Journal of Natural Disaster Science

RELATION BETWEEN THE DISTRIBUTION OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE 1995 HYOGOKEN-NAMBU EARTHQUAKE AND GROUND VIBRATION CHARACTERISTICS INFERRED FROM MICROSEISMS

Junpei AKAMATSU
Associate Professor, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University
Hitoshi MORIKAWA
Doctoral Student, Graduate School of Civil Engineering, Kyoto University
Hideo SAITO
Graduate Student, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University
and
Mitsuru JIDO
Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Science, Kyoto University

(Received 21 February, 1995 and in revised form 27 March, 1995)

Abstract

Observation of microseisms and a damage survey of buildings and houses were carried out to study the relation between distribution of damage caused by the 1995 Hyogoken-nambu (Southern Hyogo Prefecture) earthquake and ground vibration characteristics. Ground vibration characteristics were evaluated using the spectral ratios of microseisms between soil sites and a rock site and between the horizontal and vertical components at soil sites, Although there are limits to the application of microseisms, ground vibration characteristics are considered to reflect the steep slope of bedrock. The severely damaged area which is concentrated in a narrow region, seems to be related to the boundaries of areas that have different vibration characteristics.

Key words

1995 Hyogoken-nambu earthquake, damage distribution, microseisms, steep slope of bedrock