s2 (1 g = 9.81 m/s2);[7] or in Gal, where 1 Gal is equal to 0.01 m/s (1 g = 981 Gal).
The ground type can significantly influence ground acceleration, so PGA values can display extreme variability over
distances of a few kilometers, particularly with moderate to large earthquakes.[10] The varying PGA results from an
earthquake can be displayed on a shake map.[11] Due to the complex conditions affecting PGA, earthquakes of similar
magnitude can offer disparate results, with many moderate magnitude earthquakes generating significantly larger PGA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_acceleration
Study of geographic areas combined with an assessment of historical earthquakes allows geologists to determine seismic
risk and to create seismic hazard maps, which show the likely PGA values to be experienced in a region during an
earthquake, with a probability of exceedance (PE). Seismic engineers and government planning departments use these
values to determine the appropriate earthquake loading for buildings in each zone, with key identified structures (such as
hospitals, bridges, power plants) needing to survive the maximum considered earthquake (MCE).
Damage to buildings is related to both peak ground velocity and PGA, and the duration of the earthquake the longer
high-level shaking persists, the greater the likelihood of damage.
Peak ground acceleration provides a measurement of instrumental intensity, that is, ground shaking recorded by seismic
instruments. Other intensity scales measure felt intensity, based on eyewitness reports, felt shaking, and observed
damage. There is correlation between these scales, but not always absolute agreement since experiences and damage can
be affected by many other factors, including the quality of earthquake engineering.
Generally speaking,
0.001 g (0.01 m/s) perceptible by people
0.02 g (0.2 m/s) people lose their balance
0.50 g very high; well-designed buildings can survive if the duration is short.[8]
< 0.0017
< 0.1
Not felt
None
II-III
Weak
None
IV
Light
None
Moderate
Very light
VI
0.092 - 0.18
8.1 - 16
Strong
Light
VII
0.18 - 0.34
16 - 31
Very strong
Moderate
VIII
0.34 - 0.65
31 - 60
Severe
Moderate to heavy
IX
0.65 - 1.24
60 - 116
Violent
Heavy
X+
> 1.24
> 116
Extreme
Very heavy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_acceleration
In India, areas with expected PGA values higher than 0.36g are classed as "Zone 5", or "Very High Damage Risk Zone".
PGA
single
direction
(max
recorded)
2.7g[12]
PGA
vector sum (H1, H2,
V)
(max recorded)
Mag
Depth
2.99 g[13][14]
9.0
30 km[15] >15000[16]
Fatalities
Earthquake
2.2g[17][18]
6.3[19] 5 km
185
2.13g[20][21]
6.4
6.9/7.2 8 km
12
6.7
19 km
57
7.1
42 km[15] 4
1.26g[25][26]
7.1
10 km
1.01g[27]
6.6
10 km
11
1.01g[28]
7.3
8 km
2,415
1.0g[29]
6.0
8 km
0.8g
6.8
16 km
6,434
0.78g[30]
8.8
23 km[31] 521
0.6g[32]
6.0
10 km
143
0.51g[33]
6.4
612
0.5g[23]
7.0
13 km
0.438g[34]
7.7
44 km
27
0.4g[35]
5.7
8 km
0.367g[36]
5.2
1 km
0.25 - 0.3g[37]
9.5
33 km
1,655[38]
0.24g[39]
6.4
628
0.18g[40]
9.2
143
4.36g[22]
1.7g[23]
1.47g[24]
6 km
23 km
Spectral acceleration
Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale
Earthquake simulation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_acceleration
22. Masumi Yamada; et al. (JulyAugust 2010). "Spatially
Dense Velocity Structure Exploration in the Source
Region of the Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake".
Seismological Research Letters v. 81; no. 4;.
Seismological Society of America. pp. 597604. Retrieved
21 March 2011.
23. Lin, Rong-Gong; Allen, Sam (26 February 2011). "New
Zealand quake raises questions about L.A. buildings". Los
Angeles Times (Tribune). Retrieved 27 February 2011.
24. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/shakemap/global
/shake/c0002ksa/
25. Carter, Hamish (24 February 2011). "Technically it's just
an aftershock". New Zealand Herald (APN Holdings).
Retrieved 24 February 2011.
26. "M 7.1, Darfield (Canterbury), September 4, 2010".
GeoNet. GNS Science. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
27. Katsuhiko, Ishibashi (11 August 2001). "Why Worry?
Japan's Nuclear Plants at Grave Risk From Quake
Damage". Japan Focus (Asia Pacific Journal). Retrieved
15 March 2011.
28. Central Weather Bureau. (2 September 2004). [1]
(ftp://scftp.cwb.gov.tw/19990921/19990921.IND).
Retrieved 21 March 2011.
29. NZ Herald Article - Violence of tremors stuns experts. (24
Dec 2011). [2] (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news
/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10775150). Retrieved 24
December 2011.
30. "Informe Tecnico Terremoto Cauquenes 27 de Febrero de
2010 Actualizado 27 de Mayo 2010" (PDF).
31. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives
/year/2010/2010_stats.php
32. Anastasiadis A. N.; et al. "The Athens (Greece)
Earthquake of September 7, 1999: Preliminary Report on
Strong Motion Data and Structural Response". Institute of
Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering.
MCEER. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
33. "Earthquake Mw 6.3 in Iran on February 22nd, 2005 at
02:25 UTC". European-Mediterranean Seismological
Centre. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
34. Brady, A. Gerald (1980). An investigation of the Miyagiken-oki, Japan, earthquake of June 12, 1978. National
Bureau of Standards. p. 123.
35. "Large quake off the coast of Christchurch".
info.geonet.org.nz. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
36. Los terremotos paradojicos - Seismo mortal en Murcia
(http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/terremotos
/paradojicos/elpepuesp/20110513elpepinac_4/Tes)
37. Crustal deformation associated with the 1960 earthquake
events in the south of Chile (http://www.civil.ucsc.cl
/investigacion/fvillalobos/2010_5ICEGE_A.pdf)
38. Webber, Jude (27 February 2010). "Massive earthquake
batters Chile". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
39. USGS Earthquake Hazards Program Magnitude 6.4 NEAR NORTH COAST OF MOROCCO
(http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews
/2004/usfgag/#summary)
40. National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the
Alaska Earthquake, The great Alaska earthquake of 1964,
Volume 1, Part 1 (http://books.google.co.nz
/books?id=5EArAAAAYAAJ&dq), National Academies,
1968 p. 285
Murphy, J.R.; o'brien (1977). "The correlation of peak ground acceleration amplitude with seismic intensity and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_acceleration
other physical parameters". Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 67 (3): 877915.
Campbell, K.W. (1997). "Empirical near-source attenuation relationships for horizontal and vertical components
of peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and pseudo-absolute acceleration response spectra".
Seismological Research Letters 68: 154179. doi:10.1785/gssrl.68.1.154.
Campbell, K.W.; Y. Bozorgnia (2003). "Updated near-source ground-motion (attenuation) relations for the
horizontal and vertical components of peak ground acceleration and acceleration response spectra". Bulletin of the
Seismological Society of America 93 (1): 314331. Bibcode:2003BuSSA..93..314C. doi:10.1785/0120020029.
Wald, D.J.; V. Quitoriano; T.H. Heaton; H. Kanamori (1999). "Relationships between peak ground acceleration,
peak ground velocity, and modified Mercalli intensity in California". Earthquake Spectra 15 (3): 557.
doi:10.1193/1.1586058.
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Categories: Seismology Earthquake engineering
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