Numerical Modeling of Earthquake Ground Motion

Earthquakes are modeled when there are no instrumental recordings, i.e. particularly for large, damaging earthquakes and sites close to seismic sources. One way of doing this is to calibrate site-specific ground motion attenuation models. Another is to use deterministic modeling of the rupture process and of wave propagation for scenario earthquakes. However, local geological properties must always be properly factored in.

Illustration: Spatial variation in the stress-drop parameter of instrumental earthquakes occurring in Switzerland in recent decades