Artificial Neural Network Methodology for

Three-Dimensional Seismic Parameters

Attenuation Analysis

Ben-yu Liu1, Liao-yuan Ye1, Mei-ling Xiao1, Sheng Miao1, and Jing-yu Su2
1
Institute of Public Safety and Disaster Prevention, Yunnan University,
Kunming 650091, China
{liubenyu, lyye, mlxiao, msheng}@ynu.edu.cn
http://www.srees.ynu.edu.cn/structure/index.html
2
Civil Engineering Department, Beijing University of Technology,
Beijing 100022, China
jysu@bjpu.edu.cn

Abstract. With the accumulating of the strong earthquakes records, it becomes

practicable to achieve the more accurate attenuation relationships. Based on the
seismic records of West American, the Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Back
Propagation (BP) artificial neural networks model are respectively constructed
for three-dimensional seismic parameters attenuation relationship. The RBF
model is nice fitting for the training data, although it has great errors on other
tested points. While the BP model is not good than the RBF model for the train-
ing data, it possesses a better consecutive property in the whole area. It is a
proper neural network model for the problem. After training with the selected
records, the Neural Networks (NN) shows a good fitting with the training re-
cords. And it is easy to construct three-dimensional model to predict the at-
tenuation relationship. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the presented
methodology, the contrast is discussed for the results of the BP model and three
typical traditional attenuation formulae.

1 Introduction
Taking from the seismic ground motion attenuation relationships, the movement can
easily be predicted if certain earthquake occurred. Traditionally, there are two ways to
get this special relationship. One is make a theoretical attenuation model and analyze
its influence coefficients and parameters; the other is statistical way from the stations
seismic records. Since the complicated nature of the problem, the predicted results of
most relationships can not accord with the stations records nice.
As we know, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are highly parametric functions of
the input variables through processing units, whose high connectivity makes them
suitable for describing complex input-output mappings without resorting to a physical
description of the phenomenon. Some studies in this problem have been reported.
Zheng Guanfen discussed the earthquake intensity attenuation using Back Propaga-
tion Neural Networks (BPNN) [1]. Wang Hushuang constructed a NN model to simu-
late the peak seismic parameters attenuation relation and a NN to relate the intensity

J. Wang et al. (Eds.): ISNN 2006, LNCS 3973, pp. 1223 – 1230, 2006.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006
1224 B.-y. Liu et al.

with peak seismic parameters [2]. By using the peak horizontal acceleration records
acquired in Lancang-Gengma Earthquake in 1988, Cui Jianwen constructed a NN
model to predict the peak ground acceleration attention relationship in Yunnan
region [3].
This paper using the records collected in West America where is abundant in seis-
mic records to study the three-dimensional (3D) attenuation relation of the ground
seismic parameters. Up to now, it is very difficult to describe the 3D relationships in
geophysics. The ANN model just presented a solution to this question. This paper
only studied the three dimensions Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA), the peak ground
velocity and peak ground displacement can be studied in the similar way. The 3D in
the earthquake records are two horizontal directions and one vertical direction. In the
paper, the horizontal directions are named as direction 1 and 2, the vertical direction
as direction 3.

2 Experimental Statistical Model

The experimental models were simply regressed from the strong earthquakes records.
As for the records in West America, the following models were famous.
（
Joyner-Boore [4] West America, bedrock and hard soil, 1981 ）
lg PGA = −1.02 + 0.249M − lg( D 2 + 7.32 ) − 0.0025 D 2 + 7.32 (1)

This model did not include the magnitude saturation which is proved in many
strong earthquakes. Huo Junrong [5] revised this model in order to consider the mag-
nitude saturation, as following,

( )
lg PGA = −0.935 + 1.241M − 0.046M 2 − 1.904 lg D + 0.3268e 0.6135 M − 3 (2)

In these two relations, the attenuation ratio is same when the magnitude is differ-
ent. It means that the same magnitude space in the equations has the same variety
even in different distance, which is different with the theoretical results and strong
earthquakes observations. The fact is famous as magnitude saturation phenomenon. It
says even with middle magnitude earthquake (such as M=5), the PGA in the near field
may reach a high value; while with the more strong earthquakes, the PGA can’t ex-
ceed an upper limit. The far field amplitude of the ground motion may attenuate with
different ratio with respect to different magnitude [6]. Thus, Wang Guoxing presented
the following equation,
lg PGA = 4.053 − (2.797 − 0.251M ) lg( R + 8.84) − 3 (3)

Where PGA is peak ground acceleration, R is the distance from the observation site to
the focal, D is the direct distance from the observation site to the striking fault and M
is the Richter Magnitude of the earthquake.
The relations presented by Boore D. M. [6, 7] also included the fault types, the
shear wave velocity of the soil where is 30 meters below the observation station. And
he made the solution more complicated.
 ANN Methodology for Three-Dimensional Seismic Parameters Attenuation Analysis 1225

3 ANN Analysis for the 3D Attenuation Relation

From the attenuation models presented above, we learned that the different statistical
model implied different assumption of the relation that is why the given models dem-
onstrated great discrepancy with the earthquake recordings. On the other side, the
theoretical models are deduced from the very simplified assumptions, which is differ-
ent greatly with the real seismic process and geology situation. How to minimize the
assumptions in the models and reach a rather feasible attenuation relation for the seis-
mic parameters is a valuable problem.

Magnitude Distance Soil Condition

Normalization of the Input Vector

Normalization of the Output Vector

Training Prediction Training Prediction Training Prediction

PGA1 PGA2 PGA3

Fig. 1. The PGA, PGV and PGD should be constructed in three ANN models. This figure only
demonstrated the architecture of the PGA. The PGV and PGD model can just be replaced the
PGA with themselves. The number of perceptrons in the hidden layer was determined by net-
works itself according to the training effect.

Since ANN is self-studied, self-organized and self-adapted, it is interesting to use

this methodology for seismic parameters analysis. The method can learn experiences
from the real observation records, so the sufficient learning data is required. The ANN
model needs no assumption which may suitable for this seismic problem.
When used for data fitting, the NN model such as BP and Radial Basis Function
(RBF) are often employed. The RBF network is a linear basis function method,
which can present 100 percent accuracy for the training data; while for the testing
data may exhibit great discrepancy. The BP network is limited in the [-1, 1], so it can
not behave in great difference. This paper takes the BP network as main model for the
problem.
Figure 1 is the ANN model constructed in this paper for the seismic ground pa-
rameter analysis. The training samples are the records acquired after the strong earth-
quakes. The Magnitude, Distance and Soil Condition are selected as input part. The
intensity of the observation station was excluded because it can not be used in the
prediction procedure. The output parameters were the seismic parameters at the ob-
1226 B.-y. Liu et al.

servation station, such as PGA, Peak Ground Velocity (PGV) and Peak Ground Dis-
placement (PGD). Because the difference nature of the PGA, PGV and PGD, three
ANN model were needed to be constructed for the problem.

Fig. 2. RBF fitting with contrast to equation (1)

4 Data Processing
The data in this paper was coming from reference [9], which includes 63 items strong
earthquakes of the West America. In order to avoid the deflection of one earthquake
attenuation relation to the whole region relations, the records were selected. All the
records in the earthquakes which had small data were accepted, while just part of the
records was selected for those earthquakes which had excessive records. 186 PGA
data were picked from the dataset. The magnitude changed from 4.3 to 7.7, the epi-
center distance changed from 1 km to 214 km and the acceleration changed from
0.0081 to 1.2219 (g).
The RBF network was used to demonstrate its efficiency in data fitting. The train-
ing data was from 6.0 to 6.5 in magnitude. And the result of the equation (1) was
drawn in figure 2. It can easily be pointed that the RBF network can fit the data with
certain satisfaction. While in the place with insufficient data, it demonstrate sudden
jump of the line, which means the unexpected results may occur.
Because of the situations demonstrated in figure 2. The BP network was chosen for
the 3D seismic parameters prediction analysis. In order to present a strong impression
this method, the results of equations (1) – (3) are listed in Figure 3 -5.
The data for the network training were also included in these figures. The magni-
tude of attenuation relation changed from 5.5 to 7.7, the epicenter distance changed
from 5 km to 150 km. One of the horizontal direction results was listed in order to
balance with other results.
ANN Methodology for Three-Dimensional Seismic Parameters Attenuation Analysis 1227

Fig. 3. The prediction results of equation (1)

Fig. 4. The prediction results of equation (2)

Fig. 5. The prediction results of equation (3)

1228 B.-y. Liu et al.

Fig. 6. Prediction of artificial neural network

Fig. 7. The ANN prediction curves of the three dimensional attenuation of PGA when the
magnitude equal to 6.6

Because most of the earthquake records are collected at middle distance with mid-
dle magnitude, the relationships introduced above at this area demonstrated favorable
fitting results. But for the high magnitude data fitting, the results may be greatly dif-
ferent. The result of equation (3) is the maximum, the equation (1) in the middle, and
equation (2) is the minimum. With the increasing of the magnitude, the acceleration is
increased which failed the magnitude saturation fact. The ANN model demonstrates
the acceleration decrease at the high magnitude, which may represent the magnitude
saturation phenomenon. Of course, the insufficiency of the records may be one reason
for the acceleration decrease. For the detail situation of the attenuation relation, the
three former equations are changed steady while the ANN model is different.
 ANN Methodology for Three-Dimensional Seismic Parameters Attenuation Analysis 1229

Furthermore, the ANN method can easily get the 3D seismic parameter attenuation
relationships. The target of PGV and PGD can be attained just change the training
target from PGA to PGV or PGD, and no more assumptions were need for this meth-
odology.
In order to demonstrate the advantage of ANN method, the earthquakes data which
magnitude is 6.6 is selected. There are 55 records for the hard soil site in the dataset.
The ANN data fitting and the original data were pointed in figure 7.
In figure 7, the fitting curves of the direction 1 and direction 2 are relative close.
This is because they represent the two horizontal directions. In the near field, they are
a little different, and while in the far field they are similar. The direction 3 is the verti-
cal direction, which has smaller value than the horizontal direction and has the similar
attenuation relationship with the horizontal directions.

5 Conclusions and Suggestions

From the contrast with the traditional seismic parameter attenuation relationships, this
paper presented an ANN model to simulate this special relation. After training
with the data acquired in West America, the model demonstrated favorable results.
Unlike the traditional method, this model involve the magnitude saturation and length
influence of the focal just by training the model with the proper data, and the three
dimensional vectors and three parameters such as PGA, PGV and PGD can easily be
acquired.
From the ANN analysis of this paper, it can easily be found out that the attenuation
curves of the horizontal and vertical are different. The results of this paper can
provide three dimensional attenuation relationships for engineering usage.
By employed the RBF and BP networks to the training data, this paper demon-
strated that the BP network is more suitable for this problem. The architecture of the
BP network was constructed in this paper. By contrast with the traditional models, it
demonstrated that the ANN model is more suitable for the problem. With the suffi-
cient training data, the model may present a reasonable relationship for the seismic
parameters attenuation with displacement.

Acknowledgements
This research is financial supported by the National Science Foundation of China
under the grant number 40564002, the National Science Foundation of Yunnan Prov-
ince under the grant number 2004E007R and the Science and Engineering Foundation
of Yunnan University under the grant number 2004Z005B.

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