Planning for Site Selection, Installation and Operation of Geotechnical Strong-Motion Arrays

Consortium Of Organizations For Strong Motion Observation System, Richmond CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action is to support two workshops which, together, will address earthquake strong-motion arrays for geotechnical engineering sites. Specifically, they will document current and planned arrays; develop a strategic plan for future strong motion instrumentation for geotechnical sites; and develop a long-term implementation plan and management structure. The workshop participants will be from the United States and other countries where significant geotechnical strong-motion monitoring is being conducted. The deployment of strong-motion instruments at the surface and in the subsurface for geotechnical monitoring provides a major advance in the direct measurement of the effects of surface geology. Borehole measurements provide critical constraints on methods for interpreting surface observations and for understanding non-linear stress- strain behavior of site geology up to and including soil failure. Borehole measurements provide data to address some of the most basic unresolved seismological and earthquake engineering issues, including the dynamic strain threshold where non- linear behavior begins, with insights into strain-limited ground motions. Because the required measurements are costly to obtain, planning and broad coordination of monitoring programs and initiatives is highly important in order to maximize the likelihood of obtaining useful recordings in a reasonable time period. The first workshop will document the current monitoring activities, and develop a strategic plan for future monitoring. The second workshop will develop a long-range implementation and management structure for coordinated geotechnical strong-motion monitoring. The report from the workshop will: (1) document the current geotechnical strong-motion monitoring; (1) provide a strategic plan for future monitoring, an implementation plan for future monitoring, and a coordination and management plan for future monitoring. The Proceedings of the two workshops will be published by the Consortium of Organizations for Strong Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS) and will be distributed on CD-ROM. The proceedings also will be posted on the COSMOS Home Page, http://www.cosmos-eq.org