The 19 September 2017 M 7.1 Puebla‐Morelos earthquake: Spectral ratios confirm Mexico City zoning

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
By: , and 

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Abstract

One important element of understanding basin response to strong shaking is the analysis of spectral ratios, which may provide information about the dominant frequency of ground motion at specific locations. Spectral ratios computed from accelerations recorded by strong‐motion stations in Mexico City during the mainshock of the 19 September 2017 MM 7.1 Puebla‐Morelos earthquake reveal predominate periods consistent with those mapped in the 2004 Mexican seismic design code. Furthermore, the predominant periods thus computed validate those studies using mainshock and aftershock recordings of the handful strong‐motion stations that recorded the 19 September 1985 MM 8.1 Michoacán earthquake. Even though the number of stations in each of the zones (zones I, II, IIIa, b, c, and d) is not the same, they still allow confirmation of site frequencies (periods) attributable to the specific zones (particularly those in zones IIIa, b, c, and d). Spectral ratios are computed with two different methods: (1) horizontal to horizontal (H/H) ratio of smoothed amplitude spectrum of a horizontal channel in direction X of a station with respect to the smoothed amplitude spectrum of the horizontal channel in the same X direction of a reference stiff soil (or rock) station and (2) horizontal to vertical (H/V) ratio (or also known as the Nakamura method) of both horizontal (H) and vertical (V) channels of the same station. We show a comparison of the identified frequencies (periods) derived by both methods and find they are very similar and in good agreement with those indicated in the zoning maps of Mexico City in the 2004 seismic design code.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The 19 September 2017 M 7.1 Puebla‐Morelos earthquake: Spectral ratios confirm Mexico City zoning
Series title Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
DOI 10.1785/0120180100
Volume 108
Issue 6
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher Seismological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Science Center
Description 11 p.
First page 3289
Last page 3299
Country Mexico
County Mexico City
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