6th International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering

1-4 November 2015

Christchurch, New Zealand

Urban Accelerograph Network in the City of Patras, Greece (UPAN) -

Network Characteristics and Analyses of H/V Spectral Values

A. B. Batilas 1, P.C. Pelekis 2, G. A. Athanasopoulos 3

ABSTRACT

The University of Patras (Urban) Accelerograph Network (UPAN) comprises 8 surface

accelerograph stations and a downhole array to a depth of ~72m. The operation of UPAN since
2006, allowed the development of a large data base of earthquake recordings at varying local soil
conditions of the urban area. The recordings are analyzed by computing acceleration response
spectra and H/V spectral ratios. The results of analyses are utilized for studying the effectiveness
of using response, instead of Fourier spectra, in the spectral ratio computations. Measured average
acceleration response spectra for each soil class are compared to the design spectra of Eurocode 8
for Type-1 and Type-2 earthquakes. The results of analyses indicate a gradual increase of site
predominant period and of amplification of motion with decreasing distance from the coastal zone
of the city.

Introduction

The operation of dense accelerograph networks in seismically active urban areas allows the
collection of data on seismic site response that are valuable for both: (a) improving our
understanding of local site effects and (b) for performing seismic microzonation of the studies
areas (Berrill et al., 2011). This paper aims at providing information regarding the installation
and operation of the University of Patras Accelerograph Network (UPAN). Data are given
regarding the location of accelerograph stations, the type of instruments, the statistics of the
available database as well as results of analyses pertaining to the ratio of horizontal to vertical
spectral values (H/V method). The results are used for identification of site response
characteristics at different areas in the city of Patras.

University of Patras Accelerograph Network (UPAN)

The Patras accelerograph network of the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory of the University
of Patras UPAN (University of Patras Accelerograph Network) is a dense urban accelerograph
network in the city of Patras, Greece (population 160.000). UPAN is comprised of 8 free-field
digital accelerographs (Etna 18bit, Kinemetrics) and a downhole array (VA-1) (Figure 1). The
operation of the network started in 2006 with the installation of 2 QDR units at sites UP-7
(“Trion Symaxon” square) and UP-8 (St. Andreas hospital). In 2009 the network was expanded
with the installation of six more accelerographs (Etna 18bit, Kinemetrics) at UP-1 (St.
Konstantinos church), UP-2 (Unisol), UP-3 (Dasilio), UP-4 (Politeia), UP-5 (St. Aimilianos) and

1
Civil Engineer M.Sc., Ph.D., Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Greece, abatilas@upatras.gr
2
Ph.D., Assoc. Professor of Civil & Structural Engineering, ASPETE, N. Heraklion, Greece,
takis_pelekis@yahoo.gr
3
Ph.D., Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Greece, gaa@upatras.gr
UP-6 (Perivola). In 2011 the QDR units of UP-7 and UP-8 stations were replaced by Etna 18bit,
Kinemetrics units and a common timing system (GPS). Finally, in 2013 a downhole array (VA-
1) was installed, with surface and 3 underground accelerometers at depths of -20m, -34m and -
71.5m.

The accelerograph stations have been installed at sites with varying soil conditions in order to
record the corresponding differentiation of ground motion response. The selection of
accelerograph stations location was facilitated by the fact that Patras is a coastal city with
varying ground conditions with increasing distance from the sea (moving from coastal zone to
the foot hills of Panachaikon mountain). V s -depth profiles have been measured in all UPAN
stations using surface wave and cross-hole measurements (Vlachakis et al., 2015). In addition,
for some sites of UPAN stations, soil stratigraphy and soil properties are known via exploratory
boreholes. In selecting the sites of accelerograph stations, a great effort was put to achieve free-
field conditions (Figure 1), thus avoiding or minimizing the soil-structure interaction. The
orientation of all sensors corresponds to the North: Y and East: X directions.

Geology, Tectonics and Geotechnical Conditions

The city of Patras is founded on Quaternary deposits, Plio-Pleistocene sediments and recent
alluvium (in the southern part of the city). The Plio-Pleistocene sediments are comprised of 1) a
lower fine-grained material (dark grey silty marls and sandy silts) that extends to a depth greater
than 300m from the surface and 2) an upper coarse-grained horizon, consisting of brownish-
yellow clayey marls with silts, sands, gravels, pebbles and conglomerates, with an average
thickness of 50m (Koukis et al., 2005) (Figure 2a). The bedrock of the area is formed by the
Olonos-Pindos geotectonic zone, which consists mainly of flysch, radiolarites and thinly-bedded
limestones. The depth to the bedrock under the city is not known; based on exploratory
boreholes, however it exceeds 300m from the surface (Koukis et al., 2005).

The seismicity of the region is associated with a number of fault zones that surround the city, as
shown in Figure 2b. The major earthquake sources (faults) are located in the Corinth graben (to
the East), the Patras graben (to the West), the Rion graben (to the NE), which connects the above
two grabens, the Pyrgos and Abelonas grabens (to the South), the Achaia-Ilia fault (to the SW),
the Cephalonia transform fault (to the West) and the Trihonis graben (to the North). Some recent
events that shook the urban area and originated from the above earthquake sources include the
Aigion earthquake 1995 (Athanasopoulos et al., 1998), the Patras earthquake 1993 (Plicka et al.,
1998), the Achaia-Ilia earthquake 2008 (Margaris et al., 2010) and the Cephalonia earthquakes
2014 (http://www.geerassociation.org/GEER_Post%20EQ%20Reports/Cephalonia_Greece_201
4/).

Exploratory boreholes and laboratory testing of soil samples as well as in situ measurements of
shear wave velocity were performed at the locations of UPAN accelerograph stations in the
framework of the present study. The results, of these measurements combined with similar
published data for the Patras area (Koukis et al., 2005), allowed the identification of surficial soil
stratigraphy of the urban area, and provided V s -depth profiles and dynamic properties of soil
 UP-5

Accelerograph Lat. Lοng.

Station (°) (°)
UP-1 38.269413 21.747824
UP-2 38.259035 21.76697
UP-3 38.249028 21.747861
UP-4 38.220838 21.720804
UP-5 38.219584 21.742300
UP-6 38.214093 21.760189
UP-7 38.249207 21.735001
UP-8 38.234736 21.747275
VA-1 38.232413 21.740179

Figure 1. Satellite image (Google Earth™) of the city of Patras with the locations of
accelerographic stations (UPAN) and a photographic view of UP-5 station

Figure 2. a) Engineering geological map of the city of Patras b) Simplified tectonic map of north
Peloponnesus (modified from Koukis et al., 2005)

formations (Vlachakis et al., 2015). Based on the measured V s -depth profiles, values of V s30
were estimated for each accelerograph station as shown in Table 1. It may be seen that the soil
conditions (according to EC-8) at stations UP-1, UP-3, UP-5 and UP-6 are classified as Class B
(EC-8), whereas stations UP-2, UP-4, UP-7, UP-8 and VA-1, as Class C. It should be noted,
however, that the soil materials underneath stations UP-4 and UP-7, with values of V s30
approximately equal to 200m/sec, could be classified as a transition from Class C to Class D.
 Statistics of Earthquake Recordings

The operation of UPAN (since 2006) helped to develop a large database of earthquake
recordings that can be used for studying the effects of local soil conditions, as well as source and
path effects, on seismic ground response. The results of such studies can be utilized for
improving our understanding of the broad field of “site effects” and also for a seismic
microzonation of the urban area of Patras.

Table 1. V s30 values and soil classification for UPAN stations.

UP-1 UP-2 UP-3 UP-4 UP-5 UP-6 UP-7 UP-8 VA-1

V s30 (m/s) 380 316 422 203 570 556 200 345 291
Soil Class (EC-8) B C B C(→D) B B C(→D) C C
Soil Class (NEHRP) C D C DE C C DE D D

At present (Jan, 2015), the UPAN database comprises recordings of more than 510 seismic
events, with epicentral distances 0.7km to 396km, local magnitudes from 1.1 to 6.8, focal depths
from 2km to 113km and azimuths (with regard to the center of city) from 0 to 360°. The graphs
of Figure 3 show the distribution of the number of available earthquake recording with regard to
magnitude, hypocentral distance, focal depth, azimuth, incident angle and peak ground
acceleration, PGA. Further correlations between magnitude, PGA, hypocentral distance and focal
depth of recorded earthquakes are shown in the graphs of Figure 4. According to the above
graphs, the majority of recorded earthquakes, have magnitudes from 2 to 4 (weak earthquakes),
hypocentral distances less than 30km, focal depths between 10 and 20km, azimuths between 0°
and 45°, incident angles from 30° and 60°, and PGA values less than 5cm/s2 (weak motions).

Figure 3. Number of available earthquake recordings as a function of local size (M L ),

hypocentral distance (R hyp ), focal depth (H), PGA, azimuth and incident angle (a)
 7 1000

Hypocentral distance, Rhyp (km)

6

Magnitude, ML
5

y
100

ivit
sit
4

en
's s
3

AN
10

UP
2

1 (α) (b)
1
10 0
10 1
10 2 3
10 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Hypocentral distance, Rhyp (km) Focal depth, H (km)
7
100
6

Magnitude, ML
PGA (cm/s2)

10
4

3
1
2

(c) 1 (d)
0.1
100 10 1
10 2 3
10 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Hypocentral distance, Rhyp (km) Focal depth, H (km)

Figure 4. Graph of (a) magnitude-distance distribution, (b) source distance-focal depth

distribution, (c) PGA-source distance distribution, and (d) magnitude- focal depth distribution

Preliminary Analysis of Earthquake Recordings

When analyzing recorded earthquake accelerograms the most frequently used tool is the
acceleration response spectrum (usually normalized with respect to PGA value). The diagrams of
Figure 5 show the average (N varying from 88 to 251) normalized response spectra for the
accelerograph stations UP-1 to UP-8 computed for recorded earthquakes of Type-2, which
according to EC-8, are events with M≤5.5. The diagrams also depict shade areas corresponding
to the region from median to +1s.d. It may be seen that in all cases a predominant period of
shaking can be identified, varying between 0.05sec and 0.18sec and increasing with decreasing
V s30 values. Each diagram also includes the design spectrum of Eurocode (EC-8) corresponding
to soil class determined on the basis of V s30 values given in Table 1. It is observed that in all
cases the code overestimates the normalized median acceleration response spectra, although
agrees well with the +1s.d. curve. Similar diagrams for Type-1 earthquakes (M>5.5) are shown
in Figure 6. It has to be noted, however, that the normalized response spectra of Figure 6 have
been computed, based on a very small number of recorded earthquakes (2 to 5), resulting in an
increased uncertainty, compared to Type-1 earthquakes. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note
that in this case the predominant periods of shaking are significantly increased (0.25sec to
0.85sec), especially for the softer sites (V s30 =200m/sec to 300m/sec) and that the EC-8 design
spectra underestimate the measured normalized median spectral values.

It is generally accepted that a response spectrum in addition to local soil conditions at the
recording station also reflects the effects of source mechanism and of travel path of seismic
waves (Borzgonia and Bertero, 2004). In the case of UPAN the very small distance between the
recording stations, justifies the assumption that source and path effects are similar for all
accelerograph stations. Thus, any differentiation in the shape and amplitude of response spectra
at different stations (i.e. different locations of the city) would be expected to result from different
ground conditions.
 5 5 5
UP-1 Ground type Β UP-2 Ground type C UP-3 Ground type Β
S=1.35 S=1.5 S=1.35
4 (N=112) 4 (N=207) 4 (N=262)
Vs30=422m/s
Vs30=380m/s Vs30=316m/s

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

0 0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

5 5 5
UP-4 Ground type C UP-5 Ground type Β UP-6 Ground type Β
S=1.5 S=1.35 S=1.35
4 (N=251) 4 (N=115) 4 (N=88)
Vs30=203m/s Vs30=570m/s Vs30=556m/s
Sa/PGA

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

0 0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

5 5
UP-7 Ground type C UP-8 Ground type C
4 (N=175) S=1.5 4 (N=143) S=1.5
Vs30=200m/s Vs30=345m/s Median (geometric mean)
EC-8 (Type 2 - M<5.5 )
3 3
+1 s.d.
2 2

1 1

0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Period, sec

Figure 5. Comparison of average recorded acceleration response spectra (5% damped) with EC-8
Type 2 (M≤5.5) elastic response spectra
5 5 5
UP-1 Ground type Β UP-2 Ground type C UP-3 Ground type Β
S=1.2 S=1.15 S=1.2
4 (N=2) 4 (N=2) 4 (N=5)
Vs30=422m/s
Vs30=380m/s Vs30=316m/s

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

0 0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

5 5 5
UP-4 Ground type C UP-5 Ground type Β UP-6 Ground type Β
S=1.15 S=1.2 S=1.2
4 (N=5) 4 (N=2) 4 (N=2)
Vs30=203m/s Vs30=570m/s Vs30=556m/s
Sa/PGA

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

0 0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

5 5
UP-7 Ground type C UP-8 Ground type C
4 (N=5) S=1.15 4 (N=3) S=1.15
Vs30=200m/s Vs30=345m/s Median (geometric mean)
3 3 EC-8 (Type 1 - M>5.5 )
+1 s.d.
2 2

1 1

0 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Period, sec

Figure 6. Comparison of average recorded acceleration response spectra (5% damped) with EC-8
Type 1 (M>5.5) elastic response spectra
In order to remove, however, the source/path effects, it is possible to estimate the horizontal to
vertical spectral ratios (HVSR) at each station (Nakamura 1989, Lermo and Chavez-Garcia,
1993; Theodoulidis and Bard, 1995; Mucciarelli et al., 2004). In the present study the spectral
ratio for each earthquake was estimated using 2% damped response spectra instead of Fourier
spectra (Yamazaki and Ansary, 1997; Zhao et al., 2006). Both types of average spectral ratios
(i.e. response HVRSR spectra and Fourier HVSR spectra) were estimated for all recorded
earthquakes and are shown in the diagrams of Figure 7. It may easily be seen that the agreement
between the two types of spectral ratios (HVSR vs. HVRSR) is very good. Furthermore, it is
observed that the shape of H/V ratio curves varies between different stations, in terms of both,
predominant period and amplitude. In addition at sites of UP-2 and UP-3, the H/V spectral ratio
takes low values (~2) and shows a flat response, with no identifiable predominant periods. It
should also be mentioned that H/V spectral ratios show an increase of predominant periods and
amplification as the distance from the coastal zone is decreased. The correlation between
response spectra, H/V spectral ratios and local soil stratigraphy at the accelerograph stations is
the subject of on-going investigations.
5 5 5 5 5 5
UP-1 UP-2 UP-3
4 (N=164) 4 4 (N=273) 4 4 (N=326) 4
0.14sec
3 0.31sec 3 3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0 0 0
0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2 0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2 0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2
5 5 5 5 5 5
UP-4 UP-5 UP-6
HVSR

0.17-0.31sec 0.55-0.98sec
4 (N=325) 4 4 (N=172) 0.2-0.26sec
4 4 0.1-0.3sec (N=248) 4

HVRSR
3 3 3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0 0 0
0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2 0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2 0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2
5 5 5 5
UP-7 UP-8
4 (N=274) 4 4 (N=186) 4
0.25sec
0.72-1.4sec
3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0
0.05 0.1 0.3 1 2 0.05 0.1 1 2

Figure 7. Spectral ratio HVSR compared to response spectral ratio HVRSR at the stations of
UPAN

Conclusions

The operation of the urban accelerograph network in the city of Patras, Greece (UPAN) started in
2006 and has allowed the development of a large database of earthquake recordings, that are
analyzed in terms of average response spectra and H/V spectral ratios at each station. The
analyses indicate a differentiation of surface response as a function of distance from the shoreline
and of the stiffness of ground materials. The measured normalized average response spectra at
each accelerograph station were compared to the EC-8 normalized elastic design spectra for the
corresponding soil classes. The comparison indicates that EC-8 either overestimates or
underestimates the response, depending on the type of earthquake (i.e. for magnitude M≤5.5 and
>5.5, respectively). H/V spectral ratios computed by utilizing response spectra (with no further
smoothing) were found to be almost identical to corresponding H/V Fourier spectral ratios.

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